The Coherence Principle incorporates a minimalist approach to multimedia presentations, where lessons are kept uncluttered and focus only on content that supports the instructional goal. It would not support the use of decorative or representational graphics.

Only words, graphics, and sounds essential to the learning goal should be included. We have learned that humans have a limited capacity to process new data and store it in the working memory.

Graphics that don’t align with the learning goal compete with the necessary learning points, decreasing our focus or attention to essential concepts.

Extraneous information like background music or sounds compete for the learner's attention and decrease learning.

The Contiguity Principle encourages us to link ideas to help coordinate thoughts. Labeling on or very near the image maintains the continuity of the lesson and minimizes the need to scroll to link the content. It also promotes keeping each slide clean and free from clutter that would cause distraction or confusion.

To understand the psychological reasons for the Modality Principle, we must first understand how memory works.

Our brains perceive sights and sounds with our sensory memory, and we process what we see and hear in our working memory.

Each sense has its own channel. Sounds are processed by the ears with phonetic processing.

Images are processed by the eyes with visual processing. Sounds and Images are are in their own channels so there is no competition for processing.

If we want to optimize learning, we must utilize the multimedia principles or risk our presentations becoming another "Death by PowerPoint".

If we want to optimize learning, we must utilize the multimedia principles or risk our presentations becoming another "Death by PowerPoint".