19. Short term memory is limited.

19. Short term memory is limited.

1. Have you ever tried to remember someone's phone number they just told you without writing it down?

   • Then someone else starts talking to you.
     • ...and talking
       • ...and talking.
         • You forgot it didn't you?
           • That's because it was in your working memory, and in order to maintain the information you have to focus on it.
             • Distractions keep people from remembering things short term. Maybe it's not someone else talking, maybe it's trying to remember numbers and letters on one page then entering them on another.
               • If you want people to do something specific, don't have them do anything else until they complete the first task. Working memory can only hold so much.