Examining Work Flows

with a cognitive accessibility lens

Session OutlineConsider the nature of the information landscape and it’s impact on work flows

Consider the cognitive impact of digital and analogue information gathering processes

Highlight strategies to manage information and associated actions

Identify cognitive accessibility features in digital work flows

The Information LandscapeDigital and analogue

Pushed information is

relentless!

The cognitive impact

Cognitive load

Executive functioning

*These can be compounded by additional accessibility requirements

Executive FunctioningA set of mental processes that helps us connect past experience with present action.

We use executive function for planning, organizing, strategizing and paying attention to and remembering details.

Keep track of time

Keep track of objects

Link information to past knowledge

Adjust priorities

Executive functioning issues may include difficulties with:

Classifying information for future retrieval and action

planning a project or sequence of tasks

comprehending the time a project will take to complete

communicating details in an organized, sequential manner

the mental strategies involved in memorization

retrieving information from memory

difficulty retaining information while doing something with it

I just might need that one day!

Encoding memories

Tags

Visual memory aids

Multimodal in nature

Tagging memories

who

whenwhere

what

Strategies to support Executive FunctioningDigital work space

• Minimise clutter and multiple digital work spaces• Minimalist approach to tools to avoid cognitive load• Utilise multiple modes of similar information• Construct personalised storage and retrieval system

Managing work

• Make checklist for getting through a task.• *Break large tasks into chunks and assign time frames to each• Utilise reminder mechanisms

General strategies

• Step by step approaches; utilise visual organisational aids and schedules• Use tools with alarms

*Incremental success and self regulation.Pomodoro technique – www.pomoporotechnique.com

2 tools that support Executive FunctioningLets take a look at the cognitive accessibility features of

Livescribe 3 digital pen Evernote

Cognitive accessibility with Livescribe 3Disruptive but not intrusive

The cognitive impact of handwriting

Cognitive accessibility with Livescribe 3Working with snippets

Snippet Actions

Transcribe, edit

Copy, delete, merge

Create and open Reminders

Share – email, message, Evernote, OneNote

Cognitive accessibility with Evernote

Some key features to support executive functioning

• Capture or email multiple modes of information - web pages, documents, images, audio, video • Endless Note page

• OCR processed images

• Develop personalised system of purposeful tagging*

• Embed organisational and monitoring strategies in note page - to do lists, audio notes, schedules, reminders, journal

Cognitive accessibility with EvernoteCapturing analogue information

Create your own automated procedures

Wrap up

Key points to consider

Utilise tools which are prevalent in mainstream

Too many tools increase the cognitive load

Identify features in tools that support• executive functioning strategies• UDL principles of processing and interacting with information

Smart devices can be disruptive without being intrusive

Develop a strategic system for tagging

Adopt a systematic approach to handwritten note takingeg Bullet Journal http://bulletjournal.com

Thank you for engaging in the session

www.sprialisconsulting.com

jim@sprialisconsulting.com