A9.16

Cognitive offloading and external representation

Cards in this group · 4

  1. A9.16.1External representation moves computation and comparison onto the interface, cutting mental arithmetic and tracking load
  2. A9.16.2Visualization turns numeric relationships into directly perceivable shape and position, replacing symbolic computation
  3. A9.16.3An external representation needs to match the internal cognitive process it serves, or the mismatch adds a translation cost
  4. A9.16.4Relying on external representation weakens internalized understanding of the underlying data relationships, trading learning for load