Cognitive engineering and cognitive ergonomics learning
Cognitive Engineering and Cognitive Ergonomics Learning
Phase 1: Foundation Building (2-3 months)
Core Reading List (prioritized for your background):
"Cognitive Engineering" by Erik Hollnagel
# Cognitive Engineering and Cognitive Ergonomics Learning Plan
Our journey into cognitive engineering and ergonomics is structured to build a robust foundation, integrating theory with practical application, especially concerning AI and autism management. Our philosophical backgrounds will allow us to bring a unique perspective to the lived experience of cognitive enhancement.
## Phase 1: Foundation Building (2-3 months)
### Core Reading List:
* **"The Design of Everyday Things" by Don Norman:** Our starting point for its accessible yet profound insights into intuitive design.
* **"Cognitive Engineering" by Erik Hollnagel:** Essential for understanding the systematic approach to designing cognitive systems.
* **"Neuroergonomics" by Raja Parasuraman:** Crucial for exploring the neural basis of human performance and its implications for design.
### Key Academic Papers:
We will focus on systematic reviews to ensure a broad understanding of:
* Cognitive load theory
* Executive function in autism
* Human-computer interaction for neurodiversity
## Phase 2: Applied Learning (parallel to reading)
### Self-Study Cases:
We will document Romain's own AI-assisted cognitive strategies, analyzing successes and challenges from a philosophical perspective. This includes mapping patterns in successful adaptations, building on Romain's insights into distributed cognition and the 'value-action gap.'
### Cross-Disciplinary Integration:
We will connect phenomenology with cognitive ergonomics, apply pedagogical principles to cognitive support systems, and analyze the ethical implications of cognitive enhancement.
## Quick Start Action Items:
* Begin with Don Norman's "The Design of Everyday Things."
* Join ResearchGate and follow key researchers in cognitive ergonomics.
* Start systematically documenting personal experiences, as this is crucial for our self-study cases.
## Weekly Breakdown
We've designed this breakdown to provide digestible learning chunks, immediate practical application, and regular reflection, progressively increasing in complexity.
### Week 1: Introduction to Core Concepts
* **Day 1:**
* **Reading:** Introduction to Cognitive Engineering (30 min)
* **Exercise:** Reflect on your current understanding of cognitive processes and how AI might intersect with them.
* **Day 2:**
* **Reading:** Affordances in Design (30 min), focusing on how objects invite use.
* **Exercise:** Identify three positive and three negative affordances in your daily environment. Consider how these influence your actions, drawing on Romain's connection to friction and habit formation.
* **Day 3:**
* **Reading:** Basics of Neuroergonomics (30 min)
* **Exercise:** Analyze a tool you use daily (e.g., smartphone, kitchen appliance) and describe its ergonomic design, considering its impact on your cognitive effort.
* **Day 4:**
* **Reading:** Cognitive Load Theory Overview (30 min)
* **Exercise:** Create a simple diagram illustrating intrinsic, extraneous, and germane cognitive load in a recent task you completed.
* **Day 5:**
* **Reading:** Executive Function and Autism (30 min), exploring key challenges and strengths.
* **Exercise:** Write a journal entry about your personal experiences with executive function in a recent task, considering where AI tools could offer support.
* **Day 6:**
* **Reading:** Human-Computer Interaction for Neurodiversity (30 min)
* **Exercise:** List three features you would want in an AI-powered tool specifically designed to support neurodivergent cognitive styles.
* **Day 7:**
* **Reflection:** Summarize what you learned this week, noting any surprising insights or connections.
### Week 2: Deep Dive into Norman and Behavioral Design
* **Day 1:**
* **Reading:** "The Design of Everyday Things" - Chapter 1: "The Psychopathology of Everyday Things" (30 min). This chapter introduces fundamental concepts like affordances and signifiers, crucial for understanding intuitive design.
* **Exercise:** Identify a poorly designed object or interface you encountered today and suggest specific improvements based on Norman's principles.
* **Day 2:**
* **Reading:** "The Design of Everyday Things" - Chapter 3: "Knowledge in the Head and in the World" (30 min). This directly relates to distributed cognition and offloading mental work, a concept Romain is already familiar with from David Rabouin's work.
* **Exercise:** Evaluate your workspace or digital environment for cognitive support. How do you 'offload' tasks or information from your 'head' into your 'world'?
* **Day 3:**
* **Reading:** Neuroergonomics - Practical Applications in Everyday Life (30 min)
* **Exercise:** Document an instance where cognitive load visibly affected your performance or decision-making. What were the triggers, and what could have reduced the load?
* **Day 4:**
* **Reading:** Cognitive Engineering in Practice (30 min)
* **Exercise:** Create a mini case study on a cognitive tool you regularly use (e.g., a note-taking app, a planning tool, or an AI assistant). How does it support or hinder your cognitive processes?
* **Day 5:**
* **Reading:** Bridging the Value-Action Gap (30 min), focusing on the disconnect between knowing something is useful and actually using it.
* **Exercise:** Identify one AI tool or productivity method you find objectively useful but struggle to use consistently. Brainstorm reasons for this 'gap.'
* **Day 6:**
* **Reading:** The HOOK Model Explained (Nir Eyal's framework for habit-forming products) (30 min). This directly addresses Romain's observation about adoption challenges.
* **Exercise:** Analyze an AI tool or application you use regularly and consistently. Break it down using the four elements of the HOOK model: Trigger, Action, Variable Reward, and Investment.
* **Day 7:**
* **Reflection:** Summarize your insights from the week's readings and exercises. Reflect on how concepts like affordances, distributed cognition, the value-action gap, and the HOOK model apply to your personal AI mastery journey.
This structured approach will help solidify your understanding of cognitive engineering and ergonomics while integrating practical application directly relevant to your goals. We will continue to build upon this foundation in the coming weeks.By Romain Peter