Make Memory a Choice, Not Chance.
A Practical Approach to Spaced Repetition
Chance is our brain’s default approach to memory. This reality was adequate for our prehistoric ancestors but is especially limiting in the information age. Spaced-repetition is the surest way to ensure a memory lasts “forever”. In this post, I will share tips and tricks I have learned applying this approach over the last few years.
As Michael Nielsen points out, it is all about making memory a choice, not chance.
Memory as a Choice
Tools known as Spaced-repetition Memory Systems make implementing this practice simple. Most of these are glorified flashcard apps. Here is a list of options. The basic idea is that new concepts need to be reviewed sooner than concepts you have thought about multiple times over years.
For example, when you review a flashcard using Anki, the bottom of the card will list four options: AGAIN, HARD, GOOD, and EASY. If the card referenced in the screenshot below was “easy” to remember, I will not see it again for 16 days. The durations adjust over time depending on how I respond.
My Approach
I use Anki. The desktop application and the android app are free. The iOS app is $25. Everyday, I spend a few minutes reviewing flashcards that are “due” that day.
Example Cards
Let’s start by answering the #1 question I am asked: What kinds of cards do you make? Below are some categories I noticed while glancing through my deck. Overtime, you’ll develop a knack for what you personally feel deserves to be “Anki-fied”.
Reading notes
Content consumption is not the same as learning. These cards help me actually remember what I learn from the books, articles, and other content I consume.
Industry relevant concepts
I work at the crossroads of EdTech/Product/Learning. Many of my cards reference ideas from this space or lessons learned from adjacent industries.
Background evidence
In the back of my mind are dozens of principles I know create effective products and experiences. That said, it is much easier to convince my team (and myself) when I can briefly describe a study justifying a given principle’s importance.
Job interview questions
In the past, the only time I prepared for a job interview was when it was on the calendar. These cards help me practice succinctly describing important principles associated with the roles I am interested in.
Practice
Visual design is an important part of creating great products. These cards allow me to practice identifying important visual design principles.
Conversations / Advice / Co-Workers
I am surrounded by brilliant people. Some of my favorite cards are simple concepts I have learned working alongside these individuals.
Hobbies
Learning is my hobby. Some cards remind me of facts associated with bird watching, astronomy, plant identification, and much more.
Mistakes
What did I learn from [Scenario]? Mistakes are a painful but effective way to learn. When a user struggles to navigate an interface I design, I Anki-fy a screenshot.
Other cards prompt me to reflect on how I could have acted differently when I was impatient or irresponsible. Don’t worry, this is not self-inflicted punishment. I know the goal of these cards, and they help ensure those lessons are not forgotten.
Project reflections
Name 2–3 things I learned from the ________ project? Have you ever thought back on a project that once consumed your life but no longer remember the details? These cards help me avoid that.
Card Creation Tips
There are hundreds of shared decks available, but creating your own cards can improve retention and ensures the cards are relevant to your needs. Here are some suggestions:
Focus on workflow simplicity. The ideal workflow is creating a card the moment I have an idea for one.
An exception to this is when pausing to create a flashcard might disrupt the learning process. While listening to a presentation or reading a book, I use notes/highlights to indicate ideas that may be worth Anki-fying later. Keep in mind these lists will pile up if you do not get to them soon.
Scannability. Use bolding, italics, color and underlining to make both sides of your cards easily scannable.
Cite sources. As your deck matures, you will forget where ideas originated. Cite sources to ensure that context is not lost.
Use a single deck. A single deck for all cards simplifies your workflow and increases opportunities for serendipitous connections between ideas.
Real-world scenarios. Before creating a card, consider how you might recall the information in real life. Wherever possible, frame your cards that way.
Don’t stress about tags. Again, workflow simplicity. Anki allows you to organize cards by tagging them. If I was preparing for a class assessment I would use this feature. My Job Interview category is a use-case I might review a sub-group of cards all at once. For regular use, I can find specific cards by searching the text.
Add additional info. I often enhance cards with additional information. This is not required to get the card “right”, but it is a helpful way to remind my future self of important details.
Edit cards as needed. If a card loses relevance, delete it. If a card isn’t written quite right, change it.
More Benefits!
Beyond the obvious benefit of enhanced memory, here are some additional ways spaced-repetition has improved my life.
Active learning. The world is your classroom. Creating cards makes you conscious of all the opportunities to learn you have on a day-to-day basis.
Personal library of ideas. I jokingly refer to my deck as part of my brain, but that’s exactly how those researching Tools for Thought describe it. I frequently rely on my deck for links to resources I want to review or share.
Enhanced creativity. Some of my cards are basic facts. Could I Google this? Sure. But will Google help me serendipitously connect one idea to another? No. The human brain is incredibly creative, but it can only work with the knowledge it has available.
Improved mentoring. Expert blindspot is a real barrier to effectively mentoring others. Spaced-repetition enables me to effectively articulate the principles my processes are built around.
Reflect on personal growth. Overtime, certain cards have highlighted how my views have shifted. Often the answer was clearcut at the time the card was created, but it now seems much more nuanced.
Your Lifelong Learning
Take charge of your learning. Many organizations are vying to be “the solution” to lifelong learning. While I am hopeful these organizations succeed, I am the only entity whose needs, interests, and goals are 100% aligned with my own.
If you are going to learn throughout your life, why not do it the most efficient way possible? Give spaced-repetition a try, and figure out what works for you.
Interested in this topic? I want to hear about it. Connect on LinkedIn or share your thoughts below.
Thanks Freepik for the brain and notebook icons!
