I had a great time talking with Mike Caspar at the Atlanta Scrum Gathering.
He pointed out that I had used a concept called “primacy” in my keynote when I got people to do the quick multi-tasking exercise.
In short: I presented the right way first. I presented the wrong way second.
Mike said pilots are taught that way because what they hear first is what sticks in their mind and when they have an emergency they instinctively do it the right way, not the wrong way.
Here’s Mike’s blog about it: http://mike-caspar.blogspot.ca/2012/05/importance-of-primacy-effect-for.html
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Funny thing is: I used to do the multitasking exercise the other way around - bad first, good second - but I switched. I think it works better - taking something simple and clear, then twisting it so that it gets worse.
Funnier thing is: I didn’t realise I’d switched until Mike talked to me and gave the concept a name. So: Thanks Mike, and I hope to meet you again some day.
