Assumptions

What do we know about how people operate?

Are there any assumptions we can make about people?

Why does... a child put their hand in a fire? a person push all the buttons on a new stereo? a person test-drive a car before buying?

Assumption I
People learn by doing.

Why do people say things like... "Don't tell me how the fancy printer works; just make it print my document." "I don't care about internal combustion; I just want to drive my car."

Assumption II
People learn no more than they need to "get the job done."

What's going on when people say... "Well, the name isn't familiar; maybe if I saw her face I'd recognize her." "Where's the chocolate?" "I don't know, look in the pantry." "What's the name of the great chicken dish?" "Let me see the menu and I'll tell you."

Assumption III
People are better at recognition than recall.

Why do people say... "In our house I balance the checkbook." "I hate it when my mother tells me what to do." "Let me drive."

Assumption IV
People feel more comfortable when they are in control.

Why does one person use a spreadsheet where another uses a chart? Why are there songs for learning the alphabet as well as text aids? Why do some people prefer reading the newspaper where other people prefer watching news on TV?

Assumption V
Different people learn and communicate in different ways.

Why do people write down grocery lists? Why are phone numbers easier to memorize than 20 digit account numbers?

Assumption VI
People can remember seven plus or minus two items at a time. This assumption is sometimes misunderstood. The key word here is remember. It applies to recall, not recognition. People should have to recall only a limited amount of information. They can recognize a correct response from a much larger set of choices.

How many different things does a baby have to learn in order to walk? or to eat with a spoon? How do people learn to do complicated things like abstract math?

Assumption VII
People learn in chunks that with use are integrated into a whole.