Re: Miller's original 7+/-2 article & Number of bullet points

Subject: Re: Miller's original 7+/-2 article & Number of bullet points
From: "Peter Ring, PRC" <prc -at- ISA -dot- DKNET -dot- DK>
Date: Thu, 31 Jul 1997 15:25:12 +1

Thanks a lot to Poul Nagai for publishing the link to Miller's
original article.

I have read it (it is worth reading!), and I sincerely recommend
*everybody* in this business:

1. Do your self a favour.
2. Read it (again).
3. Enjoy his good explanation of "chunking" - for free!
4. Look in the article for scientific solid proof for the 7+/-2
rule; - or just for more than the vague contours of the rule!

... *before* posting any more "holy 7+/-2 rule" mails to this list,
thus avoiding abusing Miller's name and work, - and the "7+/-2 rule"!

There are NO MORE excuses for not having read it!

PS: To my humble opinion ...
- Chunking is a good tool and "way of thinking" when writing manuals.
- The 7+/-2 rule is a sensible "rule of thumb", valid for processes
and lists to be *learned by heart*, ONLY ! It is e.g. not relevant
for checklists, although it can make a checklist easier to use.

> Miller's 1956 article can be found on the Well:
> http://www.well.com/user/smalin/miller.html


Greetings from Denmark

Peter Ring
PRC (Peter Ring Consultants)
- specialists in user friendly manuals and audits on manuals.
prc -at- isa -dot- dknet -dot- dk
http://isa.dknet.dk/~prc/index.html
- the "User Friendly Manuals" website with links, bibliography, list
of prof. associations, and tips for technical writers.

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