Q: What is Cognitive Friction?
A: Cognitive Friction is a phrase coined by Alan Cooper in his 1999 book “The Inmates are Running the Asylum”. Cooper defines it as
“…the resistance encountered by human intellect when it engages with a complex system of rules that change as the problem permutes.”
The focus of Cooper’s book was designing high-tech gadgetry that is also user-friendly by minimizing the cognitive friction for users. (See, you learned something today! Have a cookie, you’ve earned it.)
I chose to name my blog Cognitive Friction because whatever I write here is part of my attempt to make sense of the complex system of rules that comprise everyday life…to reduce my own level of cognitive friction, if you will. Venting about things like traffic, celebrities, football teams, and other petty concerns helps me to let go of them and concentrate on the more important things in life.
Much of this blog’s content began life as message board posts in fantasy sports leagues.
Q: Who is the author of this site?
A: A husband and father from Wisconsin who identifies himself as a fan of the Cleveland Browns and Chicago Cubs, is passionate about all things automotive, is left handed, embraces his mild ADHD and apparent anger issues instead of hiding behind them, and doesn’t really know what he wants to be when he grows up.
Well done on acknowledging that you are human and making others aware that if they do not like that idea then it is their issue and not yours!
[…] (2008) About. At: https://cogfriction.wordpress.com/about/ (Accessed on 5 November […]