Study Tools: Mnemonics

The easiest way to think about mnemonics is to think of them as mental shortcuts to help you remember something.  I have been using them for studying for a year or so and they are very helpful.  They do take a bit of time to get used to using, and there is some time investment required to build them, but the return you'll get outweighs that minor cost.

ROYGBIV is an example of mnemonic that most kids would recognize.  It's an easy way to remember rainbow colors (and one of the first things I can remember learning.  Actually, I remember one teacher writing

a                                                                          lot

on a black board to teach us not to write alot.  I can still remember what she looks like and how many other kids were in the room).  I actually have a bachelors in Psychology, so I won't get too into it, but just remember they're effective.

This is another one many people have seen.

There are actually world memory championships where contestants must do things like memorize a deck of cards in under two minutes.  They do this by practicing memorizing things.  This is not a skill unique to certain folks; anyone can do it with practice.

First you need to determine what you want to memorize.  As an example I'll use the formula for Schedule Variance from my Project+ training.  The formula is

SPI=EV/PV

For those of you who are curious, EV is Earned Value (multiply the percent of work done by the cost of completing that work) and PV is Planned Value (The planned cost of the work).

I could sit down and just repeat it over and over (a brute force method... Aka Drill and Kill).  Instead, I chose to develop a shortcut.  It is

eee vee pee vee schedule vee vee (spoken similar to easy peasy lemon squeezy).

Now a good thing to know is that mnemonics don't need to make sense to anyone else. Or even to you.  All they need to do is trigger a memory.  In thus case that phrase instantly brings the correct correct formula to mind.

Mnemonics don't need to be aural either.  Pictures are also a great way to remember.  For instance, the formula for Cost Performance Index (CPI) IS

CPI=EV/AC

Now the right hand side spells evac, as in evacuate.  So when I see CPI I visualize those letters on fire with a bunch of people running for their lives away from it.

If you see the CPI mushroom cloud, EV/AC!

Remember, the more vivid and full the mnemonics, the better it will serve you!

Once you've built your mnemonics begin using it with your note cards and other studying.  Soon it will begin to recall the info you need.  Eventually you'll just see the mnemonic in your head when presented with the trigger and you'll instantly know what it means.

Best of luck preparing, and please feel free to share your mnemonics below!