Temporal Context and Memory for Notes Stored in the Computer

Observations of users of the Xerox NoteCards system have revealed the difficulties that occur when one must organize and keep track of large numbers of notes collected over a long period of time. Notes are almost inevitably incomplete, and if removed from their original context, frequently do not adequately remind the writer of the idea they intended to record. People often rely upon incidental contextual cues (e.g., coffee stains) to help them recognize a note, but these cues are lost in the computer environment. Advanced computer authoring systems are designed to provide organizational tools for describing, linking, and categorizing notes, but truly effective organizations require planning and effort in which the notetaker is often unwilling or unable to invest.