On Virtual Note-Taking
The Future of Digital Note-Taking: Bridging Cognitive and Digital Spaces
The new age of digital note-taking has seen an incredible leap in the past decade, from the basic functionalities of typing out text to the advanced features of drawing, recording, and sharing. As we step further into the 21st century, we are beginning to see the immense potential of these tools, particularly as they become more integrated with our physical and digital spaces.
For those engaged in disciplines like architecture, this evolution in digital note-taking offers a new perspective on the relationship between physical and cognitive spaces. The concept of the "Memory Palace", a mental construct used for memorizing complex information, illustrates the potential of this relationship. It links our physical surroundings with our abstract thoughts, effectively creating a 'map' of our cognitive processes.
Traditionally, the physical limitations of note-making, such as the constraints of a physical page, have shaped our note-taking habits. But as we move towards digital platforms, these limitations are being lifted, opening up exciting possibilities for how we structure our notes and thoughts.
However, the transition to digital platforms also brings its own set of challenges. For instance, one of the most notable features of digital note-taking tools is the 'infinite canvas', which removes the boundaries of a physical page. While liberating, this feature can also be disorienting, as users may struggle to conceptualize where they are in relation to their notes, or remember the layout of their notes.
Here are a few proposed solutions and areas of development to address these challenges:
Peripheral Vision: Designing a view mode that allows the user to keep in sight the infinite margins of the page and their contents.
Indicating Scale: Providing indicators for the scale of the view, allowing users to 'snap' to different scales to coordinate information hierarchically.
Memorable Coordinates: Developing a system to make the location of notes on the 'page' memorable, such as a two-dimensional color gradient.
Local Space Expansion: Implementing functionality that allows for local space expansion, enabling users to accrue extra space in a specific location without disrupting the connectivity and relationship of other notes.
2D to 3D Transition: Considering the possibility of taking notes on a 3D surface like a sphere or other manifold, potentially transforming the way we visualize and remember our notes.
Sensory Integration: Exploring ways to integrate other senses into the note-taking process, such as the tactile feedback of the stylus on a digital surface, or the incorporation of sound to mark specific points in the notes.
These proposed features are more than just improvements to the existing digital note-taking platform; they represent a paradigm shift in the way we think about note-taking. By pushing the boundaries of what digital note-taking tools can do, we can create an experimental platform that stands at the forefront of cognitive science, memory, and spatial understanding.
As we continue to innovate and experiment, we eagerly await what the future of digital note-taking will look like. With continued feedback and creative input from users around the world, there's no limit to what we can achieve.
