The inclusion of the number 7 in our logo and brand name is a direct reference and acknowledgement of Millers theory on short-term memory capability.
In 1956, George A. Miller, a cognitive psychologist, pioneered research on the limitations of short-term memory in adults. He published a landmark paper describing our abilities to retain a maximum of 7 (+/- 2) 'chunks' of data (including words, digits, letters or other units), in our short term memory. Later, this became known as Miller’s number.
Miller concluded, "That this restricted short-term capability imposes severe limitations on the amount of information that we are able to receive, process, and remember." The Advanced Computational Laboratories of Cancer Research in the UK, CRUK, have researched short-term memory in relation to physicians’ abilities to manage large quantities of clinical data. Assessing the extraordinary intellectual demands of medical consulting, they found that simple tools to assist physician memory and knowledge, can lead to a 10% improvement in clinical outcomes. These findings are particularly important in clinical oncology, as the volume and complexity of cancer knowledge and treatment options increases rapidly.
This history has direct relevance to the conceptualization of OnICS i-NOTZ. The i-NOTZ system menus conform to Miller’s number and are specifically designed to facilitate clinical practice by making accurate and consistent note taking and data collection a quick and simple process.