Loci Spheres: A Mobile App Concept Based on the Method of Loci

Abstract

The method of loci is a technique to memorize large quantities of information by associating the items to be learned with familiar places (loci). The effectiveness of the technique has been well established, but the initial creation of the loci can be a tedious task. With the aim of supporting flexible learning in situ, we introduce Loci Spheres, a novel concept which facilitates the creation of loci using mobile devices. We present three variants which support the technique to varying degrees: spatial loci (uses spatial input) and panning loci (uses panning) to define and navigate the loci, and no loci (baseline condition), where users have to create the loci within their imagination. In an in-the-wild study we investigated perceived system support, usage behavior, and effectiveness of the three variants. With this work we introduce a novel memorization tool which addresses the potential barrier involved in loci creation and provide a set of four design principles on how to leverage the technique with mobile devices in everyday situations.