It was auto primetime (time when people rush to get autos and taxies rather than waiting for the bus, not just because it is late but because everyone else is leaving, and the fear, they might be left alone in the night) at Vijayanagar bus terminus and I was waiting for the bus, knowing that the bus would surely come within maximum of 20 minutes. It is such wonderful feeling to stay relaxed in the midst of disarray. Of course, thank God for the 'flexitime', both at home and in the office.
Three buses came in succession: 21L, 10G and M45E. I was looking for 5A, M21 or some 51s. Before I turn my attention back to the crowded auto, I felt, I saw something I was waiting for. It took few seconds, perhaps such an unmatched complex queuing system, for my mind to pick the scene from what it had seen a second before. The word 'Tambaram' - exactly the thing I wanted.
Why did I take those few extra seconds to notice it? I realise, it is because, the bus is new in this route, at least, that was the first time I got a chance to see it. The light on the name board is set to focus on the number, which is in the middle of the board. So lesser light on the name. As a matter of fact, I doubt whether I would have got it even if it was a day time because my mind is conditioned to look for those familiar numbers only.
In fact, there are lots of places where I fail to notice the change as the change is not in the place where my focus usually would be. That is why I rarely see the advertisements displayed both at the top and the left of the page on my web e-mail client.
I think this a common behaviour. I have seen my teammates struggling to find the newly added icon on the toolbar. Interestingly they know that the feature is being developed (say, two weeks time) and all it will have in the client is that single icon, yet they fail to get it at first, because it is that hard to find something placed between two small icons, especially when it merges with colour and size. That is why I appreciate the balloon tips that some of the competitors show to indicate the added icon.
By the way, what is good? Should the mind be ‘conditioned’ to see things it used to (faster)? Or should it be ‘free’ to see the things afresh (slower)?
Kovil Pillai P.
Three buses came in succession: 21L, 10G and M45E. I was looking for 5A, M21 or some 51s. Before I turn my attention back to the crowded auto, I felt, I saw something I was waiting for. It took few seconds, perhaps such an unmatched complex queuing system, for my mind to pick the scene from what it had seen a second before. The word 'Tambaram' - exactly the thing I wanted.
Why did I take those few extra seconds to notice it? I realise, it is because, the bus is new in this route, at least, that was the first time I got a chance to see it. The light on the name board is set to focus on the number, which is in the middle of the board. So lesser light on the name. As a matter of fact, I doubt whether I would have got it even if it was a day time because my mind is conditioned to look for those familiar numbers only.
In fact, there are lots of places where I fail to notice the change as the change is not in the place where my focus usually would be. That is why I rarely see the advertisements displayed both at the top and the left of the page on my web e-mail client.
I think this a common behaviour. I have seen my teammates struggling to find the newly added icon on the toolbar. Interestingly they know that the feature is being developed (say, two weeks time) and all it will have in the client is that single icon, yet they fail to get it at first, because it is that hard to find something placed between two small icons, especially when it merges with colour and size. That is why I appreciate the balloon tips that some of the competitors show to indicate the added icon.
By the way, what is good? Should the mind be ‘conditioned’ to see things it used to (faster)? Or should it be ‘free’ to see the things afresh (slower)?
Kovil Pillai P.
Comments