science

Hipster PDA

Hipster PDA is a science topic covered in the lgStudy science library. This page brings together a partial reference excerpt, illustrations, worked examples, real-world applications and a short study plan, so you can understand Hipster PDA rather than just read about it. In short: The Hipster PDA is a paper-based personal organizer, popularized by Merlin Mann in 2004. Originally a tongue-in-cheek reaction to the increasing expense and complexity of personal digital assistants (PDA), the Hipster PDA (said to stand for "Parietal Disgorgement Aid" and often abbreviated to "hPDA") comprises a sheaf of index cards held together with a binder clip.

Key takeaways

Hipster PDA belongs to science; place it in that map before memorising details.
Learn the definition first, then one example that makes the definition concrete.
Connect Hipster PDA to a quantity you can measure, compute or draw — that is where exam questions come from.
Reproduce the core statement of Hipster PDA from memory before moving on to harder problems.

Reference excerpt

The Hipster PDA is a paper-based personal organizer, popularized by Merlin Mann in 2004. Originally a tongue-in-cheek reaction to the increasing expense and complexity of personal digital assistants (PDA), the Hipster PDA (said to stand for "Parietal Disgorgement Aid" and often abbreviated to "hPDA") comprises a sheaf of index cards held together with a binder clip. Following widespread coverage in the media and blogs, the hPDA became a popular personal management tool, particularly with followers of David Allen's Getting Things Done methodology. Although it began as a joke, or perhaps a statement about technology fetishism, the Hipster PDA rapidly gained popularity with serious users, with hundreds posting pictures of their customized hPDAs on photo sharing sites and exchanging tips on Internet mailing lists. Advocates of the hPDA claim that it is a cheap, lightweight, freeform organizer that does not need batteries and is unlikely to be stolen. Enthusiasts also design and share index-card-size printable templates for storing contacts, to-do lists, calendars, notes, project plans, and so on. A Hipster Nano PDA uses business cards with blank backs and one that has a calendar on the back.

See also Bullet journal – Method for note taking Card file – System of small items of information stored on paper slips or cards Personal knowledge management – Process by which a person manages knowledge Personal information management – Tools and systems for managing one's own data Zettelkasten – Knowledge management and note-taking method

References

Illustrations

Worked examples

Example 1 — a first encounter with Hipster PDA

Start with the simplest possible case. Write down what Hipster PDA claims or describes in one sentence, then invent the smallest concrete situation in which that sentence is true. In science, the smallest case is usually a single object, a single equation or a single measurement. Check that every symbol or term in your sentence has a meaning in that case.

Example 2 — changing one variable

Take the situation from Example 1 and change exactly one quantity: double it, halve it, or set it to zero. Predict what should happen to Hipster PDA before you calculate. Comparing your prediction with the result is the fastest way to find out whether you understand the idea or only the words.

Example 3 — an exam-style question

Typical questions about Hipster PDA ask you to (a) state it precisely, (b) apply it to given data, and (c) explain a limitation. Practise writing all three answers in under five minutes; the third part is what separates a full-mark answer from an average one.

Applications of Hipster PDA

In research: Hipster PDA appears in science research whenever the underlying quantities have to be modelled precisely. Papers usually cite it as a starting assumption and then explore where it breaks down.
In technology and industry: Engineering practice reuses Hipster PDA in design rules, simulations and safety margins. Knowing the idea lets you read a specification sheet and understand why the numbers look the way they do.
In the classroom: Hipster PDA is common in secondary-school and first-year university syllabi. It links to neighbouring topics Hipster (contemporary subculture), Internet memes, Personal development, so understanding it makes those chapters shorter.
In everyday life: Look for Hipster PDA outside the textbook — in sport, cooking, traffic, electronics or the sky above you. An example you found yourself is remembered far longer than one you were given.

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How to study Hipster PDA in 20 minutes

Read the reference excerpt below once, without taking notes.
Close the page and write down what Hipster PDA means in your own words.
Compare your version with the excerpt and mark what you missed.
Work through the three examples above with pen and paper.
Explain Hipster PDA out loud to somebody else — or to Teacher Smith in the lgStudy chat.

Frequently asked questions

What is Hipster PDA in simple terms?

Why does Hipster PDA matter?

Because it connects several science ideas at once: it gives you a definition you can apply, a quantity you can calculate, and a way to check whether a result is plausible.

How should I study Hipster PDA?

Read the excerpt, restate it from memory, then work through the examples and applications listed on this page. The five-step study plan above takes about twenty minutes.

What does this page cover?

It gives you a compact reference excerpt plus original lgStudy explanations, examples, applications and study material on Hipster PDA.