Short term memory is a great tool, but it has serious limitations. One of these is that it is limited in size to between 3 and 7 items (5 items +/- 2). So it is nearly impossible to remember a phone number for example. But the human brain is very good at breaking things in to "chunks" - groups, or bits - which make it easier to remember more information.

So instead of remembering 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5 - 6 - 7 - 8 - 9 - 1 - 0 as ten individual numbers (which your short term memory couldn't cope with) we remember 123 - 456 - 789 - 10 which is 4 chunks - perfectly manageable for our short term memory!

If you are doing checks, your short term memory couldn't cope with "I need to check the fuel for quantity and flow rate and I need to check the radio frequency and make sure I have the next frequency selected if necessary and I need to check the engine temperatures and pressures and I need to check the DI and align with the compass if necessary and I need to check the altimeter and have I got the correct pressure setting and am I still at the correct altitude and am I above my MSA" - you just can't keep all that in short term memory!

What you can keep in your short term memory is "FREDA" - and you have now put all that information in to one memory prompt (one chunk). So you just remember FREDA, and go through each letter in turn, bringing the information forward from long term memory as you check each item.

Chunking is a great way to store items in your memory more easily.