Cognitive Load
What Is Cognitive Load?
Cognitive load is the mental effort required for developers to understand, navigate, and complete work in a software system. It increases when workflows are fragmented, systems are hard to reason about, or context switching becomes constant.
Why Cognitive Load Matters
Cognitive load matters because it affects:
- developer focus,
- review quality,
- onboarding speed,
- sustainable delivery performance.
High cognitive load often slows teams even when traditional output metrics look healthy.
How Oobeya Uses Cognitive Load Context
Oobeya helps leaders detect workflow complexity, review pressure, and coordination overload that may be increasing cognitive load across teams.
Related Terms
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