Measure and manage team cognitive load
Assess and optimize team cognitive load using the three-load model (intrinsic, extraneous, germane). Claude will use this when teams are overloaded, planning new teams, or optimizing developer experience. It triggers on requests to measure team capacity, reduce operational friction, or align team boundaries with domain complexity.
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Measure and manage team cognitive load to optimize productivity and sustainability.
Before assessing cognitive load:
docs-management skill for cognitive load patternsThree Types of Cognitive Load:
┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ TOTAL COGNITIVE LOAD │
├─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│ ┌───────────────┐ ┌───────────────┐ ┌───────────────┐ │
│ │ INTRINSIC │ │ EXTRANEOUS │ │ GERMANE │ │
│ │ (Domain) │ │ (Accidental) │ │ (Learning) │ │
│ │ │ │ │ │ │ │
│ │ • Business │ │ • Bad tools │ │ • New skills │ │
│ │ complexity │ │ • Tech debt │ │ • Growth │ │
│ │ • Domain │ │ • Manual │ │ • Innovation │ │
│ │ knowledge │ │ processes │ │ │ │
│ └───────────────┘ └───────────────┘ └───────────────┘ │
│ │
│ GOAL: Reduce extraneous, manage intrinsic, allow germane │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
INTRINSIC LOAD: Inherent complexity of the domain
Sources:
• Business domain complexity
• Required domain knowledge
• Problem space difficulty
• Integration complexity
• Compliance requirements
Management Strategies:
• Clear bounded contexts
• Domain-driven design
• Right team for right domain
• Specialists where needed
• Documentation and training
Assessment Questions:
□ How complex is the business domain?
□ How much domain knowledge is required?
□ How many systems must team understand?
□ How many stakeholders to coordinate with?
□ How complex are compliance requirements?
EXTRANEOUS LOAD: Unnecessary complexity (waste)
Sources:
• Poor tooling and processes
• Technical debt
• Unclear requirements
• Manual deployments
• Legacy systems
• Poor documentation
• Meeting overload
Management Strategies:
• Invest in developer experience
• Reduce technical debt
• Automate repetitive tasks
• Clear communication
• Self-service platforms
• Reduce handoffs
Assessment Questions:
□ How much time on non-value work?
□ How painful are deployments?
□ How much context switching?
□ How many manual processes?
□ How much waiting for others?
GERMANE LOAD: Productive learning and growth
Sources:
• Learning new technologies
• Skill development
• Innovation work
• Process improvement
• Mastering the domain
Management Strategies:
• Protected learning time
• Conference attendance
• Hackathons
• Mentoring programs
• Stretch assignments
Assessment Questions:
□ How much time for learning?
□ How much innovation work?
□ Are people growing skills?
□ Is knowledge being shared?
□ Is there time for experimentation?
Team Cognitive Load Formula:
TOTAL LOAD = Intrinsic + Extraneous + Germane
HEALTHY: Total Load < Capacity
STRESSED: Total Load ≈ Capacity
OVERLOADED: Total Load > Capacity
Capacity Factors:
• Team size
• Experience level
• Tool quality
• Process maturity
• Support availability
Rate each item 1-5 (1=Low load, 5=High load):
INTRINSIC LOAD (Domain Complexity)
□ ___ Business domain complexity
□ ___ Number of systems owned
□ ___ Integration complexity
□ ___ Stakeholder coordination
□ ___ Compliance requirements
Intrinsic Score: ___/25
EXTRANEOUS LOAD (Unnecessary Complexity)
□ ___ Tooling and infrastructure friction
□ ___ Manual processes and deployments
□ ___ Technical debt burden
□ ___ Waiting time for dependencies
□ ___ Context switching frequency
Extraneous Score: ___/25
GERMANE LOAD (Learning & Growth)
□ ___ New technology adoption rate
□ ___ Process change frequency
□ ___ Skill development demands
□ ___ Innovation expectations
□ ___ Documentation/training work
Germane Score: ___/25
TOTAL COGNITIVE LOAD: ___/75
Interpretation:
< 30: Low load (capacity available)
30-45: Moderate load (sustainable)
45-60: High load (at risk)
> 60: Overloaded (unsustainable)
| Factor | Low (1) | Medium (3) | High (5) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Entities | <10 | 10-50 | >50 |
| Rules | Simple | Moderate | Complex |
| Integrations | 0-2 | 3-5 | >5 |
| Stakeholders | 1-2 | 3-5 | >5 |
| Regulations | None | Some | Heavy |
Domain Size Assessment:
SMALL DOMAIN (Team can fully own):
• Limited bounded context
• Clear boundaries
• Manageable complexity
• 5-9 person team appropriate
MEDIUM DOMAIN (Stretching team limits):
• Multiple sub-domains
• Some complexity
• Some dependencies
• May need splitting
LARGE DOMAIN (Team overloaded):
• Multiple bounded contexts
• High complexity
• Many dependencies
• MUST split into multiple teams
Platform Strategies:
• Self-service infrastructure
• Golden paths for common tasks
• Automated testing and deployment
• Centralized observability
• Clear documentation
Process Strategies:
• Reduce meetings
• Async communication
• Clear ownership
• Reduce handoffs
• Eliminate approval bottlenecks
Tooling Strategies:
• Developer experience investment
• IDE integration
• Local development parity
• Fast feedback loops
• Reduced context switching
Team Design Strategies:
• Right-size bounded contexts
• Align teams to domains
• Specialists for complex subsystems
• Clear team APIs
• Reduce dependencies
Knowledge Strategies:
• Domain documentation
• Onboarding programs
• Pair programming
• Knowledge sharing
• Cross-training
Learning Strategies:
• 20% time for learning
• Conference budget
• Training programs
• Innovation sprints
• Mentoring relationships
Growth Strategies:
• Stretch assignments
• Rotation programs
• Leadership development
• Technical career tracks
• Community involvement
# Cognitive Load Assessment: [Team Name]
## Team Profile
- **Size:** [N people]
- **Age:** [Months/years together]
- **Domain:** [Description]
- **Current Load:** [High/Medium/Low]
## Intrinsic Load Analysis
### Domain Complexity
[Description of domain complexity]
### Score: [X/25]
| Factor | Score | Notes |
|--------|-------|-------|
| Business complexity | [1-5] | [Details] |
| Systems owned | [1-5] | [Details] |
| Integration complexity | [1-5] | [Details] |
| Stakeholder coordination | [1-5] | [Details] |
| Compliance requirements | [1-5] | [Details] |
## Extraneous Load Analysis
### Pain Points
[Description of unnecessary complexity]
### Score: [X/25]
| Factor | Score | Notes |
|--------|-------|-------|
| Tooling friction | [1-5] | [Details] |
| Manual processes | [1-5] | [Details] |
| Technical debt | [1-5] | [Details] |
| Waiting/blocking | [1-5] | [Details] |
| Context switching | [1-5] | [Details] |
## Germane Load Analysis
### Learning Capacity
[Description of learning demands]
### Score: [X/25]
| Factor | Score | Notes |
|--------|-------|-------|
| New technology | [1-5] | [Details] |
| Process changes | [1-5] | [Details] |
| Skill development | [1-5] | [Details] |
| Innovation work | [1-5] | [Details] |
| Documentation work | [1-5] | [Details] |
## Total Assessment
| Load Type | Score | Status |
|-----------|-------|--------|
| Intrinsic | [X/25] | [Good/Warning/Critical] |
| Extraneous | [X/25] | [Good/Warning/Critical] |
| Germane | [X/25] | [Good/Warning/Critical] |
| **Total** | **[X/75]** | **[Overall status]** |
## Recommendations
### Immediate Actions (Reduce Extraneous)
1. [Action]
2. [Action]
### Short-term (Manage Intrinsic)
1. [Action]
2. [Action]
### Long-term (Protect Germane)
1. [Action]
2. [Action]
## Reassessment Schedule
- Next review: [Date]
- Metrics to track: [List]
When assessing cognitive load:
For detailed guidance:
Last Updated: 2025-12-26