What do you remember from learnings few years back?

When I think about courses I've attended in work life or back in school, I always remember only one or two things for those from those, if even that. Same goes with business books, there's one or two punch lines you remember after few years and that's all. And I'm talking about time frame of years now, not months. When talking about certain processes or technologies which you practice every day this might not be true. For training sessions or books this applies at least for me.

This got me thinking, why trainers and writers don't emphasize this more. In the beginning they could say, here's the catch for this course or book, keep this in mind. Then over and over keep saying the same punch lines.

Maybe it's just hard to decide what are the small things you would like others to remember. All books and courses will of course offer lot more material to deepen the understanding on the subject, but normally there is this one catch. Somebody could perhaps make a study about this one. They could be asking people what they remember on specific book or course from years back.

Everyone who have read legendary Crossing the Chasm from Geoffrey Moore, what do you remember from it? I remember what the chasm meant and then I remember the technology adaptation curve (which I guess wasn't invented on this book). Also I remember there was lot of methodologies for "crossing the chasm", but I don't really remember any details on those. Still I would say Mr. Moore should be happy that I remember even that much. It's much more than other books I've read on that time (maybe 2003).

Of course everything you learn builds your consciousness on the world and different areas. And you can't really say if something was worth of reading or participating only by what you remember from that in couple of years. But still, I think it gives some hint.

Written by +Henri Hämäläinen