In a nutshell meta-effectiveness is your inclination and ability to learn. More precisely the term refers to “the skills, dispositions and manifold underlying information-processing mechanisms [mindware] that enable and drive people to improve themselves.”

This neologism was introduced reluctantly. However the concept is essential if we are to understand and describe people who seek to improve themselves with knowledge (as opposed to superstitious beliefs, gut feelings, etc.) and technology.

If you’re someone who is very interested in acquiring and using knowledge, or developing expertise, if you have a high “need for cognition”, then the meta-effectiveness project is pertinent to you.

This project is the main thrust of CogZest and Luc P. Beaudoin‘s scholarly research. It is also one of the main purposes of CogSci Apps Corp..

Beaudoin’s first book, Cognitive Productivity describes the concept of meta-effectiveness in detail. That book is the authoritative summary of this project. The subtitle of the Cognitive Productivity is actually Using Knowledge to Become Profoundly Effective, which is not to say that cognitive productivity and meta-effectiveness are the same thing. It’s just that that particular book focused mainly on meta-effectiveness.

The followup book Cognitive Productivity with macOS: 7 Principles for Getting Smarter with Knowledge is also part of this project.

Most of the content on this blog concerns meta-effectiveness. Some of the main concepts related to meta-effectiveness are described on this blog page at Simon Fraser University.