Person-Action-Object (PAO) System
The Person-Action-Object System (or PAO System for short) is a popular method for memorizing long random numbers and decks of playing cards. The PAO system is similar to the person-action-based Dominic System, but it adds an object to the images.
The mnemonic images for the numbers can be created through any method, from the Dominic System to the Major System. Some people assign arbitrary images to the numbers.
During memorization, the digits are usually chunked in groups of 2 or 3 and then placed into locations in a memory palace. A 2-digit PAO system places 6 digits in a location, and a 3-digit PAO system places 9 digits per location.
How to Create a PAO Mnemonic System
Here’s a quick video that explains the basics of PAO systems:
Here are some tips on how to create a PAO system:
- In the most common form of the PAO system every 2-digit number is converted into a series of three visual images: a person, an action, and an object.
- The images can be generated using the Major System, the Dominic System or arbitrarily. The most common method is the Major System.
- In the Major System, every digit is converted into a consonant. Zero becomes “s” or “z”, and one becomes “d” or “t”. The number, 11 might become “Titan” and 10 might become “Otis Redding”. 12 might become Tina Turner. You can get ideas on our PAO System Examples page.
- Once you have 100 persons for the numbers 00 to 99, give each person an action and an object.
- 10 might be Otis Redding → singing-into → a microphone
- 11 might be a Titan → holding-on-his-shoulders → the World (maybe represented as a globe)
- 12 might be Tina Turner → wearing → futuristic chain mail
- When memorizing numbers, chunk them in groups of six, like this:
- 101112
- 111012
- Then chunk each 6-digit segment into twos like this:
- 10-11-12
- 11-10-12
- The first segment becomes a person, the second an action, and the third an object.
- 10-11-12 would be an image of Otis Redding → holding-on-his-shoulders → futuristic chain mail
- 11-10-12 would be an image of a titan → singing-into → a suit of futuristic chain mail
If you have questions about creating and using PAO memorization systems, please ask them in the Art of Memory Forum.
Tip: learn your PAO system faster with our new memory palace software!
Example Usage of the PAO System
Here is an example using PAO images that are based on the Dominic System.
| Number | Person | Action | Object |
|---|---|---|---|
| 15 | Albert Einstein | writing | blackboard |
| 16 | Arnold Schwarzenegger | lifting | weights |
| 33 | Charlie Chaplin | swinging | cane |
A number like 151633163315 would be chunked in 6s and then again in 2s like this:
15-16-33 16-33-15
The first 2 digits become a person, the second 2 digits become an action, and the third 2 digits become an object. Each compound image is then placed in one location of a mind palace.
- Location 1: 15-16-33 becomes Albert Einstein → lifting → a cane
- Location 2: 16-33-15 becomes Arnold Schwarzenegger → swinging → a blackboard
Some people use a 2-digit PAO system, while others use 3 digits. A 3-digit system places 9 digits per location.
Lists of ideas for generating a PAO system
2Know is free software that can help you generate images for a PAO mnemonic system using the Major System in English, German, or French.
Another interesting idea is to use a date-based system for assigning images to the numbers.
Ideas for Generating People
There is a list of 10,000 famous people and people anyone could use to fill in gaps in their PAO in the forum, and on Google Docs.
Wikipedia is a great source of lists. Here are just a few examples:
- Lists of lists
- Wikipedia’s lists of actors
- List of legendary creatures
- Lists of D&D monsters
- List of deities
- List of Star Wars characters
- Lists of musicians
- Lists of philosophers
- Lists of writers
- Fictional characters (also here)
- Comics characters
Ideas for Generating Actions
When creating actions for your person-action-object system, the actions should be distinct enough that you can distinguish them during recall. Here are some ideas for actions you could use:
- animates
- applauds
- balancing (object)
- balancing (self)
- bandages
- bangs
- barfing
- bathes
- begs
- bends (object)
- bends (over)
- bicep curls
- bites
- bounces
- bowing
- breath
- builds
- burns
- burps
- buys
- carries
- chases
- checks
- chest compressions
- chooses
- clacks
- climbs
- comes
- commands
- conducts
- conjures
- cooks
- coughs
- cracks
- crashes
- crosses
- crushes
- crying
- cuts
- dances
- dancing
- delivers
- digging
- dives
- draws
- dreams
- drinks
- driving
- drools
- drops
- dunk
- eat
- eating
- eats
- electrocute
- enlarges
- explodes
- faints
- falls
- farting
- faxes
- feeds
- fights
- fist pump cheers
- flies
- flips (gymnastics)
- flirting
- floats
- flying
- gazes
- give
- goes
- goes into labour
- grabs
- gurgles
- halts
- handstands
- hangs
- harpoons
- hiccups
- hides
- hitting
- holding
- holds
- howls
- hugs
- hyperventilates
- identifies
- inspecting
- into
- jails
- juggling
- jump shot
- jumping over
- jumps
- kicking
- kicks
- kisses
- kissing
- knocks
- laughs
- levitates
- licking
- licks
- limps
- lunges
- makes
- marches
- meditates
- milks
- mining
- mixes
- moonwalks
- mouth to mouth
- nets
- on
- opens
- paints
- pecks
- peels
- picks nose
- pierces
- piloting
- pinches
- pirouettes (spins)
- places
- plays
- points
- pounds with fist
- prances
- praying
- prays
- pretends to be an airplane
- puckers cheeks
- pulls
- pulsates
- pushes
- rains
- raises
- regenerates
- regenerates (Doctor Who)
- removes
- repairs
- rescues
- rides
- rolling
- rubbing stomach
- rubs
- running
- runs
- sails
- salts
- salutes
- saws
- scat singing
- scratches
- screams
- shake
- shaves
- shits
- shivers
- shoots
- shuffles (cards)
- shuffles (dance)
- sings
- sips
- sits
- sitting on toilet
- skipping
- sleeps
- smokes
- smelling
- smiles (devilishly)
- smokes
- sneezes repeatedly
- sparkles
- spiking
- spits
- squeezes
- staggers (drunkenly)
- stepping on
- stops
- strangles
- stretching with hands
- strums
- stuffs
- sucks
- sweeps
- swims
- swing
- takes
- talks (to object)
- throws
- tackles
- tickles
- ties
- touches
- turn
- turns
- twerks (butt gyration)
- unsheaths
- urinates
- uses
- walk
- wants
- warms
- washes
- washing
- wave
- whistles
- whines
- whips
- wink
- wishes
- wont
- wraps
- wrestles
- writing
- yawns repeatedly
- yodels
Ideas for Generating Objects
There are several ways to generate objects in a PAO system.
- Think of an object that is related to the person. For example, if the person is Albert Einstein, the object might be a blackboard, because there are famous photos of Einstein with a blackboard. Or if the person is Thor, the object could be a hammer.
- Another method is to find an object that fits the phonetics of your Major System or Dominic System number. For example, if the number is 59 (L and B/P) and your Major System image for the person is aLBert Einstein, you could find an object that also fits 59, such as aLPine skis.
PAO System Lists
For complete PAO system lists, see the PAO System Examples page.
Learning Your PAO System Images
Here is a simple script that generates PAO sets:
You don’t need to memorize the numbers and cards, but just practice converting them into images. That will help you learn the images.
There’s also a free tool here where you can upload a CSV file of PAO images and review them.
List of mnemonists who use a PAO system
- Joshua Foer
- Nelson Dellis
- Andi Bell
- Ed Cooke
- Jonas von Essen
- Ron White+
- John Louis
- and many more
