CHI 2006 Themes: Is technology good or bad for social interaction?
One of the discussion threads at the CHI Conference examined the effects of technology on social interaction and socialization.
In his talk on mobile blogging, Russell Beale (University of Birmigham, UK - blog) described two different views on the effect of technology on socialization, what he calls Vision and Reality.
The Vision–the optimistic view on technology and socialization–emphasizes the connectivity of the digital world: information is easily available, fast to get to, and free; everything is networked with everything else, making communication, expression, and free speech uninterrupted and immediate. Technology enables a knowledge society. Even when we are physically absent, we can be virtually present and participating; anywhere, anytime.
The Reality–or the pessimistic view on technology and socialization– emphasizes isolation and the disconnection between the physical world and the digital worlds. Technology can create a closed, self-centered, insular world, where people pay attention to what’s happening in their heads and on their devices rather than in the outside world. People are engaged with their iPods, SMS, mobile phones, and stop paying attention to what’s going on around them. Information is selected and filtered out based on preference: we cut out what we don’t like or don’t agree with. Technology enables an ignorance society. Even when we are physically present, we are socially absent.
So, is technology good or bad for social interaction and socialization?
Scott Cook, founder of Intuit, talks about innovation at CHI 2006
Scott Cook opened CHI 2006 with a plenary on fostering innovation. Live-blogging notes have been posted on the CHI Blog. Here are my notes, which are not a word-by-word report on the talk but more of an annotated reconstruction (quote at your own risk).
Creating Game-changing Invention
The brief - Innovation happens at the junction between business and customer needs, not from executive ideas or lonely geniuses within the company. Indeed, innovation bottlenecks are often at the top. Creating a culture of innovation is about nurturing customer observation, incubating new ideas, celebrating failure, and staying out of the way. Read Thomas Kuhn (The Structure of Scientific Revolutions) and Peter Drucker (Innovation and Entrepreneurship).
Intuit: Changes lives so profoundly people can’t imagine going back to the old way.
In Montréal, attending CHI 2006
Today is the first day of CHI 2006 in Montréal, Québec and my first time at a CHI conference.
First impression - Who would have imagined that so many people are into Human-Computer Interaction! (In practical terms, this means that there no way to get to the coffee and food without hurting somebody or faking an emergency).
Good stuff - CHI Madness: each paper in 40 seconds, the entire day in a few minutes. Really clever and useful. Microphones in the rooms to ask questions. Ice cream at the coffee breaks!
Annoying stuff - It seems that conference organizers have not figured out yet how to get wireless internet connection to work properly, and CHI is no exception: wireless connections are sluggish and unrealiable, especially inside the conference rooms. Second usual annoyance for laptop users: no power outlets in the conference rooms (but the Palais De Congrès does have a lot of lovely seats with power outlets along the hallways that I highly recommend).
Later I’ll post my blog report on Scott Cook’s talk on innovation.
Tags: CHI2006, computer-human interaction, conference, Montreal
I hate opinionated Search Engines
What do you mean "too short"? And who are you to insult my keywords?
(Can you guess which site features this rude search engine?)
Tags: humor, search, rude behavior
One year of blogging
Exactly one year ago I bought my domain and started a Wordpress blog. It’s been a wonderful adventure. (In case you are wondering: no, I don’t plan to quit blogging any time soon.)
When I started blogging I didn’t have a "blog strategy." I doubt I even knew what a blog strategy was. I didn’t have any personal, business or marketing objectives. I was happily clueless about ranking, A-listers, Technorati, who counts and who doesn’t count in the blogosphere. I didn’t have a clear idea about what I could write without risking my job and reputation and what was better left unsaid. I started blogging because there were things I wanted to write about, I had read some wonderful blogs, felt a sense of community I longed for, and received some nice encouragement from friends.
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