William H. Bowers – The Social Life of Information Chapter 1 – Limits to Information

William H. Bowers – Topics Introduction Introduction Introduction Could Less be More? Could Less be More? Could Less be More? Could Less be More? Drowning and Didn’t Know It Drowning and Didn’t Know It Drowning and Didn’t Know It Drowning and Didn’t Know It Origin Myths Origin Myths Origin Myths Origin Myths Hammering Information Hammering Information Hammering Information Hammering Information

William H. Bowers – Topics (cont.) Refining, or Merely Redefining? Refining, or Merely Redefining? Refining, or Merely Redefining? Refining, or Merely Redefining? 6-D Vision 6-D Vision 6-D Vision 6-D Vision More Dimensions More Dimensions More Dimensions More Dimensions The Myth of Information The Myth of Information The Myth of Information The Myth of Information

William H. Bowers – Introduction Information shortage used to be a problem Information shortage used to be a problem Data vs. information Data vs. information Internet supports information glut Internet supports information glut We are fascinated by quantity We are fascinated by quantity Information overload becoming problem Information overload becoming problem

William H. Bowers – Could Less be More? Easy to decry modern complexity Easy to decry modern complexity Yearn for simpler times Yearn for simpler times Would we really want to step back 50, 100 or 150 years? Would we really want to step back 50, 100 or 150 years? Even those who complain about technology benefit from it Even those who complain about technology benefit from it

William H. Bowers – Could Less be More? We add information to explain information We add information to explain information Application hard to understand? Application hard to understand? –Add help system Help hard to use? Help hard to use? –Add help about help system Moore’s Law – IT doubles every 18 months Moore’s Law – IT doubles every 18 months

William H. Bowers – Could Less be More? We expect more to solve problems We expect more to solve problems –More information –Faster processing speed –More capacity (memory, disk) –Wider bandwidth –Stronger cryptography

William H. Bowers – Drowning and Didn’t Know It Consider bits like atoms Consider bits like atoms Industrial Revolution (Physical items) Industrial Revolution (Physical items) –Process –Sort –Rearrange –Recombine –Transport

William H. Bowers – Drowning and Didn’t Know It Industrial Revolution Industrial Revolution –People didn’t complain about ‘atom overload’ –Didn’t perceive it as atom processing –Saw it as products and goods

William H. Bowers – Drowning and Didn’t Know It Information Revolution Information Revolution –Not perceived as bits of data –Perceived as Knowledge Knowledge Meaning Meaning Documents Documents Diagrams Diagrams

William H. Bowers – Drowning and Didn’t Know It ‘Endism’ – predicted end of ‘Endism’ – predicted end of –Traditional press, TV, mass media –Brokers and intermediaries –Firms, bureaucracies –Universities –Politics and government Resurgence of individual power Resurgence of individual power

William H. Bowers – Origin Myths Information originally traveled and the same speed as people Information originally traveled and the same speed as people Visual signals were faster than travel Visual signals were faster than travel Telegraph was first method of information being substantially faster than physical travel Telegraph was first method of information being substantially faster than physical travel Information transmission dependent on human generation Information transmission dependent on human generation

William H. Bowers – Origin Myths IT allows information to be generated without human intervention IT allows information to be generated without human intervention Information is somewhat self-breeding Information is somewhat self-breeding Logic of information vs. logic of humanity Logic of information vs. logic of humanity –IT supports human needs and ends –Prediction of demise of the pencil (New York Times 1938) –‘Paperless office’ (Business Week 1975)

William H. Bowers – Hammering Information More or better information can solve everything More or better information can solve everything Microsoft – “Where do you want to go today” Microsoft – “Where do you want to go today” –Suggests all answers can be produced by computing –Information can bring you anything

William H. Bowers – Refining, or Merely Redefining? Value lies in information Value lies in information Everything else can be left behind Everything else can be left behind Books become information containers Books become information containers Libraries, information warehouses Libraries, information warehouses Universities, information providers Universities, information providers Learning, information absorption Learning, information absorption Discussion, information exchange Discussion, information exchange

William H. Bowers – Refining, or Merely Redefining? Information leads to ‘info’ prefix Information leads to ‘info’ prefix –Infotainment –Infomediary ‘Info’ prefix multiples company’s value ‘Info’ prefix multiples company’s value –InfoAmerica –InfoUSA

William H. Bowers – 6-D Vision Demassification Demassification Decentralization Decentralization Denationalization Denationalization Despacialization Despacialization Disintermediation Disintermediation Disaggregation Disaggregation Not twice as good as 3-D Not twice as good as 3-D

William H. Bowers – 6-D Vision Transaction costs Transaction costs –Searching –Evaluating –Contracting –Enforcing If costs are high, organizations are required If costs are high, organizations are required IT is driving down these costs IT is driving down these costs

William H. Bowers – More Dimensions Organizations not always flattening Organizations not always flattening Fewer intermediaries with broader grasp Fewer intermediaries with broader grasp Managers are not just information processors Managers are not just information processors Growth of nonproduction employees is actually increasing Growth of nonproduction employees is actually increasing

William H. Bowers – More Dimensions IT can enable information and decision centralization (Wal-Mart, FedEx) IT can enable information and decision centralization (Wal-Mart, FedEx) Rapid communication previously had the same effect Rapid communication previously had the same effect Management, not technology is the controlling factor Management, not technology is the controlling factor

William H. Bowers – The Myth of Information 6-D vision oversimplifies things 6-D vision oversimplifies things Isolates information and IT Isolates information and IT Ignores other societal forces Ignores other societal forces The Industrial Revolution was not just based on the train The Industrial Revolution was not just based on the train The Information Revolution is more than just IT The Information Revolution is more than just IT

William H. Bowers – Questions & Discussion