As Clay Shirky describes the digital internet age, it is far from minor and not optional. Right on the mark isn’t it? This description is particularly relevant for the phenomenal information services growth in our world today.
Information services.
The change we are in the middle of isn’t minor and it isn’t optional.
–Clay Shirky
Have you ever seen the presentation or video Shift Happens? If you haven’t, give it a review, I am guessing it will ‘boggle your mind’, like it did mine.
Here are a few excerpts from this enlightening information:
The amount of new technical information is doubling every two years. EVERY TWO YEARS.
The top 10 jobs that were in demand in 2013 didn’t exist in 2004. We are currently preparing students for jobs that don’t yet exist, using technologies that don’t yet exist. All this in order to solve problems we don’t even know are problems yet. Scary, isn’t it?
Related post: Game Changing Capabilities for In-Store Retail Business
For students starting a 4 year technical or college degree, one half of what they will learn in their first year of study will be outdated by their third year of study. We are clearly living in exponential times, aren’t we?
Related: 10 Extraordinary Ways for Learning to Learn
More is always better, right? Well yes, and no, would be my answer. Here are some fast facts on information growth and its impacts. Have you noticed the impact of information overload yet?
The definition we like best: when the volume of potentially useful and relevant information available exceeds processing capacity and becomes a hindrance rather than a help.
Here are some interest facts about how our life is changing with this growth of information and our ability to deal with it:
Information services … data growth
90% of all the data in the world has been generated over the last two years.
Consider an example ofInternet Privacy
Running a business today almost certainly means having a digital presence, and being connected to the Internet. While the benefits of this transformation are many, the Internet privacy and security issues are still a daily challenge, with many solutions in the marketplace to address them.
Yes, internet service providers (ISPs) such as Comcast, Verizon, and AT&T are free to track all your browsing behavior and sell it to advertisers without consent. ISPs have access to literally all of your browsing behavior – they act as a gateway for all of your web visits, clicks, searches, app downloads and video streams.
This represents a huge treasure trove of personal data, including health concerns, shopping habits, and porn preferences. ISPs want to use this data to deliver personalized advertising.
Looking for a valid VPN solution?
Your phone handles enormous amounts of information.
Types of information services … your phone will know
Your smartphone knows what you want before you do.
Push messaging (Google Now, MindMeld, Urban Airship) is employing your past behavior to predict your next move.
What we consume
Information consumption in the US is in the order of 3.6 zettabytes (3.6 million gigabytes).
Information services industry … virtual showrooming
Discovery shopping and pre-production purchasing are changing the way we buy goods. It is also changing how retailers display their products.
Information growth explosion … average American
The average American consumes 34 gigabytes / 12 hours of information per day – outside of work.
Information creation
“Between the dawn of civilization through 2003, about 5 exabytes of information was created. Now, that much information created every 2 days”. Eric Schmidt – former Google CEO
Big data visualization
A picture speaks a billion bytes; now new apps enable companies to manipulate and interpret reams of usable data in a flash.
Our brain.
Our brain
The maximum number of pieces of information a human brain can handle concurrently is 7. (Miller’s Law).
Doing things
Doing things will overtake owning things. The experiential economy is putting a further dent in competitive consumption; it’s not what you buy, it’s what you do (and who you tell).
Overload impact
Information overload is linked to greater stress and poorer health.
Gamification of medical training
Simulators are transforming surgical instruction and helping students retain a competitive edge.
The bottom line
In the future, the information growth explosion will impact all aspects of a business. If you are regularly communicating with customers, you need to start thinking about creating a dashboard for customers to configure when and how you will communicate information about your relationship with them.
Start seeking permission for the communications you have and allow customers to choose how and when they receive information. If not, very soon they’ll start to filter you out of the conversation.
So what’s the conclusion? The conclusion is there is no conclusion. There is only the next step. And that next step is completely up to you.
Do you have a lesson about making your learning better you can share with this community? Have any questions or comments to add in the section below?
It’s up to you to keep improving your ability in learning to learn. Lessons are all around you. In many situations, your competitor may be providing the ideas and or inspiration.
But the key is in knowing that it is within you already.
It’s up to you to keep improving your continuous learning from all around in your environment.
All you get is what you bring to the fight. And that fight gets better every day you learn and apply new lessons.
When things go wrong, what’s most important is your next step.
Need some help in finding ways to grow your customers? Such as creative ideas to help the differentiation with potential customers? Or perhaps finding ways to work with other businesses?
So what’s the conclusion? The conclusion is there is no conclusion. There is only the next step. And that next step is completely up to you. But believe in the effectiveness of collaborative innovation. And put it to good use in adapting to changes in your business environment.
It’s up to you to keep improving your learning and experience with innovation and creativity efforts. Lessons are all around you. In this case, your competitor may be providing the ideas and or inspiration. But the key is in knowing that it is within you already.
All you get is what you bring to the fight. And that fight gets better every day you learn and apply new lessons.
When things go wrong, what’s most important is your next step.
Try. Learn. Improve. Repeat.
When things are not what you want them to be, what’s most important is your next step.
Are you devoting enough energy to improving your continuous learning for yourself and your team?
Mike Schoultz is the founder of Digital Spark Marketing, a digital marketing and customer service agency. With 40 years of business experience, he blogs on topics that relate to improving the performance of your business. Find them on G+, Twitter, and LinkedIn.
Digital Spark Marketing will stretch your thinking and your ability to adapt to change. We also provide some fun and inspiration along the way.
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