Cracking back on with the blog in the new year, I have been thinking about Information Overload. Naturally, soon enough a Google search had to be done and a Tweet or two followed on some of the more interesting and pertinent results.
However, some extraordinary results came back. A search for Information Overload 2012 combines results on the coming Mayan-predicted apocalypse, some very cool art projects and a new dubstep track by Pizza Party. I'm enjoying all three, but this serves to highlight the need to improve the findability of your information.
Getting your information in shape is key to helping others find your content. There are no shortcuts, but dealing with the issue now will help costs stay as pennies and the profits as pounds.
Wednesday, 18 January 2012
No single version of the truth
Really interesting reading the comments across all social media about the decision to take down Wikipedia for the day in protest at the SOPA proposal. There are a lot of opinions from differing angles on the 'rights and wrongs' of piracy/free content - some of them comical in their extremity, but the fact is SOPA is a reaction to a changing world where we all consume information and media in a very different way.
The interesting part is that removing Wikipedia for a day is a new form of protest that really shouldn't matter... all that content is available elsewhere, right? Whatever your views on the accuracy of Wikipedia content, it's still a go-to tool when starting a new piece of research - though how it bring more creditable source material together is where it delivers real value. Rather than Wikipedia being the single version of the truth, it helps users pick good starting points for relevant insight.
Wikipedia scores on its ability to find what you need rather than having to search for it. In one way or another - content chaos, information overload, drowning in data while thirsting for insight etc - that's becoming much more of an issue for everyone. Finding a starting point is often the hard part, but help is at hand.
The interesting part is that removing Wikipedia for a day is a new form of protest that really shouldn't matter... all that content is available elsewhere, right? Whatever your views on the accuracy of Wikipedia content, it's still a go-to tool when starting a new piece of research - though how it bring more creditable source material together is where it delivers real value. Rather than Wikipedia being the single version of the truth, it helps users pick good starting points for relevant insight.
Wikipedia scores on its ability to find what you need rather than having to search for it. In one way or another - content chaos, information overload, drowning in data while thirsting for insight etc - that's becoming much more of an issue for everyone. Finding a starting point is often the hard part, but help is at hand.
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