Sensory Transformation: New Tools and Practices for Overcoming Cognitive
Overload
(SR-1075, May 2007, Technology Horizons Program)
"Information overload" has become a cliche. We use the phrase half-jokingly to describe the stress associated with the
onslaught of media that digital technology has unleashed on us. The sobering reality is that we ain't seen nothin' yet.
The vast majority of new information technologies are either built for data acquisition or information dissemination.
The suffocation of endless incoming e-mail demanding immediate response, the twinge of guilt from falling behind on your
RSS feeds, dread about a TiVo hard drive full of unwatched shows--these are all just a teaser for what's to come. No
matter how many computers surround us, collecting, aggregating, and delivering information, we each only have one pair
of eyes and ears, and more importantly, one mind, to deal with the data. On the heels of this data explosion, a wide
variety of innovative tools and practices will emerge to help us leverage the information glut to our benefit. These new
devices, systems, and mindsets will enable us to alleviate the symptoms of cognitive overload while allowing us to
comfortably sip from the information firehose. In this memo, we describe the emerging collection of tools and practices
that will be important over the next ten years and some of the implications for business and society."
http://iftf.org/docs/SR-1075_Sensory_Transformation_intro.pdf
Sensory Transformation: New Tools and Practices for Overcoming Cognitive
Overload
An excerpt:
"On the heels of this data explosion, a wide variety of innovative tools and
practices
will emerge to help us leverage the information glut to our benefit. These
new devices, systems, and mindsets will enable us to alleviate the symptoms of
cognitive overload while allowing us to comfortably sip from the information
firehose."
[permaculture] Sensory Transformation: New Tools and Practices for Overcoming Cognitive Overload,
Lawrence F. London, Jr., 01/04/2008