The other day I came across a report on the “Typology of Information and Communication Technology Users” by the Pew Internet & American Life Project, a non-profit research center studying the social effects of the Internet on Americans.
They’ve set 10 types of technical personality - based on technologies such as computers, PDAs, cell phones that one owns and uses – and questioned about 4000 adults in the US.
Having grown up while technology was in it’s infancy I was rather surprised by the result:
49% had few or non technological assets and 15% don’t even have internet or cell phones. An intriguing result. Without doubting the survey itself, I would suspect that it all depends on the age and profession of the people questioned.
In order to find out, I wondered how the S(D)N, which I would say has a more technically oriented –community, would do and how much of a / which type of Ubergeek the members are. I’ve therefore set up a poll. You can describe yourself by choosing between one of the technical personalities that the above mentioned survey used.
- Omnivores: They have the most information gadgets and services, which they use voraciously to participate in cyberspace and express themselves online, and do a range of Web 2.0 activities such as blogging or managing their own Web pages.
- Connectors: Between featured-packed cell phones and frequent online use, they connect to people and manage digital content using ICTs – all with high levels of satisfaction about how ICTs let them work with community groups and pursue hobbies.
- Lackluster Veterans: They are frequent users of the internet and less avid about cell phones. They are not thrilled with ICT-enabled connectivity.
- Productivity Enhancers: They have strongly positive views about how technology lets them keep up with others, do their jobs, and learn new things.
- Mobile Centrics: They fully embrace the functionality of their cell phones. They use the internet, but not often, and like how ICTs connect them to others.
- Connected But Hassled: They have invested in a lot of technology, but they find the connectivity intrusive and information something of a burden.
- Inexperienced Experimenters: They occasionally take advantage of interactivity, but if they had more experience, they might do more with ICTs.
- Light But Satisfied: They have some technology, but it does not play a central role in their daily lives. They are satisfied with what ICTs do for them.
- Indifferents: Despite having either cell phones or online access, these users use ICTs only intermittently and find connectivity annoying.
- Off the Network: Those with neither cell phones nor internet connectivity tend to be older adults who are content with old media.
John B. Horrigan. A Typology of Information and Communication Technology Users. Pew Internet & American Life Project, May 7, 2007, http://www.pewinternet.org/pdfs/PIP_ICT_Typology.pdf, accessed on May 10, 2007.
So what do you need to do? Just visit this poll and choose one of descriptions which fits you the best. Warning - this is not at all a scientific approach. I just want to run this test by practical experience within this community.
The poll will remain open until June 15th. I’m really looking forward to finding out what the result will be.
