Connect To Survive - The Digital Divide

Web 2.0 : Connect to Survive (the Digital Divide) Steve Dale Knowledge & Information Consultant 10 June 2008 A presentation for local government

What I will cover

Web 2.0 – the new knowledge paradigm (embrace or perish?)

Web 2.0 - socio-demographics affecting the local government workforce

Consultation and the digital divide

We are moving toward a world where knowledge, power and productive capability will be more dispersed than at any time in our history – a world where value creation will be fast, fluid and persistently disruptive.

A world where only the connected will survive .

Should you be worried?

A power shift is underway, and a tough new business rule is emerging: Harness the new collaboration or perish.

Those who fail to grasp this will find themselves ever more isolated – cut off from the networks that are sharing, adapting and updating knowledge to create value.

It’s more than replacing old tools…

...with new ones

It’s about people….and the communities in which they are involved.

It’s about connecting and collaborating

The blogosphere Our social tools remove older obstacles to public expression, and thus remove the bottlenecks that characterized mass media. The result is the mass amateurisation of efforts previously reserved for media professionals. - Clay Shirky (Here comes everybody)

So what is this new knowledge paradigm?

Web 2.0 collaboration tools and services

Blogs - Wordpress, Blogger, Typepad

Content Sharing - YouTube, Flickr, Photobucket

Social Networks - MySpace, Facebook, bebo

Professional Networks - LinkedIn, ecademy, xing

Microblogging - Twitter, Jaiku

“ Democratic Content” - Digg

Preference Sharing - Last FM, Wakoopa

Community and Collaboration

2. Web 2.0 and the socio-demographic challenge to the local government workforce.

New business models are emerging Source: www.futuregovconsultancy.com Vs. Vs.

The Net Generation Source: Educating the Net Generation, D Oblinger and J Oblinger (2005) Anything slow Negativity Red tape Hype Laziness Turning 50 Waste Technology Dislikes Public activism Latest technology Parents Freedom Multitasking Work-life balance Responsibility Work ethic Can-do attitude Respect for authority Family Community involvement Likes Hopeful Determined Independent Skeptical Optimistic Workaholic Command and control Self-sacrifice Attributes Millennials Latchkey generation Me generation Greatest generation Description 1982 – 1991 1965 – 1982 1946 – 1964 1900 – 1946 Birth Dates Generation Y (Net generation) Generation X Baby Boomers Matures

A four-generation workforce Each generation with different assumptions about how the world works Born 1928-1945 Born 1946-1964 Born 1965-1979 Born 1980- ~2000

We’re all getting older

Generation Y

97% own a computer

94% own a cell phone

76% use Instant Messaging.

15% of IM users are logged on 24 hours a day/7 days a week

34% use websites as their primary source of news

28% author a blog and 44% read blogs

49% download music using peer-to-peer file sharing

75% of college students have a Facebook account

60% own some type of portable music and/or video device such as an iPod

Source: Reynol Junco and Jeanna Mastrodicasa (2007), based on survey of 7,705 US college students.

Generation Y consumers

Researched coats online

Visited store with friends and digital cameras, trying on coats and taking photos

Uploaded photos to Facebook and asked additional friends to comment

Selected the coat

Searched for and purchased the coat online

Karen buys a new coat…

The Generation Y phenomenon Source: http://www.ofcom.org.uk/advice/media_literacy/medlitpub/medlitpubrss/socialnetworking/report.pdf

Gen Y workplace expectations

Want transferable skills that support job mobility

Expect to have many jobs over their lifetimes

High value placed on engagement and attention from companies, bosses, mentors

Broad attention span and multitasking

Communicate via multiple channels

High use of computer games, have developed job-related skills via gaming

Willing to trade off between income and job demands

Less willing to unquestioningly adhere to “traditional” norms around the workplace

Source: Ken Parekh and Mary Walker

Public sector demographics Source: ONS Labour Force Survey Q4 2007

British technology survey

Difference in feeling towards technologies

Men like it

Women not their favorite

Different ways to use technology

Male - computer games

Female - Email, online chatting

British technology survey

Gender gap closing

Data Found:-

Cell phones used more by men

Women had anxiety with internet use

Men self-taught, Women assisted

The 21 st Century Knowledge Worker - summary

There won’t be enough of them

2. Their expectations will be different

3. Technologies will transform when, where and how work is done.

3. Consultation – are we all included?

Consultation

Consultation is an essential part of government activity today, with organisations of all sizes working to provide opportunities for better public and stakeholder engagement at every stage of the process.

Source: Government

Are we all included?

Online consultation offers a number of real benefits for public sector organisations – widening participation and accessibility. Improving efficiency and accuracy, as well as reducing the frustration and costs associated with the consultation process.

Source: Software services vendor

Internet growth is stagnating There has been little or no growth in the number of internet users since 2004. The remaining 39% of adults who do not use the internet are unlikely to be reached through organic, market-based approaches. Source: Freshminds

Internet use – UK households Source: ONS 2007

Digital behavioural groups Digitally excluded Digitally dismissive Digitally constrained Digitally determined Digitally included Digital Divide Source: Freshminds 2007

But barriers to digital inclusion continue to be lowered.

Factors influencing use of technology Access – whether an individual has some means to access digital technologies Motivation – whether an individual sees some benefit/interest in the technology Skills and confidence – whether the individual is able to make effective use of technologies

Demographics

Aged over 65: Nearly half (46%) of digitally excluded people are aged over 65. Exclusion increases with age, so that, while 60% of the 65-74 age-group are excluded, exclusion among those over 75 is 79%.

Source: Freshminds based on ONS 2006 data

Demographics

Economically inactive: Two thirds of digitally excluded people are economically inactive.

Source: Freshminds based on ONS 2006 data

Demographics

Low-qualified: 62% of those with no educational qualifications are digitally excluded, compared to only 6% of those with a degree .

Living alone: 69% of those who live alone are digitally excluded. Source: Freshminds based on ONS 2006 data

Digital exclusion

Digital exclusion is highly correlated with social exclusion. Socially excluded people are three times more likely to be non-users of the internet than they are to be internet users.

What does all this mean?

Empowerment through self-organising groups.

Influence through online consultation

Identity - being seen, being heard

Generation Y challenge to established work practices

Web 2.0 World

Increased marginalisation

Minority voice - lack of influence

Anonymous

Ageing workforce – knowledge bleed

Real World Increasing impact of technology

… but it won’t happen overnight! “ Never mistake a clear view for a short distance.” Folk saying, in current times attributed to Paul Saffo Thank you Steve Dale Email: steve.dale@semantix.co.uk Blog: http://steve-dale.net Twitter: http://twitter.com/stephendale

References, acknowledgements and further reading