Peter Ellis gave a presentation on how information evangelism and environmental sustainability are related. He defined information evangelism as promoting information use and dissemination, and environmental sustainability as creating balance between human and natural systems. Ellis argued that information systems, like natural environments, need balance and that information evangelism and sustainability take process approaches to redesigning systems for lower impact. Specifically, information evangelism can help filter unnecessary information to reduce energy use and waste, while sustainability benefits from improved information signaling business adaptations. Overall the talk linked the two fields through their process views and potential for more balanced, efficient systems.

1. Information Evangelism and Environmental Sustainability: Crossing BoundariesPeter Ellis, MSIMInfoCamp SeattleOctober 11, 2009

2. On Twitter? Please do live tweet. Tag with #infocamp! React!Twitter: peterellis | me@petercellis.com | Peter Ellis, MSIM

3. What’s coming?DTDTInformation evangelismSustainabilityHow do we link these?What do we do with that link?Is it really that symbiotic?Twitter: peterellis | me@petercellis.com | Peter Ellis, MSIM

4. Information EvangelismPromoting information in all its forms, as well as its use, dissemination, manipulation, communication, etc. etc. etc.[Interesting side note: this can also include when not to use information…]Twitter: peterellis | me@petercellis.com | Peter Ellis, MSIM

5. Environmental Sustainabilitycreating ideal relationships with our surrounding environment that do not detract from the future’s ability to meet their own needs and instead focuses on creating balance and equilibrium between our actions and our environment.5Twitter: peterellis | me@petercellis.com | Peter Ellis, MSIM

6. Well, yes, in that definition, I do mean the natural environment……but information is an environment….…and doesn’t information need balance and equilibrium in much the same way?Twitter: peterellis | me@petercellis.com | Peter Ellis, MSIM

7. Smart design decisions can have tremendous influence and can effect change far faster than the gradual behavior change of individuals.Schweikardt, E. 2009. SUSTAINABLY OURS: User centered is off center. interactions 16, 3 (May. 2009), 12-15. DOI= http://doi.acm.org.offcampus.lib.washington.edu/10.1145/1516016.1516019 7Twitter: peterellis | me@petercellis.com | Peter Ellis, MSIM

8. Think about how we work with information:We aggregate it in an attempt to create balance for the user

9. We use it to create changes in conditions, constraints, problems

10. We build relationships

11. We birth environmentsTwitter: peterellis | me@petercellis.com | Peter Ellis, MSIM

12. Environmental sustainability focuses on:Redesigning existing systems to lower environmental impact

13. Promoting low-impact design

14. Demonstrating relationships between systems

15. Redefining the balance between humans and natureTwitter: peterellis | me@petercellis.com | Peter Ellis, MSIM

16. Think about how we work with information:We aggregate it in an attempt to create balance for the user

17. We use it to create changes in conditions, constraints, problems

18. We build relationships

19. We birth environmentsEnvironmental sustainability focuses on:Redesigning existing systems to lower environmental impact

20. Promoting low-impact design

21. Demonstrating relationships between systems

22. Redefining the balance between humans and natureTwitter: peterellis | me@petercellis.com | Peter Ellis, MSIM

23. How do information evangelism and environmental sustainability work together?Both involve process approaches

24. There is no defined start or end to either item – they aren’t quite cyclical

25. No “One Ring to rule them all”Twitter: peterellis | me@petercellis.com | Peter Ellis, MSIM

26. Choo’s information management process frameworkinformation needs: seek out information based on need

27. information acquisition: acquire and evaluate information in the scope of their information needs

28. information organization and storage: structure info to assist utilization

29. development of information products and services: pre-distribution “value add”

30. information distribution

31. information use: create, apply, and react to knowledge gained as a result of being fed that informationTwitter: peterellis | me@petercellis.com | Peter Ellis, MSIM

32. But this isn’t entirely holistic… each unit is still in isolation.Twitter: peterellis | me@petercellis.com | Peter Ellis, MSIM

33. Twitter: peterellis | me@petercellis.com | Peter Ellis, MSIM

34. Information evangelism can:Help establish filters for information to eliminate dead/useless information

35. Increase the quality of information disseminated

36. Lower productivity loss due to the first two activities

37. Allow information to be used as a signal for business agilityTwitter: peterellis | me@petercellis.com | Peter Ellis, MSIM

38. Clearly sustainable from an information standpoint, but how does that feed back to environmental concerns?Twitter: peterellis | me@petercellis.com | Peter Ellis, MSIM

39. A somewhat meager list:Decreased power consumption from network hardware/software due to lower load requirements

40. Less waste of human energy (we’re part of the environment too…)

41. “Ripple” of feedbackTwitter: peterellis | me@petercellis.com | Peter Ellis, MSIM

42. Thoughts? Questions? Criticism?Twitter: peterellis | me@petercellis.com | Peter Ellis, MSIM