Generation C - the knowledge nomads
From Blindside
Contents |
[edit] What is it
Generation C is one shorthand for people who think and behave differently because of the Internet. Prof Mel Dubnick expresses someting similar drawing on Marshall McLuhan's work Understanding Media, which talks of a future population of "nomadic gatherers of knowledge". We found the term Generation C in Wendy G's report of Matt Webb's presentation at E-Tech 2007:people who expect control, complexity, and social connections. It’s not an age group but a state of mindIf people become different because of this new medium this has fundamental implications for people-centred services and how to get the best out of e-services. Specifically it might completely blindside the government's IT strategy.
Governments tend to want to issue monolithic systems, but they’re going to be awash in users who would like to reshape the system according to their own desires, whether that means scraping data into a more usable form (RSS and XML instead of PDF and DOC) or shoving a graphic equalizer on it (why not have one for your bank and credit accounts?) to make it more fun.Government agonises about whether to call the targets of e-services customers or citizens (or are we subjects). But Generation C, the knowledge nomads, don't behave like customers or like citizens.
[edit] Impact & Maturity assessment
Impact Level 0 Maturity Level 0
As the group of people described will probably be one of the UK's biggest assets in implementing effective e-Government systems (as opposed to the monoolithic systems mentioned above), we judge there is no information assurance threat from this and will not include this as an item in our report. However, political opposition and concerted efforts to defeat security systems they feel inappropriate will largely come from this group. Hence, UK government IT initiatives would be better served by extensive consultation with this segment of the population.
See also Are we ready for the Nomads by Prof Mel Dubnick
[edit] Information Assurance issues
Answer: what seem to be the likely information assurance issues of the emerging technology under discussion
[edit] Timescale
Is the impact of this emerging technology felt - now (less than 18 months) - in 2-5 years? - in 5-25 years - longer-term than that even
[edit] Examples
[edit] Comments (attributed)
What people say about this emerging technology (attributed)
[edit] Organisations
Groups which have a particular contribution or point of view about this emerging technology, eg tech businesses, user organisations or advocacy groups
[edit] Documents & research papers
Very brief abstracts or links to informative documents, presentations or academic research papers about this emerging technology
