Of late I’ve spent some time looking at how different people approach the web – much like offline life, we have quite varying approaches! One of the more interesting resources I found on my google-journeys is the Pew Typology.
Over at the Pew Internet and American Life Project they have been surveying the way we use the web for some time now and have created a typology system based upon this data.
Take the survey and find out what kind of web user you are.
The pdf. report is available to download and goes into great detail – but here are some of the topline stats:
- 8% of Americans are deep users of the participatory Web and mobile applications
- 23% are heavy, pragmatic tech adopters – they use gadgets to keep up with social networks or be productive at work
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10% rely on mobile devices for voice, texting, or entertainment
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10% use information gadgets, but find it a hassle
- 49% of Americans only occasionally use modern gadgetry and many others bristle at electronic connectivity
The types identified are as follows …
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Omnivore, Mobile Centric, Connector, Lackluster Veteran Productivity Enhancer, Infrequent but Hassled, Indifferent, Inexperienced, Experimenter, Light but Satisfied
Where do you fit? Take the survey to find out.
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PS. I’m an omnivore – this is also true in real life!
PPS. I actually found the typology result to be very accurate - if you take the test, let me know what you think.
:)
Tags: pubpart edemocracy e-democracy internet american life s
Hi Alice … I’m omnivore too. Kinda worrying … maybe we need a parallel survey about other modes of communication to show we are not just glued to our screens. Time for a coffee;-)?
David
So long as it’s an online survey – who does paper anymore?! Coffee is definitely in order… also thought you might be interested in Involve’s wiki consultation on principles of deliberative engagement- just posted that up on here and about to post on http://www.involve.org.uk
OK – coffee invite on its way… checked out the wiki, and it’s interesting but essentially commenting as far as I can see.
Perhaps might be done more easily and visibly in http://www.futureofthebook.org/commentpress/ ?
But anyway, good thing to try
Thanks for that. Yes, I should be berated slightly for describing as a wiki – true it is on confluence but only comments are enabled. Still – hope it will be a useful exercise! Think that the principles are very timely. Also, futureofthebook looks great – thanks for posting that – will bear in mind in future and pass on to those running the process.
Another Omnivore here – although I would imagine blog comments will indeed provide a biased approach.
Could be useful though to run this survey with people I’m working on capacity building with before running sessions… will have to remember that (though I may need to make a paper copy of it for that… :P)
I’ll be taking a look at the wiki/comment space on Confluence on Monday – had a glance today but not had chance to read and digest…
Hi Cased,
I am an omnivore too :). I had previously seen a study which had a ladder model and defined users as ‘curators, contributors, connectors..’. Do you have any idea on that or any such user models or typologoical information. I will be really thankful if you can point me to any such resource.
Have a nice day
Santosh
Dammit – we’re all omnivores so far- I’m going to seek out some ‘Infrequent but Hassleds’. So far as your question goes Santosh, one of the main problems (particularly in the UK) is a lack of deeper typological information. I think Pew’s work is really one of the best I’ve seen though there are others.This is quite interesting from Stanford IT and society research: http://www.stanford.edu/group/siqss/Press_Release/press_detail.html