Information Overload, and the Zen of Watching the Waves.

Information overload is something very simple

Information overload is caused by something very simple, we merged the industrialization process with information creation and now almost anything is available to us informationally, at any time.

The psychology of human beings, and the physiology, the needs and limits are not yet expressed in terms of variables in the equation of how much information, how often, and how diverse.

One element in helping reduce the problem is to take in smaller blocks of information.  Just do less at once. 

There are great things about the internet's remodeling of information publication

The most interesting aspect of that over the last 5 to 10 years have been in the realm of micro snippets of information.  The facebook post, the twitter tweet.  Those may seem annoying to you, but there is hope.

If you are not lost in the scrolling feeds, ( and if you are stay tuned to this blog btw, because I will tackle that issue on another day ), there is real efficacy of information transfer that happens in those small posts. It forces us to get to the point, to respect each others time and attention.

Sure there are downsides, and we know what they are.

• Information distortion.

• Information without context leading to distortion.

• Information junk food.

• And of course the potential for information addiction when it stimulates the emotional responses the way those top rising posts tend to.

But there is that upside, I don't need to listen to 60 minute lecture, or have someone baby food style play airplane with my info.  I get it, if I need it, I will look into it more.

The Solution

The process is too demanding only if you let it be more important than it is.

In a sense you are dealing with a surfing of sorts, but more than just checking out the waves, you are trying to keep up the emotional energy, and not get swamped by a stream of too big waves.

The Zen of Information Surfing

Sometimes, you have to just watch.  Watch the waves, you don't need to be a part of each of them.  See the waves, without need.  Just see it.

Okay, finally after 20 years, my deluge into Zen Buddhism pays off.


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Image by: Lewislbonar

Customer Complaints

I think there is a way to add that genuine aspect to customer communications, and that is to have people employed that are invested in the company , in a direct way.

If that means change styles of profit sharing, and educating people on the importance of customer experience.  Explaining that those complaints are company lifesavers, and is essentially free product iteration testing.

The damage stops when you make that customer feel like a real resolution is being created and their invested time, money and energy is rewarded.

They should get something more in return for showing you what your company needs to do to improve.

You would pay product testers, why not give more to these people that trusted your product, and spent the time to complain ?

What do you think ?
What experiences do you have with customer complaints that made your product better ?