2008 is being dubbed the “year of information overload”
That’s according to research firm Basex, which chose "information overload" as its 2008 "Problem of the Year."
According to 2007 study by Basex, information overload is costly; they estimate that the costs of information overload is about $650 billion a year in the USA alone.
Interruptions consume 28% of knowledge worker’s day. One recommended solution is to use filtering tools that help users to quickly understand, prioritize and organize information. Basex argues that the human brain is not effectively wired for paying attention to multiple things at once and handling constant interruptions.
According to Jonathan Spira, the author of the “Information Overload: We Have Met the Enemy And He Is Us” report, we should resist the urge to immediately follow up on every e-mail, phone call or IM. Spira recommends that knowledge workers distinguish the urgent from important things before deciding on interruptions in their thought process.
Tags: Information Overload, Knowledge Management
