So, I’ve been doing some research on information retrieval, visualization, social navigation, blahblahblah.
And one of the recurrent themes is that we are awash in information, and need tools to find the good stuff.
And it made me think. My problem isn’t finding the good stuff. The web has inundated me with good stuff. There’s so much good stuff, I don’t know what to do with it. Trying to do simple research on a topic is overwhelming.
How do I cope with this embarrassment of riches?
Start up a links blog. Become your own filter.
Let google prioritize the information for you from the web. If there is lots of info that turns up, let technorati prioritize it.
Know what you mean about the embarrassment of riches. I’m not sure I agree with Viswanath or Will though. I think there’s a world of difference between synthesis and analysis. Google, filters, technorati etc all do great jobs helping me synthesise data – i.e. find and collect lots of potentially useful stuff. But analysing that information – reading through it, asking the questions which turn it into a useful, informative, structured piece of research, needs (sadly enough) those little grey cells.
Categorisation tools help, but isn’t it always the questions which are key?
I just read this quote today and I think it’s awesome:
It is by universal misunderstanding that all agree. For if, by ill luck, people understood each other, they would never agree.
Charles Baudelaire
Just thought I’d share.
Mike
I just read this quote today and I think it’s awesome:
It is by universal misunderstanding that all agree. For if, by ill luck, people understood each other, they would never agree.
Charles Baudelaire
Just thought I’d share.
Mike
I just read this quote today and I think it’s awesome:
It is by universal misunderstanding that all agree. For if, by ill luck, people understood each other, they would never agree.
Charles Baudelaire
Just thought I’d share.
Mike