Task: As you read, think about the following questions:
- how might the metaphor of an ‘ecology’ impact on the way you think about, understand or use the Internet?
- how are the concepts ‘information’ and ‘communication’ understood within the framework of an ‘information ecology’?
- why don’t we talk of a ‘communication ecology’?
Log entry: Nardi and O’Day (1999) define an information ecology as ‘as system of people, practices, values, and technolgies in a particular local environment’. The concept emphasises how people’s activities are served by how they use technology, rather than the technology itself.
The ‘information ecology’ metaphor gives a framework that emphasises the relationship between different parts of the Internet as a system, including the roles played by technology and people.
Our choice of a framework is important because it influences how we’re likely to approach issues. For example, as discussed by Merrick (on WEBCT), if we think of technologies as a tool, then may limit ourselves from thinking of them in other ways – e.g. as an extension of our ability to communicate.
Here are some examples of applying the ecology metaphor to the Internet:
- An ecology evolves. In the case of the Internet, evolution (including change and growth) has been rapid over recent years.
- The concept of an ecology is scalable. It can be applied to small information ecologies, such as a workplace or library, or to the Internet itself.
- Ecologies are affected by external factors. For example, the falling real cost of personal computers over the past 20 years has brought about widespread access to computers and the Internet in most countries.
- In the same vein, the development of further broadband and mobile technologies is a factor that is both external and internal and will affect the evolution of the ‘Internet ecology’.
- The concept refers to a ‘keystone species’ – in a workplace this could be a key person who can link people and technology together by communicating well (e.g. someone who champions the introduction of a new IT system).
- Parts of the system are inter-dependent – for example, if a local network goes down in a workplace, people are unlikely to be able to use their computers in the way they intend. In this case, people depend on actions from other parties to fix the system.
- Parts of the system may play multiple roles depending on their locality – for example a laptop computer may be a tool for work, an entertainment system for playing games and music, or a device to stay in touch with friends and family.
A key feature of the information ecology metaphor is that it doesn’t place the emphasis on one part – such as technology, information or communciation.
While this metaphor does highlight the key role of communication, using the term ‘communication ecology’ would not be more appropriate, as this would emphaise the social aspects of the Internet. While social networking is increasingly important, the Internet is still primarily used for ‘passively’ sharing information (‘I post, you seek’ and vice versa).
The information ecology metaphor helps us think about using the Internet as a medium for communicating and sharing information. It makes us think of the Internet as a dynamic, evolving system where users play a key role, and where those roles and capabilities changing over time and from place to place. Ultimately, it helps us to think more broadly about our roles as users of the Internet and ’communicators’ on the Internet.
