Andrew McAfee's Blog - Latest Comments in A Technology Flip Test: Introducing Channels in a World of Platforms

Re: A Technology Flip Test: Introducing Channels in a World of Platforms

Hand_Trucks — Sun, 12 Dec 2010 00:36:21 -0000

To the best of my knowledge every text message, IM, email, telephone call etc... and even every single web page that one has visited, is traceable it's just a question of the effort that has to be put in to retrieve the information. Bye Bye Privacy, we are living in a way too sophisticated world for that! If for example you are browsing on the web for hand trucks and then you went to aol or google , five pages later you will see ads for hand trucks popping up. What does that tell you?
http://handtrucks2go.com/Ha...

Re: A Technology Flip Test: Introducing Channels in a World of Platforms

Cheap Domain Hosting — Wed, 11 Aug 2010 11:04:16 -0000

Great post.

"Most current collaboration technologies, including email, instant messaging, and cell phone texting are what I call channels. They essentially keep communications private."

I dis agree with that as google is changing all that by storing emails indefinitely, reading them to display ads, etc. Wait until someone breaks into Google servers and get all the private info of people.

Re: A Technology Flip Test: Introducing Channels in a World of Platforms

BusinessDude — Mon, 14 Jun 2010 06:29:36 -0000

This is a great discussion. I think it is a brilliant idea to evaluate the way in which we communicate and if we had all of this technology before paper would we still be using online. It is a mystery why people seek to update things obsessively and want to always own the latest craze.

I think with the creation of the Internet it made the world more accessible and things can now be done online much quicker than paper methods. With certain sectors like the Business For Sale market, the types of media used to reach their target audience was newspapers and magazines. Now it is far easier to advertise online, as it can be cheaper and is much easier to update than a magazine advert.

Re: A Technology Flip Test: Introducing Channels in a World of Platforms

floraaketch — Sun, 27 Dec 2009 04:19:55 -0000

"Everyone has their favorite way of using the internet. Many of us search to find what we want, click in to a specific website, read what’s available and click out. That’s not necessarily a bad thing because it’s efficient. We learn to tune out things we don’t need and go straight for what’s essential.

www.onlineuniversalwork.com"

Re: A Technology Flip Test: Introducing Channels in a World of Platforms

Cheap Domain Name Registration — Wed, 15 Oct 2008 10:10:36 -0000

Interesting thought here. I have never really thought about a "flip test" before, and how that would make me think of a situation in a different light. Being a web developer I do love blogs and wikis and the openness of sharing information out there, but email, IM and text msg are just a way of life. To think of only having open ways to communicate and moving to a more private email/IM solution, just makes it hard to vision. I think I would accept email/IM solution coming from blogs and wikis, but at the same time you would be used to open information that you may wonder why you need this new technologies. Thanks for the great post.

Re: A Technology Flip Test: Introducing Channels in a World of Platforms

Singapore Seminars — Sat, 26 Jul 2008 12:13:46 -0000

The number of Web 2.0 companies are just too astounding. If my brain don't fail me, it's probably going at 3 new Web 2.0 companies every day in US.

I really hope to see some of those companies get listed, at least it would be a proof of concept.

Re: A Technology Flip Test: Introducing Channels in a World of Platforms

Liz Hansel — Wed, 28 May 2008 15:18:43 -0000

I think you are correct in thinking platforms will do the job for internal communication.

Picking up the phone is fine for private, too.

Regardless, phones can be tapped, just as platforms can be hacked. Because you are not a controversial group, I think your risk factor is very low.

Re: A Technology Flip Test: Introducing Channels in a World of Platforms

gift baskets — Wed, 07 May 2008 05:35:52 -0000

This is indeed a great post.
especially the comment from Rahul and wonder at the comparison between a restricted access platform and a channel.

Re: A Technology Flip Test: Introducing Channels in a World of Platforms

gourmet gift baskets — Tue, 06 May 2008 15:18:48 -0000

Really very interesting post Andrew. I agree that channels are a subset of platforms. But I believe that we should compare these two mediums as we would compare a private conversation (whether it be via phone, e-mail, or oral) to a channel.

Re: A Technology Flip Test: Introducing Channels in a World of Platforms

sale business canada — Fri, 04 Apr 2008 00:59:57 -0000

Very interesting discussion, I think the two outcomes you described are quite plausible - and It'll be interesting to see how it plays out in the future.

Businesses in general can be slow on the uptake on new technologies, and rightly so why change things that could potentially create issues they don't want to deal with.

Re: A Technology Flip Test: Introducing Channels in a World of Platforms

tech — Wed, 19 Mar 2008 04:06:24 -0000

First let me thank you for a quality post.

I certainly agree with you that the flip test reveals many companies pay a detailed attention to the possible risks and downsides of E2.0 platforms.

Re: A Technology Flip Test: Introducing Channels in a World of Platforms

Dog — Fri, 29 Feb 2008 13:14:08 -0000

I think that web 2.0 is overrated, the www has always been about user generated content. Some people are just trying to put a new name on it to bring the hype back.

Re: A Technology Flip Test: Introducing Channels in a World of Platforms

Pinoy Money Talk — Mon, 25 Feb 2008 02:30:22 -0000

Good post! There has been a lot of research addressing the impact of Information
Technology especially the web 2.0 and Channels in world of Platforms. It would be a case to case basis in every situation.

Re: A Technology Flip Test: Introducing Channels in a World of Platforms

affordable web hosting — Thu, 14 Feb 2008 23:41:46 -0000

I like the comment from Rahul and wonder at the comparison between a restricted access platform and a channel.

I have an internal blog - i.e. inside our firewall. I post there nearly every day and find it an excellent means of communication and collaboration. My external blog, on the other hand, gets very few posts - I cannot be as relevant outside as I can on the inside and there is little payback for me in posting there.

As John suggests, there will be things that individuals are unable to express *unless* there is some level of restriction. It must be the case that there are some things individuals wouldnÂ’t express without severe restriction.

Re: A Technology Flip Test: Introducing Channels in a World of Platforms

Cheap Domain Names — Thu, 24 Jan 2008 22:09:07 -0000

Even more brilliant than usual.

I immensely enjoy reading your blog and IMO your analysis here is correct. One thing that may damage this course of reasoning are the charlatans and dreamers. They will produce anti-productive or silly web 2.0 solutions and turn the VC and public opinion against the web 2.0 revolution.

I hope that the VC community will be smart enough to distinguish between them and real advances, but what is going on today (investment wise) is not encouraging.

Re: A Technology Flip Test: Introducing Channels in a World of Platforms

Charles Jason — Fri, 28 Sep 2007 13:04:45 -0000

As with many of those responding, I too found the flip-test a valuable exercise. In today's information hungry workplace, successful businesses leverage both channel and platform technologies effectively to facilitate communication. One clear instance of a well integrated internal communication model are web -hosting companies who regularly employ both methods as a means of providing support. System admins can deliver updates on network outages to both support staff (and even clients, if desired) using a simple platform interface such as a blog. For more technical issues, wikis can be populated with common problems to aid support staff in addressing customer support tickets.

Smart business leaders recognize the value and place of both models of information exchange.

Just my thoughts.

Re: A Technology Flip Test: Introducing Channels in a World of Platforms

Atul — Tue, 14 Aug 2007 00:21:04 -0000

Hi Andrew,

While the flip test does make a lot of sense to uncover a lot of implicit assumptions we may be making, I think one point which stands out from this post, and needs to be emphasized is that the net outcome of flipping the scenario would, in all likelihood, be very different from the way we see it today.

Applying the flip test here, I would expect that people would apply a few of their experiences with the platforms you mention to the channels which come later in the flip test, but more likely, this would be only a minute part of the entire scenario.

Thanks, Atul.

Re: A Technology Flip Test: Introducing Channels in a World of Platforms

Ernie Shvarz — Fri, 13 Jul 2007 03:12:50 -0000

Andrew - very deep thoughts indeed, and very
stimulating ; not only because of their origi-
nality but also their social implications.

My team and I have created (and are hopefully
constantly improving) www.powwwerpages.com -
a B2B yellow pages database and search engine. Although this is meant to serve businesses, and subsequently generate business for ourselves, the duality (maybe even trinity) of application and ofmethodology in our model is reminiscent of your
thoughts:

On the one hand, our planned advertising section
for B2B use is clearly a platform, similar to
other such providers such as craigslist or kijiji
etc.

On the other hand, sending a single and even confidential e-mail to a company one just found on our search engine would, i would think, constitute a channel.

However, wouldn't there be a third dimension if you will, in addition to the above two : what would be, purely philosophically, the result page of our Search Engine and of course any other search engine ? Based on your definition, it would fulfill the condition of being a platform, due to its universal accessibility ; but it does not satisfy the condition of permanency, since any search result is limited to the length of perusal (research shows that search result pages are rarely left open for longer than 13 - 16 seconds, after which the search ceases to be in existence). [ i am not considering so-called
saved searches to be relevant here ].

Furthermore - and here is the philosophical part :) - although the entire universe and
population of possible search results (con-
sisting of billions of possible outcomes) is
certainly accessible to everyone, isn't any
SINGLE search and search result display just a
plain old channel at the time of search and display (search and display usually separated from one another only by fractions of seconds),
since they are UNIQUE at that given time ?

Based on this, might it be appropriate to bring
in a third class of communication level which we
could call either a "funnel" (platform-like wide
at the top, being universally accessible, and
narrow at the bottom, providing information to
one recipient only), or some other simile ?

One could probably think of other examples, too.

Am I splitting hair, or is the above maybe food for thought ? If it's worth anything (and it
may not be), there could be interesting impli-
cations and applications in communication theory and sociologically.

Comments encouraged, and thank you all. Ernie

Re: A Technology Flip Test: Introducing Channels in a World of Platforms

Tony Clement — Wed, 27 Jun 2007 19:02:31 -0000

Excellent and insightful article. Many IT professionals in Australia (particularly managers and executives) inhibit end user adoption of technologies/platforms because of fear, uncertainty and doubt. Many of these concerns are raised because of over sensitivity to risk which is being fuelled by major software providers protecting their own (licensing) interests.

The flip test proposed provides an interesting platform for discussion and may instigate a paradigm shift.

For those of you that are resistent, there is a difference to being open to new ideas, adoption, and over being over zealous. E2.0 is here. It will have an impact. It may provide a short term differentiator and market advantage for your organisation. Rather than resisting it, why not try to figure out how your organisation can leverage it?

Re: A Technology Flip Test: Introducing Channels in a World of Platforms

Johnson — Wed, 21 Mar 2007 18:02:56 -0000

The approach which you took to explain is pretty good. I can think of this in using in many other instances

Re: A Technology Flip Test: Introducing Channels in a World of Platforms

richard bredero — Mon, 12 Mar 2007 08:22:08 -0000

Ah, but this flip testing leads to further flipping...

Channels might be welcomed as a bliss as well, because would alleviate the inevitable burden of platform clutter, ie. the tendency of platforms if becoming clogged with heaps of semi-private or junk info with no relevance to the whole of their intended usergroup.

And, as you lucidly point out, telephone messages are definitely below radar (unless you're the NIS). E-mail on the other hand can be made traced and scanned. From a security point of view, the emergence of e-channels might thus even persuade security-centric management to severely restrict telephone use in favour of e-messaging!

Re: A Technology Flip Test: Introducing Channels in a World of Platforms

Bob Iliff — Sun, 25 Feb 2007 10:52:30 -0000

Andrew, this was very instructive in showing the misguided resistance to adoption of wikis by management, for example. But once adopted, let's now examine the decision faced by the indidvidual worker before selecting whether to communicate by channel or platform. I have attempted to do just that using the Evapoating Cloud technique from the Theory of Constraints. That reveals the conflict of "act or analyze", meaning, I would channel if were unsure of the value of my input and/or if it might be perceived as critical of the organization or my co-workers. This self doubt is innately imbedded in the "pre-meditated" nature the written word. It will require "social stroking" by management to nurture the more endowing behavior, and that may be a tall order.

Re: A Technology Flip Test: Introducing Channels in a World of Platforms

Rodney Hoffman — Fri, 02 Feb 2007 12:40:57 -0000

I have long saved the following quote, from a review of "Understanding New Media: Trends and Issues in Electronic Distribution of
Information" (1984; Benjamin M. Compaine (Ed.); Ballinger Pub Co; ISBN 0884109771):

"...As Compaine and several other authors in this volume point out, the 'model home information and entertainment product... provides
a broad range of information and entertainment, provides built in storage, is easily portable, integrates graphics and text, allows user self-pacing and random access to any portion of the database within five seconds, allows for branching, provides hard copy and is completely updated every twenty-four hours, yet comes at a low price to the consumer -- 25 cents per connect hour or less.'

"The description currently fits only that marvel of technology, the traditional newspaper...."

Re: A Technology Flip Test: Introducing Channels in a World of Platforms

Ted di Stefano — Wed, 31 Jan 2007 07:45:51 -0000

I agree that channels are a subset of platforms. But I believe that we should compare these two mediums as we would compare a private conversation (whether it be via phone, e-mail, or oral) to a channel. A town hall type meeting can be compared to a platform. Both serve a distinct purpose and are useful.

The problem always arises when we start abusing technology by becoming servants to this wonderful giant instead of making it our servant.

Re: A Technology Flip Test: Introducing Channels in a World of Platforms

Andrew Holt — Mon, 29 Jan 2007 19:07:13 -0000

Great discussion Andrew, the flip test is an excellent exercise, both from a sales and development perspective.

Is it possible some of the downside perceptions for Enterprise 2.0 stem from several of the platform offerings being solutions in search of a problem? Take wikis, for instance. They are sold as a platform solution with no limits - a way to collaborate on just about anything with anyone inside the company. Unlike email, which solved the simple problem of asynchronously communicating with one or many people, wikis try to solve collaborative communication problems, document organization, knowledge management, project development, etc.

It's a formidable hurdle to get over when one is presented with a package that isn't limited to answering previously perceived pain points. As Rahul pointed out, channels can be considerd subsets of platforms, creating options for how direct communication can be. If one is presented with this range of selection, it might actually create more work to figure out the best way to solve a communication problem - should I email this to these people (direct), or post about it in the wiki (indirect)? Where in the wiki should I post it? Is this even something I should be talking about?

It's an interesting discussion, and in my opinion enterprises need to be careful when shifting the social features of Web 2.0 directly into their organization. If a platform is naturally adopted and provides some sort of tangible ROI, it's the right solution. If an organization finds itself forcing adoption, as in Damon's example, it's a solution searching for a problem.