Digital hierarchy of needs
I know there’s never really a need to apologize for not posting, so I won’t. I will say that you shouldn’t be surprised if it continues to be slow for a while. The standard knockout punch of work, travel, and having a laptop in the shop for two weeks has brought me to my knees. This post comes to you courtesy of a borrowed laptop, free wifi at the Boise airport and a two hour flight delay. Woo.
All of which brings me to my question… You know Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, right? I’m wondering what the digital equivalent is (I’ve seen this, but it’s not quite what I’m talking about). My first guess is that the bottom layer needs to be a basic understanding of how to manage a modern operating system, right? Is there something more basic than that? Keyboarding skills, maybe, but those aren’t particularly digital. Keyboarding skills were needed for manual typewriters, so they aren’t really an artifact of the digital age.
Then what’s the next level if we assume keyboarding skills–standard word processing abilities? That seems about right. My 90-year old grandpa used to type his memoirs on an old computer. He was kinda stuck at this level. Never quite found the onramp to the “information highway” so to speak.
Then what? Email? Web? A combination of both? Seems like the idea of communications ought to be covered before moving on to more abstract concepts such as search, coding and database manipulation. And I’m not convinced that coders as a group represent the top of the triangle. I’ve met plenty that rightly deserve the crown of digital self-actualization, but I’ve met easily an equal number who are kinda stuck in a rut and don’t really have a broad view of our culture’s technologic trajectory.
I kinda lose it right about here. I’m clearly not digitally self-actualized, or I’d have a better understanding of what all these levels look like. Any ideas?
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POSTED IN: creativity, looking inward, web/tech
6 opinions for Digital hierarchy of needs
joakim
Mar 17, 2006 at 7:29 pm
That’s a very interesting question :)
Here’s my hierarchy:
The list could of course be more complex, but I want to sleep now, k thx:p
Michael
Mar 17, 2006 at 11:32 pm
That’s a very interesting question, but I’m not sure it’s answerable. Maslow’s hierarchy of needs is just that–needs. A similar hierarchy for digital literacy (is that what you’re getting at?) is more like a progressively increasing skill set. That being said, I’m always up for a challenge, so here it goes.
At the top would be some Neo-like figure who knows all.
Whattaya think?
Bren
Mar 18, 2006 at 4:26 pm
Thanks, guys. Yeah, Michael, I think digital literacy is what I’m getting at. I’ll have to dig around for some research with that phrase–probably get more results…
Evie
Mar 19, 2006 at 2:45 pm
How about a hierarchy of user skill set? this hierarchy can be used in multiple paradigms: HW, SW, web, electronics, gaming, etc. It’s important to note that one’s expertise in one area does not necessarily mean one carries that level across all areas. For instance, I might be a power user on a computer, but I don’t even care for any of the features on my mobile phone, and if you ask me to text someone, well, let’s not go there.
Starting from the bottom:
Novice/Newbie - (Lurker, fumbler, etc.) Has the tools, but isn’t quite sure how to use them.
-Basic user - Able to use tools provided (an application, a computer, the internet, a wireless phone, but isn’t quite familiar with the features and asks for help often) .
-Power User - very familiar with features of tool and can even customize existing tools to create a unique version of it. e.g. a blogger, someone who modifies their Windows registry, an Excel expert, a teenager who can text message with one thumb faster than I can type, someone writing basic html.
Developer - uses advanced tools to create new systems. This person might be an inventor, or might be building someone else’s invention. They have bricks, but they must create the blueprints and build it.
Geek God - someone who comes up with something completely new, and around which the creation of new tools becomes inevitable. Vint Cerf is in this category. The web preceded loads of new tools for developers and others to use to create new applications for the rest of us. Mobile technology and wireless allows for new phones and new signals. Advances in video tech and increases in speed drive the creation of new and different games.
Don’t know if there’s anything above this.
Brad Isaac
Mar 20, 2006 at 12:41 pm
I may be taking your question too literally. But wouldn’t the concept of blog autonomy come into play for Maslow’s heirarchy? In other words, your blog is your autonomy. It’s your freedom, your expression. So perhaps you are self actualized - as long as your bottom needs are there (such as electricity, laptop, keyboard, etc.)
Scot Herrick's WriteBlog
Mar 20, 2006 at 9:11 pm
Scot’s Digital Hierarchy of Needs…
The view over the keyboard today: BINARY…