The Conversation Economy

Since the advent of mass computing, the Western world's growth has been supported by the information economy. But in an information saturated digital world, it's high quality, constructive and focused 'conversations' that present the new opportunity.

The Internet, on the surface a technology, has brought with it a suite of very human communication tools. From instant messenger to wikis, from blogs to forums, these communication services have appeared, been adopted and settled into everyday usage in a surprisingly short space of time. But what's most fascinating about these services is how they have created distinct new communication behaviours.

The mobile phone, though not based on Internet technology, was the first digital device to do this en-mass. It may seem subtle, but from the early days of mass mobile phone adoption, people's language changed. No longer do you ask the question 'is xxxxx there', as you did with a fixed landline. After all, in a user-centred communication world you know who you are calling. Instead you ask where they are and if they have time to speak. This may seem to be a small point, but it demonstrates how easily communication behaviours can evolve.

Roll on a couple of years and we now have the likes of MySpace and Facebook. The later especially presents a complex suite of communication behaviours and new challenges on how to manage personal communication. Nonetheless, these social networks have been adopted with an astounding level of enthusiasm - especially with youth groups.

So where are we now? Well, business is not blind. It can see that employees are spending increasing amounts of time and enthusiasm engaged in these services and they want a slice. Fortunately, they can. The consumer world has proved a testing ground where the tools and techniques to foster and manage digital conversations have been developed. Now they are ready, and in some cases already are entering the business world.

This new opportunity will be further exaggerated over the next few years, when the youth markets, who have spearheaded the development of these services, enter the job sector. We are, in essence, on the verge of a 'conversation economy'. This new paradigm will bring with it new challenges and new opportunities. It will blur the line between work and play and has the chance to produce new business models and methods of innovation.

The best bet for business is to get on board now and learn the lessons because, just as with the PC, socially networked services will change the playing field.

Technorati Tags: conversation, infrastructure

Categories: Co-creation.

No responses.