SHiFT: Time for a SHIFT

by October 1, 2006

Martin Röell’s presentation about Time for a SHIFT: How we need to change our thinking and acting to use information technology sensibly at Shift 2006 left us with the following advice for creating positive change with the information technologies that allow us to communicate with more people and get more things done:

  • Don’t confuse what we see in the browser with reality.
  • Be mindful how we communicate through electronic mediums. The Internet is a medium where it is easy to misinterpret.
  • Learn to coexist with others in digital spaces.
  • Focus on what you think is important. Don’t follow the mob (what everyone else thinks in important). People will stay with your blog even if you don't post much.
  • Consider who you are doing things for: who will benefit from your actions and how. We need to communicate with people beyond “geeks”.

According to Röell, today we are not using the tools we have developed effectively. If we only use our computers to recreate our previous behaviors, we’ll simply be known as the generation that "did things faster”. Instead we need to shape our world to be better.