Comments on: Email overload: snowflakes or terror birds? http://information-overload.nzeldes.com/blog/2009/12/email-overload-snowflakes-or-terror-birds/ Insight, debate and solutions for restoring productivity and work/life balance in this age of Infoglut Fri, 06 Jan 2012 18:16:32 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: Nathan Zeldes http://information-overload.nzeldes.com/blog/2009/12/email-overload-snowflakes-or-terror-birds/comment-page-1/#comment-37 Nathan Zeldes Mon, 14 Dec 2009 07:04:42 +0000 http://information-overload.nzeldes.com/blog/?p=106#comment-37 Indeed, Boaz, the senders were certainly misusing the medium, or rather, using it right (to send the information) but expecting the recipient to "misuse" it by monitoring and servicing it on a real time basis. OTOH, if the recipients were to put their foot down and refuse to play along, the senders might be forced to adjust... yet I find, working with knowledge-based organizations, that the recipients seldom do. Indeed, Boaz, the senders were certainly misusing the medium, or rather, using it right (to send the information) but expecting the recipient to “misuse” it by monitoring and servicing it on a real time basis.

OTOH, if the recipients were to put their foot down and refuse to play along, the senders might be forced to adjust… yet I find, working with knowledge-based organizations, that the recipients seldom do.

]]> By: Boaz Rahat http://information-overload.nzeldes.com/blog/2009/12/email-overload-snowflakes-or-terror-birds/comment-page-1/#comment-36 Boaz Rahat Mon, 14 Dec 2009 06:19:52 +0000 http://information-overload.nzeldes.com/blog/?p=106#comment-36 Nathan, The stories you are telling illustrate cases of mistaken expectations from email. Email arrive in seconds, and will be seen in ... whenever the recipient sees it. The _senders_ were misusing the medium. Perhaps everyone should be taught the features and reasonable expectations associated with each medium: snail mail, email, chat, SMS, land-line phone, cell phone, telepathy, and so on. In order to teach every one a good place to start is school. Teach how to use each medium, and when to choose each medium. Nathan,

The stories you are telling illustrate cases of mistaken expectations from email. Email arrive in seconds, and will be seen in … whenever the recipient sees it. The _senders_ were misusing the medium.

Perhaps everyone should be taught the features and reasonable expectations associated with each medium: snail mail, email, chat, SMS, land-line phone, cell phone, telepathy, and so on. In order to teach every one a good place to start is school. Teach how to use each medium, and when to choose each medium.

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