Communication Overload Communication Overload 6/9/11 PMI-6/9/11 PMI-

SVC MtgSVC Mtg

Carter Engelhart, PMPCarter Engelhart, PMP

Communication OverloadCommunication Overload

USA Today ArticleUSA Today Article

According of Jon Swartz of USA Today in his According of Jon Swartz of USA Today in his article article Social media users grapple with Social media users grapple with information overload:information overload:

” ” Corporate users received about 110 Corporate users received about 110 messages a day in 2010, says market messages a day in 2010, says market researcher Radicati Group. There are 110 researcher Radicati Group. There are 110 million tweets a day, Twitter says. million tweets a day, Twitter says. Researcher Basex has pegged business Researcher Basex has pegged business productivity losses due to the "cost of productivity losses due to the "cost of unnecessary interruptions" at $650 billion in unnecessary interruptions" at $650 billion in 2007.”2007.”

Information Overload Information Overload Syndrome - IOS Syndrome - IOS

Could you be suffering from IOSCould you be suffering from IOS??

According to Newsweek article According to Newsweek article I Can’t Think I Can’t Think by Sharon Begley Feb 27,2011by Sharon Begley Feb 27,2011

““The Twitterization of our The Twitterization of our culture has revolutionized our culture has revolutionized our lives, but with an unintended lives, but with an unintended consequence—our overloaded consequence—our overloaded brains freeze when we have to brains freeze when we have to make decisions.”make decisions.”

According to Newsweek article According to Newsweek article I Can’t Think I Can’t Think by Sharon Begley Feb 27,2011by Sharon Begley Feb 27,2011

““A key reason for information’s diminishing or even A key reason for information’s diminishing or even negative returns is the negative returns is the limited capacity of the limited capacity of the brain’s working memory.brain’s working memory. It can hold roughly It can hold roughly seven itemsseven items (which is why seven-digit phone (which is why seven-digit phone numbers were a great idea). numbers were a great idea). Anything more must Anything more must be processed into long-term memory. That be processed into long-term memory. That takes conscious effort, as when you study for takes conscious effort, as when you study for an exam.an exam. When more than seven units of When more than seven units of information land in our brain’s inbox, argues information land in our brain’s inbox, argues psychologist Joanne Cantor, author of the 2009 book psychologist Joanne Cantor, author of the 2009 book Conquer Cyber Overload and an emerita professor at Conquer Cyber Overload and an emerita professor at the University of Wisconsin, the University of Wisconsin, the brain struggles to the brain struggles to figure out what to keep and what to disregard.figure out what to keep and what to disregard. Ignoring the repetitious and the useless requires Ignoring the repetitious and the useless requires cognitive resources and vigilance, a harder task cognitive resources and vigilance, a harder task when there is so much information.”when there is so much information.”

According to Newsweek article According to Newsweek article I Can’t Think I Can’t Think by Sharon Begley Feb 27,2011by Sharon Begley Feb 27,2011

““‘‘Recency’ Trumps QualityRecency’ Trumps Quality The brain is wired to notice change over stasis.The brain is wired to notice change over stasis. An An

arriving email that pops to the top of your arriving email that pops to the top of your BlackBerry qualifies as a change; so does a new BlackBerry qualifies as a change; so does a new Facebook post. Facebook post. We are conditioned to give We are conditioned to give greater weight in our decision-making greater weight in our decision-making machinery to what is latest, not what is more machinery to what is latest, not what is more important or more interesting.important or more interesting. “There is a “There is a powerful ‘recency’ effect in decision making,” powerful ‘recency’ effect in decision making,” says behavioral economist George Loewenstein says behavioral economist George Loewenstein of Carnegie Mellon University. “We pay a lot of of Carnegie Mellon University. “We pay a lot of attention to the most recent information, attention to the most recent information, discounting what came earlier.” discounting what came earlier.”

According to Newsweek article According to Newsweek article I Can’t Think I Can’t Think by Sharon Begley Feb 27,2011by Sharon Begley Feb 27,2011

““‘‘The Neglected UnconsciousThe Neglected Unconscious Creative decisions are more likely to bubble up Creative decisions are more likely to bubble up

from a brain that applies unconscious from a brain that applies unconscious thought to a problem, rather than going at it thought to a problem, rather than going at it in a full-frontal, analytical assault. So while in a full-frontal, analytical assault. So while we’re likely to think creative thoughts in the we’re likely to think creative thoughts in the shower, it’s much harder if we’re under a shower, it’s much harder if we’re under a virtual deluge of data.” virtual deluge of data.”

Is Less Really MORE!Is Less Really MORE!

Researchers have noted that Researchers have noted that the more people blasted by a the more people blasted by a barrage of information the barrage of information the more errors and more errors and misunderstanding occur.misunderstanding occur.

Project Quality can plummetProject Quality can plummet

The golden needle in the hay The golden needle in the hay stackstack

Twitter, Facebook, email (cc), Twitter, Facebook, email (cc), texting, RSS feeds, Cell Phones, texting, RSS feeds, Cell Phones, arrays of document storage arrays of document storage locations (aka snipe hunt), Instant locations (aka snipe hunt), Instant Messaging… are heading towards Messaging… are heading towards our brains like a force 5 tornado.our brains like a force 5 tornado.

That golden nugget is being That golden nugget is being camouflaged by zillions of camouflaged by zillions of competing communication competing communication channels.channels.

How to Stop the MadnessHow to Stop the Madness Don’t schedule a meeting, WebEX or Don’t schedule a meeting, WebEX or

conference call without having both conference call without having both a clearly stated objective and a a clearly stated objective and a written agenda (written agenda (ahead of timeahead of time).).

Identify the stakeholders of what Identify the stakeholders of what you are communicating (aka the you are communicating (aka the people who care people who care ) and include ) and include them but not the rest of the world.them but not the rest of the world.

Avoid CC’ing and/or replying to Avoid CC’ing and/or replying to everyone on your emaileveryone on your email systemsystem

How to Stop the MadnessHow to Stop the Madness Consider including each persons preferred Consider including each persons preferred

primary and secondary method of primary and secondary method of communication within your communication within your communication plan contact list and try to communication plan contact list and try to honor that whenever possible.honor that whenever possible.

Consider adding a note to each Consider adding a note to each communication inviting people to communication inviting people to effectively unsubcribe to future related effectively unsubcribe to future related communication when appropriate (people communication when appropriate (people who are included in meetings, emails, etc. who are included in meetings, emails, etc. who were incorrectly identified as who were incorrectly identified as stakeholders)stakeholders)

Meeting Attendees Ideas?Meeting Attendees Ideas?

Avoid repeating presentation information by Avoid repeating presentation information by rewarding people who show up on time. rewarding people who show up on time.

Try to limit email sent to colocated staffTry to limit email sent to colocated staff Speak up – Let the message sender know when you Speak up – Let the message sender know when you

wish to be removed from the communication wish to be removed from the communication channel.channel.

Stakeholder analysis – revisit your stakeholder Stakeholder analysis – revisit your stakeholder analysis documents over time to ensure that only analysis documents over time to ensure that only the appropriate people receive your the appropriate people receive your communication.communication.

Explain to the recipient(s) why you are sending Explain to the recipient(s) why you are sending communication to them.communication to them.

Recognize when you should turn off your incoming Recognize when you should turn off your incoming communication channels in order to ensure quality communication channels in order to ensure quality deliverables.deliverables.

Ideas?Ideas?

CreditsCredits USA TodayUSA Today NewsweekNewsweek PMI-SVC [I-80] Roundtable AttendeesPMI-SVC [I-80] Roundtable Attendees Images – Microsoft Office Gallery Images – Microsoft Office Gallery

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