My strategy is the opposite of most tech-savvy people I know. I avoid the problem of overload by turning things off. I really do not need to know of every comment, every theory, every post that is out there. A handful of good, interesting ideas a week is more than enough (If it's a good idea, or an interesting thought, I'll need a fair amount of time to digest it or try it out). Just because it's out there doesn't mean I need to consume it. Information is addictive and most of us are junkies.
If I add a new feed to track, I delete an old one. If I join a mailing list, I drop an old one. I limit the amount of time "for information" and keep it filled only with the best sources I've found. If I find some amazing thing, I force myself to drop the least good thing I had in my list. >From my experience I'm convinced we need way less information than we think. More information in 2008 rarely solves a problem. Pick a few good diverse sources and you'll get the good stuff. Trying to be comprehensive is insane and suicidal. And anyway, if you're a creator your time is better spent sketching, drawing, thinking, and experimenting, rather than skimming, scanning, marking, and tracking. By never letting my intake get too high, I never need to worry about designing systems for managing information overload. This strategy can be applied with any tool, any browser, any email client and any job. -Scott Scott Berkun www.scottberkun.com -----Original Message----- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Kim Bieler Sent: Monday, September 29, 2008 8:38 AM To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] list Subject: [IxDA Discuss] Q: Information overload: how do you keep track? There is so much great information and new concepts and exciting theories on this list, and links to same. My feeble brain can't keep up. How do I keep track of the stuff I want to remember? In a format where I can remember WHY I wanted to remember it in the first place? I feel like I could spend my life tagging in delicious.com and still never keep up. ________________________________________________________________ Welcome to the Interaction Design Association (IxDA)! To post to this list ....... [EMAIL PROTECTED] Unsubscribe ................ http://www.ixda.org/unsubscribe List Guidelines ............ http://www.ixda.org/guidelines List Help .................. http://www.ixda.org/help
