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The Wall Street Journal says email's reign is over. Real-time, always-on, collaborative forms of communication have taken its place. They are right.
The problem is that, while there is a semblance of order where email is concerned, the same cannot be said for these new forms. The Journal outlines some specific problems:
- Information becomes more frequent, which can result in it being less personal and more anecdotal.
- The constant stream of information can be overwhelming, making it difficult to filter out that which is less significant.
- Communication via social media is tied to your personal profile. That's not always a good thing. Rather than hide behind the anonymity of of username@emailaddress.com, the story of your life is being told.
Social Media Chaos
We are in a time of flux. Some of the most prevalent questions I get regarding the use of social media have to do with time management and how to handle the fire hose of information being aimed in our direction.
All I can say is, in time a new form of order will arise. That might come in the form of software applications -- tools like Tweetdeck and PeopleBrowsr, for example, which have evolved to help manage Twitter, Facebook and other accounts.
In fact, I believe in many cases the answer is better software. How do you manage your personal finances? For many, Quickbooks or Mint is the answer. Similarly, you used to maintain your business calendar on a DayTimer. Now, you use Outlook, Google Calendar or some other office software tool. This is no different. We're just not there yet, but we will get there. Necessity is the mother...
Google Wave
If traditional email is dying away, what will replace it? Many think Google Wave is the email for the 21st century. In fact, Google is pitching it as real-time email, a mix of traditional email and instant messaging. Having just received my invitation, but really having no one in my inner-circle to converse with as of yet, I'm anxious to find out whether it will serve as a productivity tool or, as Robert Scoble alleged, a "productivity sink."
One thing that is certain, "Times, they are a changin.'" We are effectively between the now and the not yet, the what has been and the what will be. There is no escaping it either. Email is less useful than it was. What will replace it is still to be determined.
For those more interested, here's a great explanation of Google Wave by Rafe Needleman from CNet.
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