More wisdom from Dave Pollard:
In studying the use (and non-use, and mis-use) of various tools, I’ve come to the realization that some pretty simple rules govern whether, and how, communication tools are used:
- A tool has to be both simple (intuitive to learn, comfortable and versatile to use) and ubiquitous (everyone needs to have access to it) before it will be extensively used.
- Most people are looking for just enough tools to manage both 1-to-1 and group communications, and both synchronous (real-time) and asynchronous communications. The fewer the better as long as they cover those bases.
- Most people will tolerate more than one tool in a category if and only if each offers unique and important functionality that is absent in the others.
- Comfort with and access to various communication tools varies between generations, and with it their propensity to use certain tools.