This conceptual map represents my digital technology use, based on White and LeCornu’s (2011) visitor-resident typology. Along with the main axis of visitor-resident and personal-institutional, I’ve represented the relative importance of a technology through its size, as well as indicated open source technologies with a dotted outline.
I found that some items were easy to place, particularly if they were closer to the visitor side of the continuum, because they represented discreet tools. Further to the resident side, the items became more interconnected with my life and online identity, so it was harder to decide their size and placement. Interestingly, this visualization has highlighted that since becoming an open source maintainer, the digital technologies I am a resident of now span both my institutional and personal life, which is something I should be mindful of.
Building this conceptual map gave me an opportunity to reflect on what it would have looked like in the past, and ponder what it might look like in the future. A decade ago my map would have been unrecognizable as the same person: I was highly active in a virtual world, as both a business person and a community leader, so the resident side of the map would have encompassed the majority of my technology use. Many years and life-decisions later, the focus of my map has shifted towards open source, and I’ve also become more selective of the technologies that make up my online identity. I wonder what my map would look like a decade from now?
References
White, D. S., & LeCornu, A. (2011). Visitors and residents: A new typology for online engagement. First Monday, 16(9).
It is amazing how our digital presence is in a constant state of transformation.
Examining the fluidity of our digital contributions was a fantastic opportunity to reflect
and I agree that I am also very curious how it will look in a decade!
I appreciated you sharing that a “decade ago [your] map would have been unrecognizable as the same person.” As Lisa mentioned in her comment above, it is truly amazing how our digital presence is in a constant state of transformation, with constantly new and different tools and resources. It is an interesting thought to wonder what our Visitor-Resident Maps of Digital Use will look like 5 or 10 years from now!
AND thank you for sharing Miro, Sandra!
Sandra, your thoughts, ideas and reflections have been insightful and inspiring. You are a gem in this cohort and I cannot wait to see your open online presence in a decade!!!