Map of My Technology Use
This map of my technology use follows White (2013) strategy for reflecting on the technologies Canva. White’s process asks that technologies are plotted on a graph. The x-axis marks where on the continuum the technology falls between “visitors” and “residents”. These terms are used by White to identify the degree to which our digital footprints remain after using the particular technology. The y-axis of the graph measures whether the technology is used in my personal or professional life. Together these present a visual of our technology.
For this process, I labeled the technology by its purpose and not by the specific tool or site. For example, I have a social media block. However, this block includes tools like Facebook, Snapchat, Discord, BaseCamp, Instagram, and Twitter. My reasoning for not identifying specific tools was that the specific tools I use change frequently. Additionally, I noticed that for most tools, I have separate accounts for my personal and professional tasks, except for social media. This is because I often use social media in my own time to follow trends and participate in informal conversations with fellow professionals.
White’s exercise in mapping our technology use is important in identifying how technologies are used personally and within an organization and reflecting on the footprint the use of each technology leaves behind.
References
White, D. (2013, September 13). Just the Mapping [Video]. Youtube. https://youtu.be/MSK1Iw1XtwQ
April 25, 2022
A great-looking and informative map Kristin.
I appreciate your decision to use purpose and not specific tools. Would you say your tools change more frequently in your professional sector or personal sector, or perhaps there is equal change in both?
Some people have noted that once they finished their maps they were surprised by the result (mainly that their digital footprint was larger than they thought). Were you surprised by the results?
Thanks!
April 26, 2022
Hello Kristin,
I am curious how (or if) your map would have differed 2 years ago? What has been the biggest shift for you?
April 26, 2022
Wonderful map you made. Having all social media tools lumped together and placed on the resident side is interesting.
Do you find yourself always being a “resident” or active participant with all social media or do you think you would you ever be just a “visitor” for some social media networks?
April 27, 2022
What a great idea, Kristen, I hadn’t thought of creating boxes to encompass all apps under an umbrella term like “social media” or “word processing”. Do you think your map would change if you used the tension pairs Cormier (2018) suggested in his blog individual – collaborative?
April 27, 2022
Forgot to also add digital-analogue as another set of tension pairs.