Roles and Identity

I am not going to be coy about it, carefully building an argument and then springing the conclusion on you. I am going to go straight to the punchline and then go back and support it. The next era of computer applications following the Age of Information will be the Age of Roles and Identity. This next step is no more obvious given our understanding of information systems than the evolution of information systems was obvious given our understanding of automation. In fact, most people who were in the thick of things in the automation stage of computer applications simply could not grasp the changes that were about to come. And similarly, people who are in the thick of things in information systems will probably have a hard time grasping the shifting focus to roles and identity. So, let me begin with a very concrete example of how information leads to the definition of roles and identity.

Let's say you go to Amazon and order a book. Next time you show up at the website they may very well suggest another book for you based on the previous purchase. You may buy  the recommended book or you may not. If you show up again, you will be offer more suggestions. Over time, assuming that you do buy another book now and then you will have sorted yourself into a de facto category of people who like a particular cluster of books. That cluster of books, to some extent defines you. And the longer you accept this role, the more it becomes who you are.

Another great example is Netflix. You order a dvd from Netflix and then rate it after you have viewed it. Netflix then turns around and suggests others shows you may like based upon the dvds you have ordered and your rating of them. Over time, as with Amazon, you sort yourself into a de facto category of people who like a particular cluster of movies. And, that cluster of movies, to some extent defines you. And, again, as with the books, the longer you accept this role, the more it becomes who you are.

We have seen in recent years that Amazon has tried to extend this idea. People who bought this book liked this music or this video game. Your cluster becomes larger and begins to define you more fully. This is how information leads to roles and identity. Now how about the other direction? The need to define roles (or categories) more precisely will lead to a need for more information. Do people who read Piers Anthony vote in a consistent manner? No? Well how about people who read Piers Anthony, listen to Red Hot Chilli Peppers and watch The IT Crowd? If that still isn't enough, how about if they have Starbucks coffee more than twice a week and go to the gym at least once?

Information gives rise to roles and roles give rise to the need for more information. But, we are nowhere near finished. Over the next few posts we will explore this further. What if you are the kind of person whose doesn't like to be that kind of person? How many kinds of people are there? Matching who you are with what you are. And the value of role play. I think it will get interesting. I hope you stay tuned.