We all seem to suffer from information overload. The channels and amount of information we are expected to absorb, analyze and react to in real-time or near real-time seem to just keep increasing exponentially over time. We’re overwhelmed. So what do we do? Clay Shirky is famous for saying that the problem isn’t information overload – it’s filter failure. I just started playing with the beta of ifttt.com (“If This Then That”) which seems to offer an elegant, automated solution to at least a portion of the problem. The site takes the cause-and-effect function we find in code (IF x condition is true [trigger] THEN do y [action]) and translates it into a human tool to manage our information channels and link them causally in an intelligent way. Ifttt.com lets you track activities in the following channels and build automated trigger-action rules:
For example:
If [AAPL stock exceeds $350] Then [Send me a text message] If [someone mentions me on Twitter] Then [Call me]
You get the idea. I love the simplicity of the ifttt experience and look forward to seeing how they evolve their offering. What do you think? I have a few invites available so if you want one, leave a comment. Tweet
February 1 2011, 6:39am | Original Link »
