Pew Internet and American Life Survey On Technology Use

The AP reports on the findings of a new Pew Internet and American Life Project survey, "A Typology of Information and Communication Technology Users." The report doesn't really surprise me (like it does the AP writer) because the findings reflect what I see on a daily basis in our law firm.

As an "omnivore lawyer" (see my quiz results below) who serves as back up to our IT staff on "user problems" I think the survey is pretty accurate. I like the categories/classifications used in the survey -- especially the "lackluster veterans".

Take the Pew/Internet Quiz and see where you fit. I would be interested to give the quiz to various groups that I interact with and see where they fit. For example - lawyers in my firm? hospital CEOs? physicians? health information management professionals?

Check out the full survey results here. Here is a portion of the AP story:

A broad survey about the technology people have, how they use it, and what they think about it shatters assumptions and reveals where companies might be able to expand their audiences.

The Pew Internet and American Life Project found that adult Americans are broadly divided into three groups: 31 percent are elite technology users, 20 percent are moderate users and the remainder have little or no usage of the Internet or cell phones.

But Americans are divided within each group, according to a Pew analysis of 2006 data released Sunday.

The high-tech elites, for instance, are almost evenly split into:

• "Omnivores," who fully embrace technology and express themselves creatively through blogs and personal Web pages.

• "Connectors," who see the Internet and cell phones as communications tools.

• "Productivity enhancers," who consider technology as largely ways to better keep up with their jobs and daily lives.

• "Lackluster veterans," those who use technology frequently but aren't thrilled by it.

Here are my results from the quiz:

Based on your answers to the questionnaire, you most closely resemble survey respondents within the Omnivores typology group. This does not mean that you necessarily fit every group characteristic.

Omnivores make up 8% of the American public.

Basic Description
Members of this group use their extensive suite of technology tools to do an enormous range of things online, on the go, and with their cell phones. Omnivores are highly engaged with video online and digital content. Between blogging, maintaining their Web pages, remixing digital content, or posting their creations to their websites, they are creative participants in cyberspace.

Defining Characteristics
You might see them watching video on an iPod. They might talk about their video games or their participation in virtual worlds the way their parents talked about their favorite TV episode a generation ago. Much of this chatter will take place via instant messages, texting on a cell phone, or on personal blogs. Omnivores are particularly active in dealing with video content. Most have video or digital cameras, and most have tried watching TV on a non-television device, such as a laptop or a cell phone.

Omnivores embrace all this connectivity, feeling confident in how they manage information and their many devices. This puts information technology at the center of how they express themselves, do their jobs, and connect to their friends.

Who They Are
They are young, ethnically diverse, and mostly male (70%). The median age is 28; just more than half of them are under age 30, versus one in five in the general population. Over half are white (64%) and 11% are black (compared to 12% in the general population). English-speaking Hispanics make up 18% of this group. Perhaps unsurprisingly, many (42% versus the 13% average) of Omnivores are students.