The Definition of the The Digital Space

The Digital Space, I use the term frequently.  The Digital Space also gets a whole category on the VogelWorks blog.  I have yet to define the phrase, effectively ostracizing it to a land of murky phrases like “Web 2.0″ .

The Digital Space, as I use it, is simply a broad term referring to an amalgamation of digital technologies, and more importantly, how we interact with these digital technologies.

The Digital Space encompasses technologies and innovations within computation, data transfer, and data-enabled devices. The most direct examples being your computer, the internet, and mobile phones.

Beyond technological innovation, The Digital Space includes social innovation surrounding the adoption of digital technologies.  The technology necessary for blogging was widespread by the mid 90′s.  However, tools catering to the act of blogging, and the social behavior of blogging hadn’t yet fully developed.  You could say the same for most of the “Web 2.0″ developments such as social networks and Twitter.  These have largely come from a co-evolution of both the tools and social adoption of digital technologies.

The Digital Space is a moving target and is changing rapidly, so making the term crystal clear is an ongoing challenge.  However, the key understanding is that there are two sides to the coin: the technology and the interaction with the technology.

Technology is increasingly integrated into our lives.  The Digital Space was once more of an accessory, like a hat that we might put on from time to time.  Now, it’s so pervasive, it’s more like the air we breathe.  We’ve created a digital atmosphere that we rely on to navigate our lives.  And soon, as we continue to breathe in this digital atmosphere, the Digital Space will be closer to tissue, a part of our flesh and bone.

While it may sound like something of science fiction, it’s not.  And it’s important to think about how The Digital Space will continue to strikingly effect our lives.

Kevin
9.14.2009