Linda Stone's Thoughts on Attention

and Specifically, Continuous Partial Attention

I believe attention is the most powerful tool of the human spirit.   We can enhance or augment our attention with practices like meditation and exercise, diffuse it with technologies like email and Blackberries, or alter it with pharmaceuticals.   In the end, though, we are fully responsible for how we choose to use this extraordinary tool.   

Thank you for visiting http://www.lindastone.net   -- Linda

Note:  I blog for the Huffington Post, http://www.huffingtonpost.com/linda-stone and for http://radar.oreilly.com/
Please check out my latest work there, including a piece on what I'm calling "email apnea."

Continuous Partial Attention

What is continuous partial attention?

Continuous partial attention describes how many of us use our attention today. It is different from multi-tasking. The two are differentiated by the impulse that motivates them. When we multi-task, we are motivated by a desire to be more productive and more efficient. We're often doing things that are automatic, that require very little cognitive processing. We give the same priority to much of what we do when we multi-task -- we file and copy papers, talk on the phone, eat lunch -- we get as many things done at one time as we possibly can in order to make more time for ourselves and in order to be more efficient and more productive.

To pay continuous partial attention is to pay partial attention -- CONTINUOUSLY. It is motivated by a desire to be a LIVE node on the network. Another way of saying this is that we want to connect and be connected. We want to effectively scan for opportunity and optimize for the best opportunities, activities, and contacts, in any given moment. To be busy, to be connected, is to be alive, to be recognized, and to matter.

We pay continuous partial attention in an effort NOT TO MISS ANYTHING. It is an always-on, anywhere, anytime, any place behavior that involves an artificial sense of constant crisis. We are always in high alert when we pay continuous partial attention. This artificial sense of constant crisis is more typical of continuous partial attention than it is of multi-tasking.

Is continuous partial attention a good thing or a bad thing?

Like so many things, in small doses, continuous partial attention can be a very functional behavior. However, in large doses, it contributes to a stressful lifestyle, to operating in crisis management mode, and to a compromised ability to reflect, to make decisions, and to think creatively. In a 24/7, always-on world, continuous partial attention used as our dominant attention mode contributes to a feeling of overwhelm, over-stimulation and to a sense of being unfulfilled. We are so accessible, we're inaccessible. The latest, greatest powerful technologies have contributed to our feeling increasingly powerless.

Is this theory U.S. centric?

In my research to date, most of the examples and time frames are U.S. centric. However, in looking at other cultures, there appears to be a similar flow from one dominant attention paradigm into the next. We may not all find ourselves in the same attention era at the same time. We are likely to find ourselves experiencing a flow: attraction to an ideal, taking the expression of the ideal to an extreme and experiencing unintended and less than pleasant consequences, giving birth to and launching a new ideal while integrating the best of what came before.

How does this play out with different generations?

The younger generations are on the leading edge of thought for the coming dominant attention paradigm. This is one of the many reasons why the most successful companies are likely to effectively recruit, employ, incent, and manage representatives from every generation and keep an active listening channel toward the ideas and ideals, and the habits and passions of the younger generation. 

When I've interviewed 18-22 year olds, I notice that they are often using communications technology in a mode that I call "semi-sync."  It's not quite synchronous and it's not really asynchronous communication either.  Text messaging is often used in a semi-sync way.    When Jyri Engestrom, Jaiku co-founder, demonstrates Jaiku, he describes semi-sync usage patterns.  Meanwhile, Matt Webb, in collaboration with Nokia, is experimenting with interfaces that ease the stress of continuous partial attention.   Jyri is actively looking at ways to manage activity streams as well as interoperability issues.

Many in the generation now entering the workforce view phone calls as intrusive and prefer text messaging.  In interviews, orbits of communication are described:   My Space to keep up with a wide set of friends and acquaintances, text messaging for both one to one and one to many communications and, for one's closest friends, phone calls.

What do we do about it?

We have focused on managing our time. Our opportunity is to focus on how we manage our attention. We are evolving beyond an always-on lifestyle. As we make choices to turn the technology OFF, to give full attention to others in interactions, to block out interruption-free time, and to use the full range of communication tools more appropriately, we will re-orient our trek toward a path of more engaged attention, more fulfulling relationships, and opportunities for the type of reflection that fuels innovation.

BREATHE.  Notice what happens to your breath as you pull down and check your email or vmail.  Most of us hold our breath.  Some of us tighten our upper body.  If we're aware of what we're doing and we are able to manage our breath -- that is, keep breathing -- the stress response is minimized.

How do we react to friends and loved ones who just can't put the phone or Blackberry away -- there are a range of approaches.   When you sit down to a meal, you can let them know that you're putting your phone/Blackberry away so you can focus your attention on them.  You can let them know you're expecting one call you need to take for 2 minutes, and after that, you'll be putting your device away.  You can choose activities that require full attention or activities that you would be able to enjoy whether they were on their Blackberry or not.

Why care?

There is a wonderful evolution taking place. Understanding how it's unfolding offers insights into what drives us and what inspires us.

Continuous Partial EVERYTHING....

Are social networks -- continuous partial friendship?

Dave Weinberger put continuous partial and friendship together as a way to describe what he enjoyed about Twitter.  Twitter and Jaiku might consider the slogan, "continuous partial attention to continuous partial friendship." 

People manage friendships and relationships in very different ways.  Many who are considered skilled social networkers would prefer not to have network transparency.  Others thrive on constant activity streams and open networks.

How else is this true?  Are there moments in your life when you do:
continuous partial driving
continuous partial eating
continuous partial grooming
continuous partial parenting
Consider an experiment -- intentionally, use engaged attention for 10 minutes in an activity, then continuous partial attention in an activity.  Note how you feel and what you prefer.  There are times, of course, when continuous partial attention is the best attention strategy for a moment or for an activity.  There are other times when engaged attention is the best strategy.

So Much Talk about Email Overload

We need to look at BOTH technological and behavioral solutions.

Technology certainly has a lot to offer here and companies are doing some fascinating experiments.  One of my favorite people thinking about this is Nathan Zeldes at Intel.  http://blogs.intel.com/it/2007/04/information_overload_tng_our_n.php  Lifehacker  http://lifehacker.com/   43Folders  http://www.43folders.com/ are also great resources.  And now, there's even a cooperative effort among technology companies, http://www.iorgforum.org/ to study email overload.

Some of the technological solutions are interesting and useful.  Some are tyrannical --- and who wants to be both addicted to the technology and then have it tyrannically controlling our behavior "for our own good."

As is the case with habits like smoking, there is also a behavioral component, that can address both the psychological and the physiological aspects of the "addiction."  In the case of email, the behavioral component needs to take into account what motivates the behavior.   There is the obvious:  "I don't want to miss anything.  I want to be responsive."  And the not so obvious:  "I'm holding my breath -  just check out my crummy posture at the computer if you doubt me on this --  and my body is in a 'fight or flight' state and I haven't figured out how to do a re-set." 

Breathing determines emotion.  Emotion determines breathing.   

Out of the box thinking: Consider ways we might use biofeedback on pulse or breathing (while on a PDA, cell phone or at the computer).

Why did I mention smoking?   Did you know that when people smoke (I am NOT endorsing smoking, btw!), they generally do a steady inhale and a steady exhale, down-regulating the sympathetic (fight or flight) nervous system and up-regulating the parasympathetic (rest and digest) nervous system?  I'm not medically trained, however, I do consult with many healthcare practioners, researchers and scientists (I had six medical fact-checkers for the email apnea piece).

I'm working on this myself -- noticing my breath and breathing -- whenever I catch myself doing continuous partial anything, and especially, when doing email.  Awareness can be a first step toward shifting behavior. 

You Have My Complete Attention:   Beyond Continuous Partial Attention

We manage our time.  We don't manage our attention.

Managing time is all about lists, optimization, efficiency, and it's TACTICAL.  Managing attention is all about INTENTION, making choices as to what DOES and DOES NOT get done, and it's STRATEGIC.  Managing time is an action journey.  Managing attention is an emotional journey.  See my post on this:  http://www.huffingtonpost.com/linda-stone

New Vocabulary

Ages of Attention
When I talk about my research, I talk about twenty-year socio-cultural eras their accompanying attention strategies.  I've given names to each Era.  I've also given names to each Age of Attention:  starting in 1945, the Age of Servant Attention; starting in 1965, the Age of Multi-tasking; starting in 1985, the Age of Continuous Partial Attention; and starting in 2005, the Age of Uni-Focus.

Warning:  This is an OPTIMISTIC view!  In the same way that our bodies move toward homeostasis when we're "off-balance" in some way, our use of attention, which is central to who and what we are, "self-corrects."  Trend -->  Counter-Trend.  Sometimes within a generation, more typically, with a new generation.

Attention density
How much attention a certain type of communication requires (for example, a telephone call has high attention density; a text message is relatively low attention density)

Attention foreplay
I can best describe this with a story.  Here you go -- as told to me by a wife and mother in New York City in November 2006.   "Our husbands come home from work, glued to their Blackberries.  They don't talk with us or with the children.  They don't connect with us.   And then, when we go to bed, they want sex.  I don't think so."

Email apnea
A temporary absence or cessation of breathing, or shallow breathing, while doing email. 
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/linda-stone/just-breathe-building-th_b_85651.html

Eras (as I see it; related to attention)
Each era is characterized by the ideal that emerges as most commonly held by society at the time.   Ages of Attention are in service to pursuit of the ideals.   Starting in 1945, Era of Service to Institutions (I serve); starting in 1965, Era of Self-Expression (I create); starting in 1985, Era of Connection (I connect); starting in 2005, Era of Protection and Belonging (I protect).

Semi-sync
Communication that is not fully synchronous (like phone calls) and not fully asynchronous (like email).  I.M. and text messaging are often used semi-synchronously.

Selected Talks

Supernova 2005

ETech 2006

http://www.itconversations.com/shows/detail739.html (audio version of ETech talk)

http://videos.dld-conference.com/ (choose the Sunday, January 21, 5 pm video, On Attention)

Selected Press

Select Links - Linda Stone in the press:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/08/12/AR2005081201386.html?nav=rss_opinion/columns

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/11899893/site/newsweek/

http://www.usatoday.com/tech/news/2006-05-03-unwired-grad-school_x.htm?POE=TECISVA

http://www.wordspy.com/words/continuouspartialattention.asp

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2006/05/04/tech/main1587842.shtml

http://www.economist.com/surveys/displaystory.cfm?story_id=6794256

http://www.pierretristam.com/Bobst/library/wf-227.htm (Thomas Friedman's 7/5/06 NYT op-ed)

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/11/26/weekinreview/26belson.html?ref=weekinreview

http://www.palmbeachpost.com/opinion/content/opinion/epaper/2006/11/02/m20a_friedman_1102.html

http://money.cnn.com/2006/12/13/news/economy/interruptions.reut/?postversion=2006121313

Harvard Business Review, February 2007


Select Links - Topics outside of attention

http://www.wired.com/wired/archive/11.11/nodes.html?pg=2

http://www.wired.com/wired/archive/14.08/howtoeat.html  (scroll down to Choreograph Lively Dinner Conversation)


Select Links - Older mentions (Linda Stone has not worked at Microsoft since April 15, 2002):

http://www.inc.com/magazine/20020101/23805.html

http://www.edge.org/digerati/stone/index.html

http://www.keepmedia.com/pubs/Forbes/1997/07/07/1010646?extID=10032&oliID=213

http://research.microsoft.com/vwg/people/linda.htm

http://www.microsoft.com/presspass/features/1998/9-14stone.mspx

http://citeseer.ist.psu.edu/cheng00hutchworld.html  (this is a link to research while at Microsoft)

Select Links -  Linda Stone's talks that have been posted (audio):

http://www.itconversations.com/shows/detail739.html

http://www.collaborationloop.com/blogs/ctc-2006-linda-stone.htm  OR  http://www.ctcevents.com/videocast/

More about Linda Stone

Widely recognized as a visionary thinker and thought leader, Linda Stone is a writer, speaker and consultant focused on trends and their strategic and consumer implications. In 2006 alone, articles on her work have appeared in the New York Times, Newsweek, The Economist, The Boston Globe and hundreds of blogs. Since March 2006, she has spoken at the ETech conference, GEL, the Collaborative Technologies Technologies Conference, the Hidden Brain Task Force for the Center for Work-Life Policy, and to executives at Edelman  http://www.edelman.com/ and at McDonald's http://www.mcdonalds.com/. In June 2006, she was invited by Martin Seligman and Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi to speak to the Medici gathering of positive psychologists, an invitation-only gathering of leaders in this field.

Previously, she spent close to twenty years as an executive in high technology. In 1986, she was persuaded to join Apple Computer to help "change the world." In her 7 years at Apple, she had the opportunity to do pioneering work in multimedia hardware, software and publishing. In her last year at Apple, Stone worked for Chairman and CEO John Sculley on special projects. In 1993, Stone joined Microsoft Research under Nathan Myhrvold and Rick Rashid. She co-founded and directed the Virtual Worlds Group/Social Computing Group, researching online social life and virtual communities. During this time, she also taught as adjunct faculty in NYU's prestigious Interactive Telecommunications Program. In 2000, CEO Steve Ballmer tapped Stone to take on a VP role, reporting to him, to help improve industry relationships and contribute to a constructive evolution of the corporate culture. She retired from Microsoft in 2002.

Over the years, Stone has been recognized by Upside Magazine as one of the Upside 100 Leaders of the Digital Revolution, by I.D. Magazine as one of the I.D. 40, and she was featured in John Brockman’s book, THE DIGERATI, which described her as a visionary both within Microsoft and to the industry at large.

Stone served a six year term on the National Board of the World Wildlife Fund and is currently on the WWF National Council. She is an advisor for the Pew Internet and American Life Project  http://www.pewinternet.org/, the Hidden Brain Drain Task Force for the Center for Worklife Policy  http://www.worklifepolicy.org/, and is on the Advisory Board of the RIT Lab for Social Computing. In 2002, she was recognized as Outstanding Regional Volunteer of the Year by F.I.R.S.T., Dean Kamen’s non-profit dedicated to inspiring young people in science and technology.

Linda Stone can be reached at the email address: linda -at- lindastone - dot - net

(c) Linda Stone 2005-2007