Ethnographic Research into Email PracticesObservations based on in-depth observations of people doing email

Victoria BellottiPrincipal ScientistPalo Alto Research Center

What Are People Doing with Email?

• What is email used for– To-do list, reminders and task

management– Project tracking– Batch processing– General info and document archive

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• Two insights about its nature– Grand-Central Station for

knowledge work

– Overload - quality versus quantity

Trends

• Still going strong even with kids, but especially in the enterprise

• Most people aren't overloaded but power users are drowning

• An explosion of add-ons competing to solve various problems 

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Problems for Entrepreneurs to Consider

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Pixel Addict flickr

D H Wright flickr