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Ranks of 'Hyperconnected' Poised to Boom

Some 16% of the global information workforce is “Hyperconnected” - and the 36% who are “Increasingly Connected” will likely be joining them soon - according to a recent study that examined device and application use and used cluster analysis to identify various groupings.

The global IDC study sponsored by Nortel, titled “The Hyperconnected - Here They Come!” (May 2008), also identified lesser-connected groups - the “Passive Online,” and “Barebones Users”  (via Micro Persuasion and Church of the Customer):

On average, the Hyperconnected use at least seven electronic devices and nine connectivity applications to access the online network, for both personal and business use..

In general, the Hyperconnected make heavy use of the internet, broadband access, camera phones, voice over IP, instant messaging, social networking and video uploading.

Other findings about the Hyperconnected:

• The boundary between work and personal connectivity for the Hyperconnected is almost nonexistent. Two-thirds use text or instant messaging for both work and personal use. More than a third use social networking for both.

• They depend on the devices and applications that make them Hyperconnected - 47% said a network outage at work would have an extreme impact on them.
• They are found in all industries, but have above-average representation in banking and high tech:

• They can be any age, although 60% are under 35 and only 7% over 55.
• They are found in all countries, although higher than average in the US and China:

• They come from all job functions and occupations, but are above the average in IT and research and development functions, lower than average in sales.
• They come from all levels of the corporate ladder, but are above the average in management positions.
• They can be male or female; 60% are male.
• They have wired homes - 63% have home Wi-Fi vs. the average of 40%.
• They tend to live in urban areas more than the other clusters.
• They listen to more MP3s and play more networked games than the other clusters.
• They lead the clusters in adoption of the Amazon Kindle, Apple iPhone, and Slingbox video transmitter.
• They’d take their laptop out before their wallet or even mobile phone if they had to leave their house for 24 hours.
• They see Hyperconnectivity as normal: Less than one-third think of themselves as early adopt¬ers of technology.
• They work for early-adopter companies, which enable their employees to use advanced tools and solutions.

About the survey: The global survey was fielded in March 2008. IDC surveyed 2,367 men and women across 17 countries in various industries, company-size classes, and age segments. To qualify for this internet survey, respondents had to be fully employed, over 17 years old, use a PC at work, and own or use a PDA or mobile phone for either business or personal activities, and have access to the internet. Respondents were randomly recruited and screened from international panels in the markets represented. Questions ranged from device and application adoption of technology to location of use, attitudes about connectivity, and assessment of their companies’ effectiveness deploying these new technologies.