twu_week6analysis

====**What are his definitions for these three stages of adoption, and how did he apply them to his case study of a camera? Write one clear paragraph for each of his definitions, listing their attributes in relation to the development of the camera.**====

David Liddle outlines the three stages of adoption in his interview for Chapter 4: Adopting Technology. The Enthusiast, Professional, and Consumer stages will be described in detail below, using the evolution of the 35mm camera as an example.

The first is the Enthusiast stage, where the technology is still difficult and complicated to use. However, the new products in this stage appeal to enthusiast users, who love and appreciate the technology in an aesthetic way (Liddle). These users enjoy playing with these complex technologies because they are interesting and intriguing, which ultimately add to the product appeal. Liddle uses the 35mm camera to demonstrate his point by stating that when the camera first emerged in the 1950s, it was targeted towards astronauts who needed to have a PhD in Optics in order to operate the product. This clearly illustrates the fact that new technologies in the Enthusiast stage, such as the 35mm camera, are still very complicated and geared towards users with the required capabilities to handle these products efficiently.

The second is the Professional stage, where the technology is still complicated, but can be used as a tool for certain work-related activities and tasks. For instance, the enthusiasts begin to realize that they can use the new technology and apply it to their work. Professional and serious photographers are a good example of a typical enthusiast user in the Professional stage. This stage focuses on the notion of practicality, allowing users to “change” their day-to-day activities and help increase their productivity levels. In reference to the 35mm camera, Liddle states that the camera went from being very expensive and rarely used to becoming more broadly used. The controls of the camera are also stabilized in the Professional stage, in which many of the camera’s functions become more universal and physically accessible.

The final stage is the Consumer stage, where the new technology has developed and attracted many users due to its increased practicality and affordable pricing. In this stage, Liddle says that the priorities for the product have dramatically changed and the controls of the product become automated (Liddle). Using the 35mm camera case study, it is apparent that the product has now become highly automatic. For instance, the camera has the capabilities of reading the film speed and setting the exposure or flash automatically. The ease of use of the product has evolved and can be easily used by everyone, including chimpanzees!

Another consumer product that has undergone similar developments is the evolution of the computer. According to Manali Oak, the first generation of computers was very expensive, bulky, and unable to support multi-tasking (Oak). The ease of use was difficult and inefficient, thus defining the first generation of computers as part of the Enthusiast stage. As the years progressed, many technological developments allowed computers to become smaller, cheaper, faster, and more energy efficient. For instance, in the 1960s, transistor-based computers replaced vacuum tubes, which ultimately reduced the size of the computer and made it more cost-efficient (Oak). Furthermore, the introduction of integrated circuits on silicon chips helped increase the speed and overall efficiency of the computer. As a result of this ongoing technological growth, the computer entered the Professional stage, where it was relatively affordable and efficient for many professionals to use for their work-related activities. Examples include professional authors using Microsoft Word on the computer to create a novel, or a research analyst using the Internet to conduct research, analyze trends, and create documents. Computers are now in the Consumer stage, where operating systems, hardware, and software, have become standardized, making the functions of the computer more universal and accessible to all. Furthermore, it can be said that computers have become a necessity in society as they are used for work, school, and leisure-related activities.

 Liddle, David. “Interviews: Chapter 4 – Adopting Technology.” Designing Interactions, 2009. 

Oak, Manali. “Evolution of Computers.” Buzzle.com, 2000-2009. 27 May 2008. 