What about?

We all have a relationship with iTunes, Amazon or any of a multitude of online shopping aggregators and have no doubt looked at recommendations and gaped at the ability to read our thoughts. Early on I marvelled at the books the Amazon engine threw up at me, which contained elements of everything I was reading and everything I wanted to read and at the time seemed to be reading my mind. As my searches grew wider, so did the recommendations. I no longer marvel but I certainly glance through the latest list, of what Amazon think will pique my interest because there is a comfort in not searching endlessly for the next best read.

Forester Research states a good recommendation engine is worth a lot of money as one third of all customers who view recommendations end up buying from that list. Like most I vaguely understand the machinations behind such engines driven by enormous amounts of data collected from years of browsing and buying, crowd sourcing, opinions and future trending.

A technique often used by music sites called collaborative filtering works on yours and the crowd’s behavior when buying and browsing on the net. The systems may not know anything about music or books but they work their algorithms on behavious and reactions of crowds and high rating individuals. I often give the Amazon machine a twist as I search for needlecraft and assembling antique dolls, neither of which I am interested in, but I love to see what the engine throws back at me and keeps for future reference. Who’s in charge here?

The engines came along because we were drowning in choices and needed someone or something to help us swim to safety. In 1994 there were 500 thousand different consumer goods for sale in the USA. Amazon now sells 24 million alone. So to ease our anxiety with this surplus we retreat to systems that make the choices for us based on past decisions and algorithmic crowd sourcing mathematics.

There are issues that arise out of this technology and building a Blockbuster mentality where only the top sellers survive and keeping the consumer in comfort zones from which they never stray are the biggest. I now don’t marvel at the refined choices given to me but I’m also not amazed very often by finding something new. Are we in a technology rut?

So without so much as a thought for my own safety I have dived back into the pool of choice but I have a novel idea for a lifesaver to show me a new way to the shore. Why not talk to people and use their experiences and ideas as your recommendation engine? A technology recommendation engine will never drag you to a new opening of an exhibition or a new movie to discover and delight in something new. Go talk to a travel agent with an open mind and ask them where to go you might be surprised and amazed.

Before we outsource all our thinking and opinions to technology it might be worth another go round to see what your best friend or your partner has to say.

When was the last time you were amazed?