Interview with Daniel V., IT specialist. The interview was conducted by Christa Hesse, wibas GmbH.
In sociology, Generation Y is the name given to the population cohort that tends to be born between 1980 and 1994. Depending on the source, this generation is also referred to as millennials or digital natives.
Generation Y is considered to be comparatively well educated, is characterized by a technology-savvy lifestyle and has grown up in an environment of the Internet and mobile communication. They are growing up more digital and networked than all previous generations.
The internet is always with us in our free time - whether on the computer, tablet or smartphone. It no longer makes sense to separate online and offline. The internet and social networks in particular are important for their personal development. New media is the area in which they are socially superior and make their own mark. Older population groups and their own parents are working hard to learn from them.
We see exciting answers to questions about the importance of digital media in their everyday lives and what expectations they have of their future in this context.
Daniel, you are one of the so-called digital natives. Please describe how you use digital media on a typical day?
The cell phone wakes me up, I check the weather in the app, I check my emails, whatsapps, when the bus leaves. I drive to work with music from my cell phone. There I continue on the mac as my main work tool, with which I'm constantly connected to the internet, otherwise I wouldn't be able to work.
In my leisure time, I read digital magazines, use online banking, shop via online platforms and communicate with friends digitally. Phone calls in private use are for emergencies or for communication with the "older" generation.
So you don't consider making phone calls to be digital media?
No, because for me the trend is unfortunately towards talking to each other less. For example, young people sitting opposite each other don't talk to each other, but look at their cell phones and chat with other people or send voicemails.
What media do you use and what significance do they have for you compared to digital media?
At work, I use the telephone for simultaneous coordination, answering questions directly and in discussions with customers.
Direct contact with the person I'm talking to is important here. I use the telephone almost exclusively at work and for people who call me first. My method of communication is based on the person I'm talking to. If I don't know the other person, I call them.
I use TV for entertainment and information. I don't actually read any printed media (books, newspapers, timetables, maps/city maps), but I get my information digitally.
I also plan and book my vacations online. I check in at the airport with my smartphone.
What is your preferred method of communication?
On the move and because it's easier: chatting.
A personal conversation with good friends is still more important to me.
Is a life without social media still conceivable for you?
No, because it is now an integral part of what I do and how I do it and it is taken for granted by others of my generation. We have become accustomed to it and it simplifies many things that we can no longer imagine doing without.
Which ones?
You can get and stay in touch with little effort. This is not possible without social media. People you would "lose sight of" stay closer.
At the same time, the hurdle of "writing a few words" is lower than making a phone call. You can reach the contact even if they don't have time.
How important is social contact, i.e. face-to-face contact, to you alongside digital communication?
It's still very important to me, especially because we write to each other more anyway. That's why personal contact is always more important to me. I also make sure that we put our smartphones to one side. It's important to me that the other person devotes their full attention to me and I to them. If I'm going to take the time, then please do it oldschool.
Can you imagine a world in which all contact, both professional and private, is digital?
No, I would miss the personal contact.
What would you miss if the www went down?
I now compare it to a flat smartphone battery. You panic and think the world is coming to an end. I feel like I'm cut off from life. I would miss the fact that I am no longer aware of anything and feel excluded from humanity. For me, digital contact is a sign that I and others are doing well.
Can you imagine spending the majority of your working time in digitally networked teams instead of traditional - i.e. on-site - teamwork?
We already do that to some extent. But I think it's important and makes more sense, especially in terms of teamwork, to be in the same room as my colleagues. Creativity is lost if you only work together virtually. Working and thinking together on things works better when you are together in person.
To what extent does access to digital media influence your consumer behavior?
The hurdle of having to go to the store in person is removed. It is less time-consuming. You don't need a parking space. None of these obstacles are there. Just click and it's bought. I still buy clothes and food in the store. I also order electronic items.
Do you use online banking and do you see more risks or benefits here?
I do my banking online. I only have to go to the ATM in person. I don't see the dangers in online banking, I trust the portals. I rather see the danger of losing track of my finances if I no longer have money in my hand and only pay online.
Why is digital communication so popular?
You can deliver your message without having to wait for a reaction from the other person, i.e. without having to enter into a dialog - and you can do other things in the meantime and are not tied to a conversation. Trivial conversations are avoided.
Thank you very much for the interview.
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