Consider the following thoughts when working on the required sections of your Impact Analysis.
Social
How has this technology been received, accepted, or rejected? Why? Is it feared or favored? What is the attitude toward change? How are the developers trying to sell the technology to the general public? Look at attitudes, feelings (emotions), behaviors, personality, and the ways humans change as a result of this technology. What is being thought and why? Is the human mind impacted? How? Are interactions between people changing as a result? Who is included or excluded, and why?
Look at groups and organizations that have arisen and prospered because of this technology. Are these groups supportive or antagonist, and why? How does the technology change society, or how does society change in response to the technology? What factors in society led to the development in the first place? What do class, gender roles, race, norms, and so forth mean in this context? Who will benefit from the technology, and who might be harmed (this might also belong in ethics and morals section)?
Look at the workplace, new companies, and/or jobs created, jobs lost (or save this for the economics section). Look at rolessubgroups and people’s interpersonal and intrapersonal relationships.
Cultural
Consider the elements that comprise the culture and subcultures. Think about technologies in relation to their global impact and reach. What role does technology play in globalization? Global movements and politics? Universal ethics?
What cultural products are a result of emergent technology? How have art, music, film, and other forms of artistic expression adapted and shifted to address advances or concerns over technology, ethics, and environmental impact? How is artistic production an important mirror through which to glean insights about contemporary realities?
Political
Look at government policy, government intervention, government involvement (support or lack of support, funding), both nationally and internationally. Consider Congress, the president, the Supreme Court (decisions), the rate of change, liberalism, conservatism, legislation, litigation, and so on. What political factors are at work in the progression or regression of the technology (e.g., lobbyists, special interest groups, partisan views, vocal advocates, or spokespersons)?
What are current political debates that your selected technology intersects with? What are potential impacts and resolutions?
Economic
Consider production, consumption, costs, variables of supply and demand, corporations, private enterprise, and the impact on the nation’s economy (employment, displacement, and outsourcing). Are certain industries impacted more than others?
Look up financial projectionsexpectations for growth, startup companies, the stock exchange, and the likeanything related to business and the U.S. and global economies. Who are the chief players in the business environment, and what are their roles? How much has been invested in research and development? How will the price fluctuate? What economic trends are to be observed? Who will make money from the technology?
Consider the politics of development. Who is funding the research and development? Who controls the purse strings, and why? Look at foundations and charitable organizations, the outcomes, and the nature of consumers.
Be sure to use charts and tables and quantitative data in this section. Tables, figures, data, and statistics must be current, valid, and used appropriately.
Environmental
Consider such things as dangers to humans, the depletion of resources, air and water pollution, discovery before inventions, impact on wildlife and humans (health and safety), long-term and short-term effects, waste disposal, and aesthetic considerations (how the technology changes the landscape).
Consider the positive effects (savings of raw materials or fossil fuels, low environmental impact, and enhancement of the environment).
My part of the project is the economic impact. Below is a rough draft out line that I turned in.
Economic Impact: Remote working is having both positive and negative impacts on the economy. Both the professional and personal community.
Main ideas: This section we will explore the changes that are happening now and the ones that are expecting to come in the future.
Technology: The advancement of WiFi. The office programs that can be used to connect office computers from different locations.
Ethics: Will lay out the pros and cons of remote work.
Which areas of analysis will you engage with: The impact both positive and negative that remote working has caused and what a future will look with remote working becoming more popular.
Evidence:
How transit systems, city centers, and many other industries are changing.
How the effect of companies giving up their office spaces will have on cities. Also with less people using transit systems, how that will affect jobs in that industry as well as others (daycare, restaurants, and etc.
