Managing Information and Time

Rapid knowledge based advancements have not only impacted the academia, industry, commerce, governments, the social sectors but also how we do business and lead our daily lives. The perception of many people appears to be; "Too much information from too many sources and in so little time!" The question then arises; 'How can we do more in less time?' Since our available time seems rapidly decreasing as the pace for searching information increases daily. Therefore it is becoming increasingly more difficult to remain current and an expert in one's area of specialization. Changes are underestimated, since change occurs very quickly and with less time available to find, filter and fuse information. There is now the requirement for quicker reaction to anticipate and recognize change sooner and react more quickly. Through artificial and logically structuring material processes, such as producing 'smart' sensors and 'smart' systems, further advances in cognitive technology have been achieved. This article addresses these and other cognitively related challenges, such as rapid 'Data' production and accumulation and includes concepts of 'Information' and 'Knowledge'. These are reviewed in the context of 'where we were'; 'where we are' and 'where are we going?' by illustrating impacts of technologically based efforts for advancing human understanding.