William F. Garrity

Here, on CNET's News.com, is one of multiple reports about a new "Information Overload Research Group" whose mission is "We work together to build awareness of the world's greatest challenge to productivity, conduct research, help define best practices, contribute to the creation of solutions, share information and resources, offer guidance and facilitation, and help make the business case for fighting information overload." 

From CNET: 

The term "information overload" has floated around for years and been the topic of much analysis, but the situation remains. According to recent research by enterprise research firm Basex, these distractions are now costing the American economy more than $650 billion in lost productivity, and taking up 28 percent of workers' time.

Such numbers led Intel engineer Nathan Zeldes and other tech industry insiders to form the new Information Overload Research Group. The nonprofit consortium--whose members include Microsoft Research, IBM, and Google employees--held its first conference this week in New York, with members meeting at sessions with titles like "No Time to Think" and "Visionary Vendors."

Now that the group has had its inaugural gathering, Zeldes, its president, said IORG will continue to recruit members and financial sponsors from a scope of business sectors. With more minds applied to finding a solution to what IORG calls "the world's greatest challenge to productivity," Zeldes hopes to generate innovative ideas that can benefit both businesses and individuals.

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