The prediction, in brief:

Through “virtual work spaces,” which he said would be sponsored by large corporations and which could replace physical office buildings, executives working at home would be able to gain access to geographically dispersed colleagues, outside experts, literature, prototypes and products.

Predictor: Benedikt, Michael L.

Prediction, in context:

In a 1990 edition of his regularly-appearing column “The Executive Computer,” The New York Times’ Peter Lewis writes about what was “believed to be the first international conference on cyberspace, sponsored in May 1990 by the School of Architecture and the Department of Computer Sciences at the University of Texas.” Lewis writes about Steve Pruitt’s view of the future:”Steve Pruitt of Texas Instruments said cyberspace would enable workers to be more informed and innovative in the 21st century. Through ‘virtual work spaces,’ which he said would be sponsored by large corporations and which could replace physical office buildings, executives working at home would be able to gain access to geographically dispersed colleagues, outside experts, literature, prototypes and products. The user would move down virtual hallways, entering the virtual offices of colleagues, visiting virtual conference rooms and virtual marketing centers where virtual products are displayed, pausing to read virtual bulletin boards and so forth. Physically, the executive would still be in the chair in the den, perhaps with a sign on the door saying ‘I’ll be in Stockholm from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m., home for dinner.’ The workplace that manifests itself to the executive and any others who might interact with her might be based on a familiar office or it might be a valley in Yosemite National Park. ‘Because the concept of a physical office is so familiar to corporations, and because the concept of virtual workspaces is so different, the office metaphor is important,’ Pruitt said.”

Date of prediction: January 1, 1990

Topic of prediction: Economic structures

Subtopic: Telecommuting

Name of publication: New York Times

Title, headline, chapter name: The Executive Computer: Put on Your Data Glove and Goggles and Step

Quote Type: Paraphrase

Page number or URL of document at time of study:
Section 3; Page 8; Column 1; Financial Desk

This data was logged into the Elon/Pew Predictions Database by: Anderson, Janna Quitney