Exaggeration in Information Systems: Charting an Inquiry into Its Functions, Processes and Paradoxes

Exaggeration, or hype, is an important phenomenon in the diffusion of information technology innovations.However, although frequently maligned, it has been subject to little systematic consideration or research.This report lays some conceptual foundations for the scholarly exploration of exaggeration in the practice of information systems.A dual model of the innovation, contrasting its practical and discursive aspects, is joined to speech act theory in an effort to locate the place of exaggeration in the innovative process.A small sample of exaggeration "species" are identified and referenced in proposing some preliminary ideas about the evolution, functions, and paradoxes of exaggeration.The paper closes by outlining an approach for initiating empirical research in this area.