Definition
Integration, in a general sense, is the action of bringing two disparate things together into a whole – similarly to 'documentation', however, in this context what is meant by the term takes on two more precise definitions:
- In a digital context, integration is a concept that describes the degree to which data or information on a given devise or program can be read or manipulated by another device using a standard format. For example, Adobe Photoshop and Google Chrome's ability to both read and manipulate JPEG files.
- In a broader context, integration signals the ability to capture and productively use pre-existing systems, tools and knowledge – whether that is digital in nature or not. This might manifest as interpersonal or interdisciplinary cooperation, or as the ability to post a Tweet every time you upload to Instagram.
One of the key questions when considering integration, especially for new digital systems, is: What practices already exist that we can adopt and learn from? It is surprisngly easy to 'reinvent the wheel' online!
It is important to also acknowledge when there are limits to integration in digital spaces – not everything can or should be posted online or 'integrated' into digital space.