How does the world consume the web? [Infographic]

In our recent research at the Case Foundation, we have been trying hard to get a grasp on the different ways people are consuming internet content and how that is subject to change in the next year. The results can be seen in the infograph we created below, and they are quite interesting.

This infograph attempts to take you through the general series of tools that users go through to access internet content as well as how internet content can find its way into the hands of a consumer. Namely, this process starts at the hardware device, goes through an operating system, and then a browser or app, and finishes at the content itself, and vice versa.

What I found most interesting here was the overwhelming domination of computers, and Microsoft’s tools for computers. While many of us focus on the mobile and tablet market (and the growing power of Google and Apple), it is important to remember that the average internet consumer still is accessing content through Microsoft Internet Explorer on their Windows PC. Leaving this consumer out of your online strategy can be a dangerous game.

We are looking at this graphic as a template for 2011 and will be filling in the asterisks (denoting information which is not yet available) as the year goes on. But in the meantime, what are your predictions? How well will mobiles and tablets fare in the quest for online consumers, and what role will connected television systems like Google TV play in disrupting this market? We’d love to hear your thoughts.