Learning and using technology. We've been doing this a long time, so it's easy sometimes for us to forget that newcomers also need an technology on-ramp to help get them up to speed. Because much of what we do in our company is training, teaching and tech-support, I'll admit we tend to take helping others learn how to use technology for granted. But what I sometimes witness in some of the companies that I visit is a less than elegant way that others help people "get on the ramp and up to speed". And while clearly there are some who shouldn't be on the interstate at all, most just need a quick driving lesson on how to get up that on-ramp. I'm not just talking about learning software and other more tactical technology tools, I'm also talking about the world of social media and digital interactions.
Let's just face it...for the most part we prefer technology that just works -- it's magical. And many who have become proficient with technology tools often forget how tricky it was for them to learn. They would do well to remember that people that are only getting started today in a particular technology or using a particular tool don't deserve to be treated like second-class citizens. Contemporary technology makes use of an incredible amount of connections, be it data objects, people, buttons, hardware, et al. Everything is connected and the technologies and the companies we love the most work very hard to make certain that the nature of those connections are hidden. But boy, oh boy, when those connections break down deep in the layers of code, in the office server room or in the cloud, in our homes or when we're on the road, it can be not only frustrating but overwhelming.
A great example of this is when your WiFi or e-mail stops working or maybe your mobile device can receive mail, but it can't send it. Just in these two situations there so many connections that could be broken or otherwise out of whack. In either case, the person who is just on the on-ramp and not traveling at full speed with the particular technology that's causing the problem needs help and they need it from someone who not only knows how to make things right, but appreciates the fact that it's confusing for the people that don't. No one should ever feel bad because they don't know how to fix something that is broken. And oh, by the way, it's never a good idea when helping people to say things like, "Oh that's easy" or "let me say it to you like this, so you'll understand" or any other myriad of seemingly harmless, but condescending statements when helping someone. You may as well be the Driver's Ed teacher screaming turn there, stupid; hit the brakes, stupid; can't you see that car, stupid. You might never have learned to drive.
Most of us don't do tech support for a living and yet most of us find ourselves in situations all the time to help people use software and equipment. Let's all be good sharers of the technical knowledge we have, be it small or vast. Selfishly, our daily commute on the interstate will be smoother, with fewer traffic jams, better merge etiquette and I'm thinking less road rage.
