Dealing with the new technology learning curve

Let’s face it: most business-people don’t care about the ins and outs of technology. They just want something that works as advertised and relieves a pain-point or improves productivity in some fashion. Therefore they, unlike the geekiest among us, loathe the aspect of having to change their habits as technology changes. In most instances, there is the thought of “why fix what isn’t broken?”

Office 2007 is a good example of this. For years, business-people on the frontlines have been honing their skills with Office, learning how to use the advanced features it presents to increase productivity and the professional image of their organizations. Then, Microsoft came out with Office 2007, with a completely redesigned interface and a perplexingly large number of new, and sometimes complex, features to learn.

This has sent some business owners and managers into fits of rage over not understanding why software continuously changes, not to mention the increased costs of training and reduced productivity during the learning process. Unfortunately, just sticking with the old software you already know is usually not a viable option because you need to keep up with the technology of your vendors and customers.

There are tricks, however, to overcoming some of the anguish over dealing with new technology:

1. View it with an open mind
   People who approach new technology with an open mind are more likely to see the benefits of new software more quickly than those stuck in their ways. This inevitably leads to realizing an increase in productivity much sooner.
2. Commit to learning the new technology
   Whenever a new piece of software is released, books on how to use the new software are released along with it, often before the actual software is available. It’s much less frustrating to approach new software from an educated stance than to go headlong into it without a clue as to what you’ll be facing.
3. Have a technology consultant available
   Consultants generally have a passion for technology that few non-geeks can understand. We truly enjoy digging into new software to discover the new gems available in the new versions of the software you’re using and we’re more than happy to assist you with learning to put these new features to good use.

We at Delios Computer Solutions have been helping translate geek into English for the SMB sector of Grand Rapids and West Michigan for over a decade. We love this stuff, and can help you find a way to love it too! OK, we know that may be stretching too far, but we can at least help you get past the desire to toss your workstation out the window. Give us a call at (616) 301-1791 or visit www.delios.com to see our full service offerings.