Quality Time with Your Technology

When you find yourself frustrated that your technology tools just don't work, remember that its not only you that needs comforting and support. The folks with the Pew Internet and American Life Project released a study looking at why technology fails, and produced some interesting findings, including:

1. Nearly half surveyed rely on someone to help them work their cellphones or internet.
2. Over a third reported their laptops or computers did not work sometime in the past 12 months.
3. Over a third contacted user support to try to fix their technology problems.
4. Nearly half were discouraged over the amount of effort required to fix the problem.

I know I expect my technology to "just work". And sometimes its so beautifully perfect that it really does just work. But for the most part, tools are imperfect... We can blame the makers, and it might even be their fault, but we are still stuck with them. Most every tool I use requires my investment to get to know it a bit better, warts and all. Knowing in advanced what to do if it breaks really helps me cut down on frustration when it finally does happen. Some strategies I follow include:

1. Court your technology: Get to know your new tool in smaller bits, to keep the excitement high, energy positive and project successful. Learn all the resources available to you to help use the tool. Try before you buy. Ask friend and peers what they think. After buying, apply the tool in stages to avoid being overwhelmed.
2. Save the documentation: Whether your technology is hand built by you, arrives in a box or is just there when the internet is on, find whatever written documentation and contact information there is, print it and minimally throw it in a box under your desk. Luckily boxes do not require rebooting.
   
3. Try using support in good times: When you just finished a really great day with your technology, take a moment to call support. Find out what it is like to get (or not get) service at a time less dangerous for your stress levels. Practice your questions before you call or email - see what kind of responses you get and what works best.

It's lucky if I follow all of these for every tool. But it is so rewarding when, during some kind of tech failure (such as my desktop) at the perfectly wrong time (such as yesterday during a web call), I realize that I wrote the website and various service agreement information on a piece of paper nearby.