Simplicity Increases Software Value

I just read a book about simplicity, and, although it has nothing to do with Information Technology and Business Software, it describes perfectly the problem that most businesses have when it comes to IT.

In some ways, technology is simple. This is the way most people who work with computers every day would probably describe it. In some ways, it is simplistic. Software does whatever you tell it to. It can sift through tremendous amounts of data very quickly, but it has a set routine that it follows.

When it comes to implementing new software, we have two groups of people involved. The ones that know the software and the ones that don't. To the ones that know, it is simple. They are cmfortable with it. They work with it every day.

To the ones that don't, it is confusing and frustrating. It is confusing because there are so many options. Most of them are of no value to you, but until you know that, they are still an option that you have to choose to ignore. Then when you try to do something, it doesn't work the way you think it will and you encounter a problem. This gets you frustrated.

In order to help you overcome your frustration and confusion, many technicians will simply shrug and say you have to learn. Others follow the KISS principle (Keep It Simple Stupid). They try to dumb it down. This misses the point completely. It assume that the people learning are stupid or slow. This is not the issue! The issue is that the software is showing all of its options (read complexity), and the users have not yet developed filters to ignore all of this complexity.

The answer is to help new users learn. You don't do it by firehose training. You help them to develop filters. Instead of KISS, you need MISS (Make It Simple, Stupid). This meets the person doing the training needs to do it in a way that helps the new learners. Give them the information that they need to do the job. As they do the job, they will learn to ignore what is not important (develop filters) and encounter less confusion and frustration. They will also become productive much more quickly. The problem is switched from the learner to the trainer.

How do you help people develop filters, learn only what they need to do the job? You start with the business process. Then look at what parts of the software help doing the process. Some parts are more important than others. Some can be delayed until later. Train only on what's needed. Just in Time.