Keeping Users Dumb and Happy 4

[LadySlinger]

Keeping Users Dumb and Happy

This is a phrase that I learned in my early days of IT. "Whatever you do, just keep the users dumb and happy".

However, the more I read about IT security, both the equipment realm and the virtual realm, do you think at some point we may need to cross the line and educate the users on somethings? We can write policies, send out emails, warning etc, but at least in my experience the feedback I've received is "Well, IT isn't my job so I don't have to read it."

What do you see happening, maybe not in 5 years, but the next 5-10 years? Will there be a shift in understanding IT? Or will we still have the phrase "keep users dumb and happy?"

 

[LadySlinger]

Thanks bwtc for that...just made my day! LOL

What you said does make sense Matt & IT4VR. The big thing that I have noticed is more laziness, but that's based on the past few businesses I worked for. The less people had to think, and the more I had worked out better for some reason (despite my attempts to teach people to do it themselves).

I do agree with the comment, all it takes is one or two people to whine to management and they will step in and say "<whatever user is whining about> needs to be changed" or "You need to start doing <whatever user is whining about> [on top of the 1000 other things I have you do on a daily basis]".
Again I'm not preaching that they need to learn programming or start changing things inside the Registry of a Windows computer. However, things like changing a toner cartridge...rebooting your computer when it freezes up instead of calling me...asking if you absolutely need to run the Windows updates (which I eventually did solve by WSUS)...etc...

 

[ctopher06]

Don't blame IT 100%. I have been on both sides. I have been in mechanical engineering, now IT.
From my experience, most problems are from PC users not fully understanding or properly trained on PC's or software. With the abundant of c**p on the web to download, it gets downloaded and scr**s up everything. No one will admit to it.
I have worked with engineers of all degrees that have rough days just working with their software/hardware.
Computers have become such a way of life and we have become so depent on them, we have become lazier.
We get stuck in the everyday rut and become greedier. So we outsource our products to third world countries who have not learned such dependencies, make money, get fatter, buy/sell properties, and start the process over.
Nothing to motivate us, except to win the PC game tonight.
sorry for rant, my 2 cents.

Chris

 

[PCmad]

Speaking as an IT engineer out in the big world without dumb users having dumb problems I guess I wouldn't have a job!

But how many times have I and other colleagues sat around discussing the call we have just had to deal with comparing notes due to the 'dumb user'. I have noticed that not everything is down to a lack of training, the term 'dumb user' is a concept that can also be applied to people who have no sense of common sense or the ability to think a problem through on their own.

For example if you have a problem there are a few general guidelines that us IT engineers assume you have the ability to do and are not IT issues. These include making sure you are infront of the machine when you call, not on the M1 motorway with a mobile phone clamped to your ear and driving under a tunnel trying to describe the problem you had 2 hours ago when you WERE in the office *** If we ask you to click on something or check a setting, you cannot do it if you are on the Motorway and you cannot take notes if you are driving either so why do people still do it all the time? Time factor probably but we only turn around and ask you to phone us when you are next in the office!

Also we need the dumb user to describe the application you are in, the menus or functions you used, what you did at the time of the problem and the *FULL* details of the error message not a guess at it. Users don't grasp the concept of this, the 'its not working' and we wave a magic wand and its fixed. No its doesn't work like that, things happen for a reason think about the steps you went through, you did it you must be able to explain it. Its the old classic garage situation, if you took your car into a garage and said its not working would they just fix it without asking you any questions no, unless you had a very dodgy garage. You would have to describe in more detail, its the same concept and common sense.

But the worst users of all have got to be the people who phone on behalf of other users. Fair play if you are phoning on behalf of an MD thats an exception, but when these users phone we in most cases *ALWAYS* have to speak to the person you are phoning on behalf of to get the full details before we can even attempt to fix.

and finally if we send out IT messages we don't do it for the fun of it, scan through them, if they don't apply delete them, don't moan that we are sending out SPAM emails the selection of people that have been emailed have been emailed as being affected users!! :-;

 

[jsteph]

I guess I will clarify my postion on abstracting users. I'm referring to my opinion that they shouldn't be expected to know deep details of programming or networking issues.

However, I strongly believe they should have at least an intermediate knowledge of basic computer skills, specifically to the OS--usually Windows--on which they work.

For example, if there's a problem and I need them to look in a folder for a file, they'd better know how to open Windows Explorer and navigate the folders to find the C:\ drive and it's subfolders. And when I say "Click the Start button, then click Run, and type CMD" I really get perturbed when they say "What's the Start button?"

So yes, that kind of stuff they should know. But I don't expect them to have to know how to FTP a file, or configure their TCP/IP settings, or to go into, say Access and step through code to help debug something.

It's the same as driving a car--I don't expect the average motorist to know how to replace a timing belt, but they'd better know how to change a tire and check the oil.
--Jim

 

[LadySlinger]

It's the same as driving a car--I don't expect the average motorist to know how to replace a timing belt, but they'd better know how to change a tire and check the oil.

Jim, and believe me, there are several people (some I'm embarrassed to say I met) who a)don't know anything about oil changes -including that they're suppose to do them and b)think that rotating tires is a waste of time and money.
I've told those people not to bother calling me when their car breaks down...I'll be too busy laughing.

 

[Sympology]

Totally agree with the laziness part.

We have some remote branches with a few dozen users, so we can't justify an onsite support person. As a whole they do extremley well. They manage moves, installations and many other slightly more advanced thinks that most people would have a clue about.
Head Office has dozens of IT staff and god help you if you don't fix the fax machine....it was working Friday and now there's no power...What check it's plugged in? Why would've someone unplugged it.....Oh it is unplugged, ok thanks...


Only the truly stupid believe they know everything.
Stu.. 2004

 

[ctopher06]

I do some work for another dept, maybe approx 20 employees. Just about all of them do not know the first thing about basic PC skills. A programmer wrote a VB program for them to manage it! Ask them to send you a file ... you get ... "huh?"

And this is a major aerospace company, that offers FREE training!
I see laziness everywhere, especially in customer service!

Chris

 

[gbaughma]

b)think that rotating tires is a waste of time and money

Ummm... don't the tires rotate when you drive anyway?



Just my 2¢

"In order to start solving a problem, one must first identify its owner." --Me
--Greg

http://parallel.tzo.com

 

[ctopher06]

Why on TV they rotate backwards?


Chris