Technology will not fix problems. Problems come from processes or human relationships.

I’m a recovering, well sort of recovering, tech geek. I see a new software tool or some tech hardware and I immediately start thinking I need it to make life better or easier. Over time, I’ve learned that it is a fallacy to believe this and it brings more challenges.

How many times have you seen a new software or hardware tool get rolled out at work? One, two, three, or more times?

Did that tool work flawlessly right from the start?

If you answered honestly, you may have seen more sputtering starts to new tool adoption than zooming success. Blame the quick reference guides, the supporting instructions, the operating documents or whatever.

It’s time to stop blaming objects and start asking curious and honest questions.

• Have we considered all the different ways the work might be done?
• Have we asked for the HR department to work with us to understand how they do their work today?
• What might we learn from watching Gemma, Mary, Ravi, and Ivan working together?

As a technologist, I am scared when I consider the answers these questions might show.

As a result, I am not foolish or naïve enough to believe anything can be fixed overnight. In fact, I’m reminded that Rome was not built in a day, a month, a year, or even a decade. Rome was built over 100s of years to what it is today.

With that written, I’m going to get back to the opening. Again, technology will not fix problems. Listening and learning from the people who have the problems will go a long way to making better technology.

Seems like yesterday

Why do I say this? Because, it was a major issue over 20 years ago when the Agile Manifesto for Software Development was agreed to address the problems. We are better at building technology.

I know we can be better still. And by that, I mean we can build better experiences alongside technology.

We need to meet each other with empathy as humans being. We need to do more than hear each other, we need to deeply listen.

Firstly, look at human interactions. Secondly, learn to understand how people work. Finally, build delightful products and services based on learning.

Be bold, be courageous, be willing to fail (learning from the failure), and be humble enough to admit you’re wrong if you’ve acted on assumptions.

I know that I have been wrong. As a result, it’s not bad to be wrong, it’s just humans being.