Are you the tech helper in your family? In your office? Some tips from the creator of a local Library Tech Time on meeting less-tech-savvy people where they are.
Community IT intern Jack Woodard on lessons learned over years of helping less-tech-savvy people learn the technology they need to do what they need and want to do.
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Takeaways on How to Be a Tech Helper
Be patient
- People who are having trouble with tech get very frustrated, and they also get very down on themselves for not being able to understand it. They aren’t setting out to be annoying or hard to deal with, but they can get very defensive or just have a lot of trouble following what you are asking them to do, especially if they have difficulty seeing or hearing.
- People having trouble with tech have a lot of anxiety around doing the wrong thing – especially with all the scams out there. But they also want to be participating – they don’t want to miss out. So taking all that into account when you interact with any staff member or family member is good practice to help meet them where they are.
Be a teacher, not a doer
- If the less-tech-savvy person in your life is struggling to use tech, doing it for them will reinforce that they are not capable. Instead, do a lot of listening. Identify the real problem (it may not be what they think is the issue.) Then walk the person through how to do it by asking them to do it while you stand by ready to help.
- Describe what they need to click on. Don’t use a lot of jargon.
- Have the person take notes, especially if they don’t use this particular app or do this particular thing every day. The next time they need to do it, they can refer back to their written instructions.
- If they are upset by updates that change things, consider teaching them to use keyboard shortcuts where available, because these change less frequently.
- Help them get organized and put the apps and tools they use most frequently where they can find them quickly at a glance. Organizing is deeply personal – so don’t impose your way of doing things on them. As a tech helper, follow their lead!
- Walk through each step with them. Most people will continue to do something “the way they learned how” indefinitely. Use that to your advantage if you want them to do it a new way. Make sure they have learned the steps and they will probably be able to repeat them time after time.
- Don’t forget accessibility features. Many people who struggle with tech may be hard of hearing or have difficulty seeing. Modern tech has lots of features to help, like strong contrast, screen readers, and hearing aids that can be connected to other devices directly.
- Microsoft Accessibility Knowledgebase
- Google Workspace Accessibility for Users (can also find the Accessibility Guide for Administrators)
- Mac Guide to Accessibility
Community IT seeks to provide trusted advice and guidelines for nonprofit tech helpers around the holidays and throughout the year. Whether you are the accidental techie or IT Director at your office, or the Tech Helper in your family, be proud that you have something valuable to give your colleagues and loved ones – your time and expertise. If you have questions on tech topics, IT management, or staying safe with technology, especially in the age of AI, it is better to ask someone than struggle alone. Contact us if you are not sure where to begin to address your nonprofit technology needs.
Presenters
Jack Woodard is currently an intern at Community IT Innovators. He is a Communication Major at the University of Mary Washington in Virginia. While in High School, he started Tech Time at his local public library as a 4-H project. He researched and proposed the idea and held “office hours” every other week for drop in inquiries and scheduled appointments. He served in numerous leadership roles in 4-H including Virginia State Congress, Virginia Ambassador, National Conference and National Congress. He also was invited to speak at the Microsoft 4-H Ignite Conference for 2 years in a row.
Carolyn Woodard is currently head of Marketing and Outreach at Community IT Innovators. She has served many roles at Community IT, from client to project manager to marketing. With over twenty years of experience in the nonprofit world, including as a nonprofit technology project manager and Director of IT at both large and small organizations, Carolyn knows the frustrations and delights of working with technology professionals, accidental techies, executives, and staff to deliver your organization’s mission and keep your IT infrastructure operating. She has a master’s degree in Nonprofit Management from Johns Hopkins University and received her undergraduate degree in English Literature from Williams College.
She was happy to have this podcast conversation with Jack Woodard about how to be a tech helper for nonprofits and family.
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We constantly research and evaluate new technology to ensure that you get cutting-edge solutions that are tailored to your organization, using standard industry tech tools that don’t lock you into a single vendor or consultant. We don’t treat any aspect of nonprofit IT as if it is too complicated for you to understand.
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Transcript coming soon
Photo by Vitaly Gariev on Unsplash