Learning the basics of computers changed how I viewed the world.
No, really.
We tend to treat computers like a magical thing that works somehow, and our media and cultural fears play heavily on that magic. But when you break it down, it’s really quite understandable. Computers have a language, and there are rules to language. There are rules that computers (and technology) operate within, and that’s just that. If you take away the idea that it’s magic and try to understand it, it becomes simple.
Computers aren’t magic. They do not have personalities, and even though we as humans find it easy to attribute emotional responses to their actions, like a computer freezing up on us or refusing to send an email, we have to remember that they are just machines, effectively following a series of rules.
This is key to dispelling the mystery, and to opening ourselves up to the idea that we can understand why they do the things they do, even without knowing the full technical details or a full arsenal of programming knowledge. We can then use this to better structure why we do what we do. Using programmatic thinking can reduce decision fatigue and increase the effectiveness of your daily operations.
My first and most important lesson in computer science came with understanding “IFTTT.” “If this, then that” refers to conditional statements, which are features of a programming language that perform different actions depending on whether a condition is true or false. For example: IF a user clicks X, display Y. (This is for comprehension only, not true programming.)
When I learned about the concept of “if this, then that,” I was able to structure out problems I was facing in my business. I was able to easily diagnose when problems were tech or user error, because I understood the basic framework of the problem. I was able to listen to problems and frame them within what I knew to be true about computer logic. It gave me this magical ability to solve problems for my team, intelligent people, some of whom simply did not have strong computer literacy skills. For longer than I’d like to admit, this made me perceive them as less capable.
It is impossible to know all the factors that brought your teammate to you, how they view the world, and whether they have the same educational foundation as you, but you can likely tell that they are a fellow intelligent soul. Knowing this, evaluate your own base knowledge, and your empathy levels.
Implementing programmatic thinking in the day-to-day behaviors of your teammates makes it easier for them to understand and troubleshoot when things go wrong.
“If this is happening, then I need to look for this trigger.”
“If our web server goes down, then we need to reset X.”
“If the shipping address is missing a zip code, then verify with Google Maps.”
Why tech training improves operational efficiency
Mental fatigue is present in all organizations, and anything we can do to reduce it aids the productivity, and thus the success, of our workforce.
Understanding this methodology can have a meaningful impact on your own workflow, even if that’s primarily organizational or planning.
Training your team to problem solve
Being able to diagnose user error versus system error in a technology-based business is the line between being successful and burning capital. User error, human error, is the greatest cause of inefficiency and capital burn in most e-commerce businesses today.
Automation is a key part of handling the volume of tasks a business faces with the size of team it has. And in order to use technology and automation effectively, it’s vital, not only in management but across the organization, to understand these concepts.
Automation exists in every piece of software our team uses, and it’s fundamental to every project and process we build out. After all, that’s the power of technology: it enables us to do our jobs more effectively.
As more businesses move to or rely on digital to survive, more people are ending up in tech or tech-related careers without fully realizing it, and many are entering without any real previous technical knowledge.
Plus, your team thrives
Understanding technology and computers is empowering. Not just knowing how to use a specific program, but a deeper understanding of machines that lets people build a level of comfort and, more importantly, a want to learn and explore more.
Learning “if this, then that” creates a problem-solving structure that any teammate can run a situation through and self-diagnose.
Originally published on Medium.
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