Talking to Your Tech People

Agenda Movie Time Introductions A Little “Exorcise” Notes & Disclaimers Tech Terminology and Basics The Nature of the Tech Person Helping Out (Problem Prevention) Effective Communication Skills Better Living through Avoidance Resources and Conclusions Talking to Your Tech People When we’re done you’ll be able to: • Speak more “techease” • Help your Tech Person do their job so they can help you do yours • Use different types of communication processes to help address problems and challenges © Steve Garwood, 11/2003

Talking to Your Tech People Introduction: Name: Steve Garwood Job: Program and Services Coordinator, INFOLINK Side Jobs: CyberCheats Instructor Web Design Lecturer, RU SCILS Former Jobs: Customer Education Library, CCL Technology Center Coordinator, BCL Assistant Director of Information Development Campus Information Services, RU Where’d this Class come from? - I hear about this issue all the time - There doesn’t seem to be a lot out there - I used to have to be a “Tech Intermediary” - I think I’ve had some success This is my dog, Cody He’s very happy to be here

A little “Exorcise” for just a minute or two Using the paper and crayons that you picked up as you came in… You can’t move to the future till you get rid of the past Talking to Your Tech People

Talking to Your Tech People • Notes and Disclaimers: • I’m not going to make any promises… • We’ll be working with general rules and principles • I’m going to present lots of things from the Tech Person’s point of view as he/she is the audience you want to communicate with

Talking to Your Tech People Tech Terminology and Basics: Using the same jargon • The picture to the left is: • Something I’ve never seen before • A typical rear of a computer • A space alien From: http://spruce.flint.umich.edu/~weli/courses/bus181/notes/chap4b.html

Talking to Your Tech People Tech Terminology and Basics: Using the same jargon • Using the image to the left: • Where are the icons? • The gray bar at the bottom of the screen is called? • To move the window to a different place on the screen I… • To resize the window I… • File, Edit, View are part of the ______bar • Clicking with the right side mouse button on the screen will… • Alt + what key will allow you to toggle between open Windows?

Talking to Your Tech People Tech Terminology and Basics: Using the same jargon CTRL + C CTRL + X CTRL + V CTRL + P CTRL + D CTRL + B CTRL + Z CTRL + A Alt + F4 F10 CTRL + Refresh PrtSc What do the keyboard commands to the right do? (Match ‘em up) Select All Print Undo Organize Favorites or Bookmarks Paste Make a Favorite or Bookmark Cut Close a Window/Turn off Computer Copy Use the keyboard to access the menu bar Force Refresh Screen Capture

Talking to Your Tech People Tech Terminology and Basics: Using the same jargon • The keyboard sequence to the left allows someone to: • Shutdown or Restart the Computer • Translate a web page into Spanish • End individual Tasks that may have a computer “stuck” CTRL + ALT + Delete

Talking to Your Tech People Tech Terminology and Basics: Using the same jargon • The Term to the right applies to: • Someone at AAA who makes Trip-Tiks • A networking device that connects multiple networks together, such as a local network and the Internet • Another name for Sherpa Router

Talking to Your Tech People Tech Terminology and Basics: Using the same jargon • The Term to the right applies to: • Someone who stands in for a waiter • In a library that uses the Internet, a proxy server is a server that acts as an intermediary between a workstation user and the Internet so that the enterprise can ensure security, administrative control, and caching service. (from whatis.com) Proxy Server

Talking to Your Tech People Tech Terminology and Basics: Using the same jargon • The Terms to the right applies to: • A device which acts like a traffic cop on a network sending information to the correct place • A Hub is that cool place where everyone hangs out • Yet another set of words which don’t really mean anything but my Tech Person uses to confuse me Hub or Switch

Talking to Your Tech People Tech Terminology and Basics: Using the same jargon • The two letters to the left are: • Umm, the letters I and P • An example of someone who can’t spell IF • The Internet Protocol (IP) is the method or protocol by which data is sent from one computer to another on the Internet. Each computer (known as a host) on the Internet has at least one IP address that uniquely identifies it from all other computers on the Internet. (from whatis.com) IP

Talking to Your Tech People Tech Terminology and Basics: Using the same jargon • The two letters to the left are: • An Acronym for Librarians Are Normal • An example of someone who can’t spell Lawn • A local area network (LAN) is a group of computers and associated devices that share a common communications line or wireless link.(from whatis.com) • NOTE: A WAN is generally a collection of LANs LAN

Talking to Your Tech People Tech Terminology and Basics: Using the same jargon • The Term to the right applies to: • I don’t know is it some kind of smiley? • Something that Yahoo Messenger and AOL IM is sort of an example of • On the Internet, peer-to-peer (referred to as P2P) is a type of transient Internet network that allows a group of computer users with the same networking program to connect with each other and directly access files from one another's hard drives. Napster and Gnutella are examples of this kind of peer-to-peer software. (From whatis.com) P2P

Talking to Your Tech People The Nature of the Tech Person: Creating EmpathyWe're not that dissimilar • The person to the left is: • My Tech Person • A CHUD • Bill Gates • Jimmy Fallon of Saturday Night Live portraying a “typical” tech person. • What are some attributes of the Tech Person?

Talking to Your Tech People The Nature of the Tech Person: Creating EmpathyWe're not that dissimilar Don’t laugh too much… Remember this is US!! I won’t talk too much about the librarian stereotype, but just as some things are true and some are not about techies, some are true and some are not about librarians.

Talking to Your Tech People The Nature of the Tech Person: Creating EmpathyWe're not that dissimilar In general which of the following do Tech people not have to do: • Fix multiple types of software and hardware problems • Work with multiple users (teachers, administrators, kids, other techs…) • Novices, - Intermediates, - Those who know enough to be dangerous, - Experts • Set-up new software and hardware • Manage licenses • Keep out hackers and crackers • Learn new things to stay on top of trends and needs • Anything Else? Compare to our day…different types of publications, different levels of users, managing database and network passwords, preventing theft….

Talking to Your Tech People The Nature of the Tech Person: Creating EmpathyWe're not that dissimilar True or False ALL Tech People know how to do the following: • Take apart and rebuild PCs, Macs, and Linux/Unix systems • Design a Web Site • Program in multiple languages • Crop off people’s heads using Photoshop • Make purchasing recommendations and budgets • Manage licenses • Keep out hackers and crackers • Work with your automation system Compare to ALL librarians – Read, Recommend books on all age levels, Dispense of the NYT Crossword puzzle in minutes, Search Databases, Repair Books, Originally Catalog materials

Talking to Your Tech People The Nature of the Tech Person: Creating EmpathyWe're not that dissimilar Computers in schools have lots of security and user control systems to: • Annoy the Media Specialist • Keep computers from “breaking” or keep users from breaking them How does this compare to how we treat our materials?

Talking to Your Tech People Helping Out (Problem Prevention) • Keep the Scene Clean – crumbs, liquid, eraser “stuff”, lead, dust, etc. • Set Computer Room Rules - Clearly • Don’t circumvent security (even if you know how) • Don’t forget that your non-work computer problems aren’t problems for the Tech Person • Keep those passwords hidden or memorized • Don’t pass along virus warnings, attachments, jokes of the day… • Try basic fixes first (Restart, Shutdown, Check Cables) • Back it Up!

Talking to Your Tech People Effective Communication • Get to know your Tech Person… ”It’s harder to say NO to someone you KNOW” • Don’t forget Please and Thank You still go a long way • Phone – SMS - Email (CC and BCC) – Memos • Using a Log, Trouble Sheet, etc. • The more detail that can be given about a problem the better • Keep those computers numbered or named • Remember the problem isn’t that the computer is broken…it’s that you/students/teachers can’t do required work • Other Ideas/Practical Solutions?

Talking to Your Tech People Better Living through Avoidance • Sometimes the best thing to do with a computer is to not use it • Email accountsUsing services like Yahoo Mail and/or Hotmail make it easy to get email anywhere and rarely need Tech Support (and screen for viruses) • Web hostingServices like Tripod, Yahoo, DotEasy let you manage directly (note try not to use your personal account, make one for the specific use) • Online Databases

Talking to Your Tech People Available for Hire • For one low low price Cody is available for intimidation purposes 

Talking to Your Tech People Questions? ? ? ? ? ?

Talking to Your Tech People