Resources
It’s impossible to list all the resources available to you, but the following should give you a good start.• Television/Radio
Both media have numerous shows dedicated to technology—documentaries, regular series, call-in Q&A shows, news items, and more. Encourage your team to find the programs they like and that deliver the best information so they can slip them into their schedule and stay informed.
• Newspapers
All the major newspapers cover technology issues in some way. In them you’ll find listings of useful websites, Q&A columns, user tips, and product reviews. Such regular features enable people to learn a lot from a quick glance. Make it a habit to look for them, and when you or a member of your staff run across a useful item, cut it out and post it on the company bulletin board.
• Magazines
Numerous magazines cater to the technology market. Browse through some of them to determine which ones meet your company’s needs. Initiate a business subscription to the magazines your employees find most useful and encourage them to read the articles every month. For those magazines you don’t subscribe to, visit your local library every two or three months and skim the back issues.
• Books
An entire “this-is-how-things-work” genre of books exists, and they are certainly worth the effort and time. Purchase a few for general reference and keep them in a location all your employees can access. Not only do such books tell you how various technologies work, but most of them also have useful glossaries and appendices that explain the basic principles I mentioned above.
For information on specific technologies, check out the very popular “Dummies” and “Complete Idiot’s Guides” type of books. They’re an excellent way to get quickly up to speed on a technology that’s new to you.
• Internet
Find a good search engine and learn how to use it, especially the advanced search features. This will allow you and your staff to find manufacturer’s sites, user’s groups, bulletin boards, purchasing guides, and online magazines.
• People
Let’s not forget that we can learn from each other. Here are some ways you can get help from people (and maybe give some, too).
- Networking—either formal or informal
- Seminars—a good way to quickly get up to speed on a technology that is important to your business (but in which you have little direct experience).
- Super Users—the individuals who have forgotten more than most of us will ever know about a given technology. Find out who the super users are in your organization and treat them as a resource.
Taking Control
Keeping up with technology is important because of its central role in our lives and work. Keeping up with technology is possible because of the strategy outlined above. Practice using this strategy and soon it will be as much a part of your life as your morning coffee.