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The Distribution of Users’ Computer Skills: Worse Than You Think (2016)

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Re: The Distribution of Users’ Computer Skills: Worse Than You Think (2016)

#81

Post by Spooky23 »

freeone3000 wrote: post #69
Spooky23 wrote: post #39

Earlier quoted context omitted.

When this came out I was skeptical and looked at transactions that I had metrics for to corroborate with some colleagues. Not at liberty to discuss specifics, but we all rejected the proportions that the study used. End of the day, complex processes get completed when offered to the public, and computer based processes are generally the norm. People somehow get hunting licenses, navigate complex DMV processes, book t…

There's some technical blindness that comes with PC use. While people can navigate complex situations fine by talking to humans, put them in front of a user interface and they can't tell an affordance from a hole in the ground. They're not dumb people, they just spent all their time interfacing with humans instead of with computers, so when faced with a technical challenge they don't really know how to start. (I'm su…

There are, but based on the limited information, I remain skeptical of the study.

The example of a difficult task was to “schedule a meeting room in a scheduling application, using information contained in several email message”. Many of the other examples given are email related tasks.

If you meter and study Office app use, you’ll find that features like this are rarely invoked. For the example above, Where I have studied behavior on significant user populations, I would guess that 5% of users book a meeting room resource in any 30 day period, and only 2-3% do so more than once in a 30 day period. The numbers will vary in some populations, but usually you see 80% of the booking done by a small number of people (managers and admins).

The problem with this is that the study is looking at a narrow range of office worker tasks and applying them to the public at large. It’s an assessment of MS Office skill sets across the population, not ability to perform complex tasks.

There may be more depth in the paywalled study, but this article didn’t surface it.

Re: The Distribution of Users’ Computer Skills: Worse Than You Think (2016)

#82

Post by benologist »

AdieuToLogic wrote: post #71
benologist wrote: post #9

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Learning how to use, configure and create open source is definitely one of the highest-proficiency forms of computer usage. Especially creating but even using open source requires a bevvy of advanced skills identifying appropriate software and getting it to run. The strongest 5% of computer users they found can barely search email and some % are pursuing incredibly sophisticated skills through open source setting up…

> Learning how to use, configure and create open source is definitely one of the highest-proficiency forms of computer usage. Some of the most successful accountants, CFO's, and stakeholders I have met would beg to differ. > I think if they had kept tracking the higher levels of proficiency by the time they got to open source users and developers there is a chasm between their ability to use computers to solve proble…

Look at the steps to set up WordPress. These steps can impart a lot of knowledge on the people following them. There are classical models of learning that seem very applicable - learning by doing, experiential learning and rote learning. The article is very clear society doesn't make highly proficient computer users, so if using open source doesn't create them where could they possibly be coming from?

- domain registration

- web hosting

- put Wordpress on the hosting

- configure Wordpress

https://www.shivarweb.com/website-setup

Re: The Distribution of Users’ Computer Skills: Worse Than You Think (2016)

#83

Post by nitwit005 »

AdieuToLogic wrote: post #48
techslave wrote: post #7

eh. that’s about what i think. and not just about computer skills. driving skills basic reading comprehension the ability to think more than one step ahead i know it’s not going to be a popular opinion, but yes most people are stupid.

> i know it’s not going to be a popular opinion, but yes most people are stupid. No, most people are not stupid. Ignorant or unskilled about many subjects? Sure, but we all are. Consider any speciality you like. There are those whom are Masters in it, fluent in its nuance and implication. And yet those same Masters are novices in most other domains. Are they stupid as well? To put a fine point on it, consider this ha…

I wish the issue was that we all just have different specialties. I'm afraid that some people just struggle with everything.

Re: The Distribution of Users’ Computer Skills: Worse Than You Think (2016)

#86

Post by smileysteve »

scarface74 wrote: post #27
mquander wrote: post #25

It frustrates me that the takeaway of this post, and the implicit conclusion of many software designers, is "keep it extremely simple, or two thirds of the population can’t use your design." I think a better conclusion is "if these skills are important, design software which aids in and rewards the development of them." If your software is designed with some UX which is hyper-optimized to get users to do some small h…

Should I also learn how to repair my car instead of just taking it to the dealer? It’s called specialization of labor. Most of us make an above average wage dealing with computers and pay other people to know things we don’t know.

Maybe you don't need to know how to repair your car, but it's easily arguable that every car driver should recognize the things happening in their cars, otherwise, they are an unsafe driver.

On the simple side of things, is your check engine light on, are you dragging your air dams, are your lights on, do your tires have any tread.

Slightly more complex, recognizing that your car is over heating, recognizing burning oil, brakes on the wear pad.

More complex, is the suspension connected to the body?

What's scary is the number of ride share drivers (and taxi cabs) that continue (are allowed to?) drive with some of these serious issues happening. even in states like California with vehicle inspections.

Re: The Distribution of Users’ Computer Skills: Worse Than You Think (2016)

#87

Post by AdieuToLogic »

nitwit005 wrote: post #83
AdieuToLogic wrote: post #48

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> i know it’s not going to be a popular opinion, but yes most people are stupid. No, most people are not stupid. Ignorant or unskilled about many subjects? Sure, but we all are. Consider any speciality you like. There are those whom are Masters in it, fluent in its nuance and implication. And yet those same Masters are novices in most other domains. Are they stupid as well? To put a fine point on it, consider this ha…

I wish the issue was that we all just have different specialties. I'm afraid that some people just struggle with everything.

> I'm afraid that some people just struggle with everything.

  Human progress is neither
  automatic nor inevitable...
  Every step toward the goal
  of justice requires
  sacrifice, suffering, and
  struggle; the tireless
  exertions and passionate
  concern of dedicated
  individuals.[0]
HTH

0 - https://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/martin_luther_king_jr_164...

Re: The Distribution of Users’ Computer Skills: Worse Than You Think (2016)

#88

Post by smileysteve »

eru wrote: post #72
chrischen wrote: post #46

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Well that person doing the repair work isn’t going to use some dumbed down tools. Somebody has to specialize. Plus the point is that as cars became more ubiquitous, once esoteric skills became the norm, such as checking oil, filling up gas. At some point the baseline has to advance.

> Plus the point is that as cars became more ubiquitous, once esoteric skills became the norm, such as checking oil, filling up gas. At some point the baseline has to advance. Yes and no. On the one hand, as early cars become more common, more people had to deal with them. But on the other hand, cars became simpler to use over time. Tinkering with your car used to be a hobby of many people and a necessity. These days…

> (I don't even know whether you still have to manually check the level of oil? Don't they have sensors for that these days?)

Most cars do have sensors for this, but they often fail, and even if they're working fine, tell you at a warning level, not at a full level. If you want to be a prepared driver you'd check your fluids regularly, but especially before long trips; The bonus is that the sensors can't tell you that your oil is prematurely dirty, so just by looking at it, you get more information.

This reminds me of Obama recommending people check their tires; yes, modern vehicles have tpms, but if they heed the warning, it often doesn't come on until a tire is significantly low ~20%.

Re: The Distribution of Users’ Computer Skills: Worse Than You Think (2016)

#89

Post by AdieuToLogic »

benologist wrote: post #82
AdieuToLogic wrote: post #71

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Learning how to use, configure and create open source is definitely one of the highest-proficiency forms of computer usage. Some of the most successful accountants, CFO's, and stakeholders I have met would beg to differ. > I think if they had kept tracking the higher levels of proficiency by the time they got to open source users and developers there is a chasm between their ability to use computers to solve proble…

Look at the steps to set up WordPress. These steps can impart a lot of knowledge on the people following them. There are classical models of learning that seem very applicable - learning by doing, experiential learning and rote learning. The article is very clear society doesn't make highly proficient computer users, so if using open source doesn't create them where could they possibly be coming from? - domain regist…

Solving problems can be done in many ways. I reach first for OSS myself, but that's just me. Others solve the problems they must with tools which are not OSS.

What matters most is solving the problem at hand, not what tools are used.

I'm just a random Internet account, trying to impart a bit of perspective. Do with it what you shall.

Re: The Distribution of Users’ Computer Skills: Worse Than You Think (2016)

#90

Post by nitwit005 »

I'd be cautious of this sort of study. Just as many of us Google how to do things, people can offen figure out enough to get things done with the help of those around them. The staff at fast food restaurants and call centers generally seem to muddle through.

Similarly, kids seem to figure out video game problems that would stump many adults.

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