Girls In Tech

aSc Award-winning Timetabling software

How do you convince a population that is comfortable with tools that still exist to put them down and instead use something that is totally foreign to them—a new software product? It is nearly impossible.

Here at GIT we often talk about the Gender Divide, which is very prevalent in a male dominated country such as Greece; but, the biggest surprise to me has been my experience with an entire staff who was accustomed to doing time schedules by hand—paper and pencil. I had the unfortunate experience of introducing aScTime Tables (a scheduling software) to my school’s staff this year.

So, if you find yourself in a similar situation of trying to convert pencil and paper lovers to software usage, below are some tips for making the impossible possible or just a bit smoother:

1. First, make sure all human processes are in line and as accurate as can be. If not, despite the reality of pre-existing poor enterprise communication and poor practices of streamlining and creating a reusable content…the software will be seen as the culprit of enterprise malfunction.
2. Paper products: Sorry trees, unfortunately, seeing is believing. As with marketing, simply having a product that the older population can see can make all the difference.
3. Color laser printer: Producing a colorful output with familiar logos and/or designs instantly helps with appeal of product.
4. Accuracy in product: Make sure your output products are accurate and presentable. As programs only do what they are programmed to do, there are often inaccuracies in hidden data or human err that will standout when a printed document is produced.
5. No viewers: Learn your product well and magically produce outcomes.
   1. Showing a reluctant population the fallacies of a software and the procedure of entry may give your observers other reasons to avoid using advancing technologies:
      1. i.      Software glitches and that is why there are new versions, next gens, improvements, etc., but that is not always understood by those who do not use new software products regularly.
      2. ii.      Data entry can be confusing and what looks normal and “clear” to us, may appear incomprehensible and confusing to new viewers.

Though these steps could apply to any computer reluctant population, the goal in the end is to have your target population understand the mission. The end goal is to create consolidated systems, easily accessible information, reusable content and an easier mission of delivery the next time around—and eventually, less paper usage! Good luck, because creating change is not easy.