User Unfriendly Technology

[Rageaholic]

Is it just me or does technology often make things which should be simple into an excruciating chore? Typically, the one piece of information you need (something as simple as a web address) is nowhere to be found. Example, I need to check my work email and my work portal thing to see if there's any opportunities I'm missing. I used to have a quick link available when I opened a new tab. That's gone now that I had to delete my browsing history to enable cookies or something (just to check my other email). So I go through my work folder and of all the 20 or 30 sheets of paper, not one of them has a web address to the portal. You'd think they'd have it written down somewhere, but nope, nada.

This is also the case with trying to get a doctors authorization to another clinic where I can get a CT scan for sinuses. Just this one part of the process is taking days because someone screwed up and didn't and are now passing the blame to the other party.

I guess the second one isn't technology as much as bureaucracy, but it's the same thing. Something simple is made into a much bigger chore. It's frustrating as hell.

[Andara Bledin]

So... it's technology's fault that you don't have the information you need?

Also, why didn't you bookmark the location? Relying on history is just begging for trouble.

It's not the technology making things difficult here, and most things can be attributed to human error, not computer.

[TheHuckster]

Your first rant should really be directed to whomever is not making URLs easy to find at your work place. Every browser has a bookmark tool that specifically does what you want it to. Using browser history as a sort of bookmark system is like using your recycle bin to store your important documents. It's simply not designed for that.

[Rageaholic]

Your first rant should really be directed to whomever is not making URLs easy to find at your work place. Every browser has a bookmark tool that specifically does what you want it to. Using browser history as a sort of bookmark system is like using your recycle bin to store your important documents. It's simply not designed for that.

Yeah, this was a pretty bad title. In this instance it's not technologies fault but the people who make the information so secretive. I'm probably going to have to go to work in person to get the URL.

[HYHYBT]

That *is* the sort of thing that ought to be provided in a place easy to find even without a bookmark; otherwise, how would you get it in the first place to bookmark it?

[s_stabeler]

yeah, this isn't a technology fail- it's a combination of user fail ( you really should have that page bookmarked) and work fail for not providing an easily-accessible link.

[Andara Bledin]

Well if a person doesn't pay attention to what it is, they won't know if it's easy to remember or not.

My work's web-based email portal is "mail.domain.com" ... you know, just about the most mindbogglingly easy thing to remember. And yet, half my co-irkers can't manage to keep that in their heads... >_>

[Rageaholic]

Mine is not that easy. I know it's part of sharepoint, but I need to enter a specific address otherwise it won't recognize me. You'd think they'd have the address listed in one of the many sheets they gave me, but no.

It's no big deal. I'll just go in person tomorrow and write down the web address (they have a shortcut), but it IS frustrating.

[TheHuckster]

Argh, Sharepoint. If you wanted to talk about User Unfriendly Technology, there's plenty of material from that piece of crap besides a hard-to-remember URL.

[Rageaholic]

Yeah, like the way you can't scroll down so all lists are stuck at the top. Annoying as hell.

[HEMI6point1]

It depends.

On something that is designed to get to information in an efficient manor, then it better be easy to use.

But (and this may be a little off-topic here, so sorry if it is)....

When I hear that an antivirus maker touts the new version as "easier to use for the average consumer," I cringe because I know that means "dumbed down to the point where it's crap."

Case in point? Kaspersky. When it was sold direct-only it was harder to use but man that bad boy was rockin'! Then K decided to sell it at big box stores and touted the newer versions as "easier to use for the average consumer." I knew what was going to happen - people on forums started complaining that once they "upgraded" to the ones available retail, it started to miss things the previous versions caught.

[protege]

On something that is designed to get to information in an efficient manor, then it better be easy to use.

I hear ya. One thing I *hate* are those automated menus that many companies use now. Why is it that when I need to talk to someone about a problem...I have to press an endless stream of numbers, which may, or may not put me in the right department? Usually, it's the latter. Then I have to explain my problem *again* and get transferred *again.*

Case in point, I had my credit card stolen some years ago. Some ass twinkie at the Kmart in Poughkeepsie, NY, somehow got my number when I bought a tie (I was up there for my cousin's wedding) in the store...and then used my card to make several dozen calls to Australia

After several attempts at trying to get to the fraud department--and wasting half an hour--I had every right to be pissed. When I got sent to the wrong place again, I lost it. I screamed into the phone "put me on with a fucking representative right now, goddammit!" Next thing I heard was "USAA, you've reached Lisa in the fraud department..."

Once I finally got through to her, I calmed down, explained what had happened, and she took care of it. I got a new card, had the charges reversed, and was told to fill out a police report, which I did. After everything was done, I told her that I knew it wasn't her fault...but their phone system sucked. She agreed with me, and apparently I wasn't the only one that thought so.

Turns out it sucked...because the firm they hired to set it up, cut a few corners, and they were in the middle of reconfiguring things.

[s_stabeler]

give them credit- they were apparently trying to get it fixed.

but yeah, sometimes, ease of use can come at the expense of function- and that irritates me.

[Rageaholic]

Those automated menus are especially annoying when they make you listen to the whole pitch before continuing (Even if you already know by heart the menu options.) Then there are those overly long introductions where they make you listen to the hours, their special offers, and all this other crap you already know before finally being able to select an option. And of course, when you do end up talking to someone and giving them your info, they transfer you to someone else who always wants all that info.

[Rageaholic]

You know, I take it back. It is technology. Something as simple as checking for hours requires memorizing a bazillion passwords and URLs.