Remember the last pair of shoes you bought, that painful ‘wearing them in’ phase? If they weren’t comfortable from day one, you were actually wearing in your feet, not the shoes.

Technology is the same way. The folks who design and build software seem to think it’s natural to study a user’s manual and take classes to use a tool. I prefer the hammer/screwdriver approach.

Hammers don’t come with an instruction manual. It is assumed that the simplicity of the design makes its use obvious. Web tools should be the same way. Most desktop software, cell phones and other geek gadgets should, too.

When you get a new tool, see if those who foist it on you can help configure it so it works the way you think, rather than training you to think like a computer. One shortcoming of most software is that it has waaaay too many options. (It should, instead, be designed not to make the user finish the design in the ‘Options’ screen.)

Use that failing to your advantage. When something doesn’t work as expected, get help adjusting the tool so it behaves. Train the dog, don’t let the dog train you.