Oregon Writing Project at Willamette University

The purpose of this study is to offer sets of strategies from which users may select for learning new software. Learning software, however, will be frustrating if learning appears to be an irrational string unconnected steps. Strive to get the bigger picture of how software, operating systems and hardware work together.
  1. Learning curves
    1. There is nothing intuitive about computer software interfaces. No one is born knowing how to use them.
    2. Software which establishes clear patterns of use should be easier to learn.
    3. New software which is similar to software you already use should be easier to learn.
    4. Software which has simpler functions should be easier to learn.
    5. Software which does more will likely be more complicated and therefore more difficult to learn.
    6. Learning software for vocational reasons (to please others)
      1. Less personal incentive to learn, less buy-in except to fulfill job needs.
      2. Although it is likely the user will spend a great deal of time using it and will become fluent in its day-to-day functions, it is less likely that he or she will explore the software and take full advantage of its capabilities.
      3. Learning may stop when whatever task at hand is accomplished.
    7. Learning software for personal and creative uses (to please ones’ self)
      1. Will likely be learned with greater enthusiasm.
      2. The user may spend less time using it, but may see connections for multiple uses (Gee, I could use this to catalog my stamp collection!)
    8. Ease of Learning and Workflow
      1. Software which is easy to learn may not be conducive to efficient work flow.
      2. Software which is conducive to efficient work flow may not be easy to learn.
  2. Learning with help from others
    1. Take a class
      1. Training may not take place using the same hardware, OS, software that you use at school or at home. Develop an overall understanding of conventions that you are able to transfer what you've learned during training to your site.
    2. Join a user group
    3. Go to camp - Some user groups organize camps which specialize in certain software programs. Other camp opportunities may also exist.
    4. Contact Tech Support
      1. Tech Support (software developer)
        1. Tech support has probably heard your problem before and can give you fixes and tips.
        2. Maybe the reason it doesn't work is because there's a bug.
      2. Tech Support (district level)
        1. Depending on how restrictive your district is, Desk Help may be of little help when it comes to software.
    5. Learn with a friend or colleague (two heads really are better than one!)
  3. Best Self-Help Practices: (Teachers recognize that students have a variety of learning styles. It is also true that teachers will have a variety of learning styles. When trying to learn a new software program select strategies from below.)
    1. Use the software every day
      1. Use it every day even if it is for very simple uses. Becoming increasingly familiar with the layout will increase an understanding of the software's interface.
    2. Learn one new thing each day
      1. Don't get overwhelmed. Don't try to learn it all at once.
    3. Read:
      1. The manual which comes with the software
        1. PDF - Printing costs for manuals adds about fifty dollars to the cost of software. In an effort to keep the cost of their software down, many smaller companies are not printing their manuals, but are instead publishing them as PDFs. It often helpful for the user to print at least some sections of the PDF.
        2. Online Help - Some software comes with built-in help available from the menubar.
        3. Contextual Help - Some software offers help pertainent to whatever task is at hand.
      2. Trade paperbacks on the software
      3. Magazine articles on the software
      4. User group newsletters
    4. Do the tutorials - Well-designed tutorials can be extremely useful in learning a software program's processes and capabilities.
    5. Use the software to create a useful product. Often just exploring the menus isn't enough.
    6. Join a listServe (Many software companies create listserves so that members can help solve one another’s problems.) If there isn't a listServe, then create one at such sites as Topica.
    7. Study a training video
    8. Search the web for online communities who are interested in the same software you are learning
    9. Ask somebody who knows. Most people are only too happy to help if you just ask.
  4. Receptiveness
    1. Learn the correct terminology associated with the software you're trying to learn.
      1. Those who may be able to help the most may be doing so on their own time. Respect that by not using pseudo-computer jargon, by taking the time to frame your questions using the correct vocabularly.
      2. Understanding the vocabularly also enables the user to understand advice, fixes or tips.
    2. Software often asks us to use unusual paradigms, different ways of thinking.
      1. Compare the software you're trying to learn with software you already know.
      2. Avoid stubborn notions of how the software should operate if it doesn't match what you're used to. (If it is too far afield of what you expect, then don't use it. Teachers should be trusted to make important decisions about the tools they use.)
  5. If possible, disassemble examples. Take apart examples to see how other users created special effects or solved difficulties.
  6. Requirements
    1. Time
    2. Appropriate hardware
      1. Sufficient hard disk space
      2. RAM (not ot be confused with hard disk space)
      3. Peripherals (if needed)
    3. Software
      1. The software you're using (preferably not just a demo)
      2. Additional supportive software (occasionally software will require extensions to your operating system.)
  7. Recommended
    1. Overall understanding of interface elements.
      1. Software follows conventions (Keep in mind that the standard interface may not be the best.)
        1. Menus
        2. Buttons or other hot-clickable areas
        3. Modifier keys and shortcut key strokes
        4. Fields
        5. Palettes
        6. Document/work space
        7. Dialog boxes
        8. Mouse functions
      2. Software utilizes new conventions
        1. Bryce 2, for example, was criticized for having a non-standard interface. Yet it won awards for interface design and was considerably more attractive and easier to learn than palette laden programs that did similar things.
  8. Advanced Strategies: Quick and Dirty strategies for exploring freeware and shareware
    1. Read the Read Me file,
    2. Click on everything that can be clicked and
    3. Explore the menus.
    4. If the application is a bit more complicated quickly read over the manual.
    5. If one can’t understand the software after about half an hour trash it.
    6. If the application crashes within the first 10 minutes, trash it.
    7. The more complicated an application is, the more important the manual becomes. Read the manual and try out everything within it. If the manual is not enough, buy a book and read it page for page. Otherwise lots of time will be needed to accomplish things which have been described in a few pages somewhere.