If I were trying to produce a Facebook training manual for the uninitiated I would start by providing an understandable frame for people to root this new technology in. This would be most easily accomplished by providing examples of technologies that they are familiar with and/or already using, such as e-mail and phone calls. It is important to note that too much time should not be spent comparing Facebook to other technologies because if people see too many features in common with the methods of communication that they are already familiar with and using or else you run the risk of underselling the potential return on the investment of their time.
The concept of Facebook with its numerous social networking applications and features could prove to be overwhelming at first, but I would still want to stress that it is a new and useful tool, so I would start by explaining to them that Facebook is not digital a phonebook or photo-blog, it is more of a running conversation that can be picked up and continued at your convenience. Spotlighting the chat, direct messaging, photo tagging, and wall posting functions invokes people’s preconceived ideas on ways to use technology to stay in contact with friends and family but shows that Facebook is a place where these functions can be bundled together as a one-stop website that affords them the same functionality of their current e-mail and other digital communications websites.
When it comes to the actual production of the ‘how-to’ project, I would lean towards an interactive CD guidebook, very similar to those ‘teach yourself e-bay’ CD’s people are always pedaling on TV. I feel that an interactive program that would show step-by-step how to set up a profile and use the basic features (wall, tagging pictures, finding/adding friends, etc…) on screen would make for an easy transition to actually setting u p a profile.
If constrained to printed media for the guide I would strive to produce a clean and uncluttered book that first highlighted the numerous core features of Facebook and highlighted their ease of use and convenience when compared to the old ways of using multiple programs or websites to keep in touch with friends. I would make sure the book included numerous screen shots from Facebook so readers would have a clear reference when they are setting up their own profiles. I would also spotlight the fact that users ca control how much information they share and with whom alleviating the fear of loss of privacy that often times comes when someone is adopting a new technology.
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I liked your point of how "you run the risk of underselling the potential return on the investment of their time" by oversimplifying Facebook. I didn't really consider this aspect, as I just wanted to make it as simple as could be. But it is true that if I told my mom about Facebook in a very watered-down way, she wouldn't appreciate what makes it unique and why our generation uses it. That really is a difficult thing to balance: making something simple enough to grasp immediately, but complex enough that it improves upon the user's previous system.
ReplyDeleteI agree that facebook is an all-in-one, all-inclusive social networking tool. I took the same approach. Because of this, I think it is important to consider the value of having a hands-on training with multiple users in one room. I think this would help the users realize certain capabilities of facebook based on questions or previous frames of each person. This would make the detailed how-to book even more useful in training new users.
ReplyDeleteThat is
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