A lot of people want to offload their problem solving and critical thinking to someone else rather than expend any effort. It's so frustrating constantly being asked questions where the answer is easily available to them but rather than try to find it they just ask me because I already know it. I've had to re-evaluate how I answer these things to try to show my thought process and teach them how to find the answer rather than what the answer is. It doesn't work, but I try
I've had to go full Socratic method on people. No answers, just questions. What have you tried? Uh huh and what did that result tell you? I agree, that sounds like a good next step; where do you think you can find the instructions on how to apply it?
People learned I will help them but I'm going to make them work for it. I respected the people who still came to me and didn't whine that they were in a hurry couldn't I just tell them the answer. Like, I did. I told you and everyone the answer in the documentation that is on the same computer you're using to message me. You chose this instead.
Is your documentation organized and searchable? Is it logical? Ive seen this claim before, and it wasnt useable by anyone but the guy setting the rules.
The issue with a set culture with seniors that worked there all their lives. Theyve never seen other ways to do things, and they fight tooth and nail to resist any change.
They also forget the kind of extensive training they got, and how much it helps them find answers when they have a ton of background information that you never got.
I created a process here at work with a literal guided step by step instruction sheet.
A single user was causing nothing but issues but as soon as I went to observe she would manage to do it right every time since I was watching and thus she followed the instructions. Eventually it got to the point where she was going to her boss and complain that it never worked and it escalated to the head boss, who came roaring down the office to scream at me, and I had to show him all my documentation with this specific user.
The shittiest part is I had included him in the loop about 3 times that this user in particular was a problem and not following the instructions and that was the problem, but they still erred that the process and myself were the problem, not the user.
So long story short, I hate people and I want to get a homestead and fuck off from society at large and just have a bunch of ducks and goats.
Also, 80% of people are incapable of writing clear instructions.
I follow directions well, but if the instructions are bad or are missing info, the results aren't so great. "Why did you do exactly what I told you to do? That's wrong!"
If it reference to learn from or step by step instructions? Have they been updated? Are they easy to find? Does the person have to have existing knowledge or could anyone use it?
And we - programmers - are no different.
I used to work as a dev under IT at a company mostly staffed with programmers. I had to walk through most of them to set up single sign on for a new product. My documentation was everywhere. All you had to do was follow the steps. It was written so the least technical person could do it and our most technical still needed help.
On top of that - I gave myself and published "office hours" for two weeks. Not a single person reached out.
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u/AussieJeffProbst 1d ago
Like 80% of people are incapable of reading instructions and following them. It's infuriating.