Paradox of choice
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 photo credit: javYliz |
In the technology world it seems we’re continually confronted with new products, services, software, hardware, etc. And for those of us who have a tough time focusing on one thing at a time, this dizzying array of choices can easily distract us or keep us from finishing previous tasks.
In The Paradox of Choice: Why More Is Less by Barry Schwartz it describes why this is a problem:
“We normally assume in America that more options (”easy fit” or “relaxed fit”?) will make us happier, but Schwartz shows the opposite is true, arguing that having all these choices actually goes so far as to erode our psychological well-being.”
As a technology coordinator, I’m constantly trying out new things, and it’s very hard to decide whether to actually implement something. Will this new product be easy enough for staff and students to use? Is the learning curve mild enough that my users will learn this product and use it?
When you ask others in the educational technology community what’s the best wiki, blogging software, operating system, etc. you’ll get a ton of choices. So many choices may ultimately lead you to either never be satisfied with your final choice, or worse, never make a decision.
In this blog I am going to try to only give one or two choices for solutions to specific problems. They may not be the best choice, but in the long run, they will be good enough to be of use (I hope).
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I’ve found that it helps to try to not look back. Once a solution is found to a problem, there’s no point in continuing to look at alternative solutions. That doesn’t mean we’re never open to new ideas and new ways of doing things, but hopefully we’re not rehashing the same old arguments over and over.
You’re right; sometimes the worry about whether we’ve found the best way to do something can be crippling.