![Creative Commons License][] 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).
[
]: http://www.flickr.com/photos/8104466@N08/2339107459/
“day 65”