Technology is no guarantee of success

Improved productivity is a standard benefit of every piece of technology produced for the modern office worker, but research by Germany's Fraunhofer Institute has shown that not all European companies are getting the expected extra productivity from their IT investments.

According to Fraunhofer researchers, the reason is simple: technology implementations without adequate planning and co-ordination inevitably lead to technical difficulty, which European workers have identified as the biggest killer of productivity.

Is there anything more frustrating than not being able to work because of some technical problem?

In a country like SA, where there is still no decent broadband Internet connectivity, it may be difficult to relate to the European productivity crisis, but there are at least two important lessons to be learned.

Training staff to use technology effectively is as important as providing the technology in the first place.

Warwick Ashford, Portals Managing Editor

The European experience illustrates there is little point in having state-of-the-art technology if it doesn't work the way it should, or if none of the workers are able to use it effectively, providing yet further proof that technology alone is no guarantee of success.

This means we need to get real about the fact that technology needs to be implemented responsibly. This includes ensuring various systems will work properly together to meet real productivity needs, as well as ensuring workers know how to use all the tools at their disposal.

Fraunhofer says although there is a strong correlation between better IT infrastructure and productivity, companies will see returns on investments only if staff are properly trained.

Training staff to use technology effectively is as important as providing the technology in the first place. Although one without the other is obviously pointless, it would be interesting to know how many companies provide training in the technology tools their staff use every day.

When last did you get training on the latest version of your e-mail client or operating system?

I would be willing to bet that in the majority of cases, it was sometime never. As companies begin switching to Microsoft's latest version of its Windows operating system, it will be interesting to see how many provide proper training.

Is it really fair for companies to expect increased productivity without adequate training?

Training is often overlooked because of the cost involved. However, companies around the world will have to get real about the fact that without paying for staff training, they could be paying thousands if not millions in Windows Vista licences for little or no gain in productivity.

The message is clear: IT investments need to be linked to development of the organisation. Training is an essential component of that development, especially in the South African context.

The importance of training and the severity of the skills shortage locally is highlighted even further by the fact that Fraunhofer researchers predict IT capabilities will become part of the job requirements for an increasingly wider variety of jobs.

In a future era of ubiquitous computing, it is likely knowledge will become the most important differentiator in the employment market and there will be few jobs that do not involve some form of interaction with computers.

Can we really afford to ignore this likelihood?

Technology is undoubtedly important to present and future productivity, but so are people with skills. Failure to learn that lesson now, and take the necessary action, could result in a less than productive future.

If someone could do something about the power shortages, that would also be good. Thanks.