Reinventing The Wheel

Reinventing The Wheel

They say that just about everything has it's origins in in just a few inventions.  Most people do not like change and will say "if it ain't broke, don't fix it".  My experience is that taking what is already there, changing or, in this case, reinventing the the process will allow you to get the job done.  In the case of the MAJOR PLAN, which was a system-wide process for utilizing public funding for effective Technology Planning, was adapted for personal home use.

The MAJOR PLAN,

Managing the funding source, 
was changed to: 
Making a Budget Item for Personal Technology Usage.

Analyzing the needs through the use of assessment tools,
was changed to: 
Assessing your Personal Inventory to determine what is still working and what are your current needs for Technology.

Jointly utilizing existing technology resources and personal, 
was changed to: 
Jointly combining your current knowledge and utilizing online sources, seeking out reputable computer repair services, and finally, focusing on only what hardware and software you really need to use.

Offer adequate Training,
was changed to: 
Organizing friend, other family members, and existing user groups in your area to learn tips and techniques.

Revaluate the Process,
was changed to: 
Reinvent the Wheel.

As you can see, while the process might seem detailed, it really will save you time, effort, and most importantly, money, in the long run.  My experience is that if you follow the MAJOR PLAN for determining your needs, you will avoid many of the common pitfalls that tend to derail you.

Tomorrows blog will be, Avoiding Common Pitfalls.  Let's see now, where do I begin?  Oh yes, what is my focus and how much will my wife let me spend.  Have a great day!

Retirement and Technology

Now that I am retired, technology is so important to me. A few months before I retired, I assessed my technology inventory. Due to the fact that my "work technology tools" would be staying with the job, I needed to take stock in what I would be needing to carry on my technology outreach. Since I also was unsure about finances, this became much more important to me. The usual needs for e-mail, Internet usage, blogging, presentations, and other demands were looked at. The next level I explored was software and hardware. Since I had been blessed with unlimited technology at work, moving towards retirement was going to limit my inventory. I had not really updated my personal technology in a few years. It didn't seem unrealistic because of the flow of technology in the workplace. Now that I was facing this reduction, I decided to learn how to continue my work using less. Thanks to the cloud based software, the hardware issue was the least of my worries. While it didn't remove the fear, it did help me focus on what was important and I was able to develop a plan. In the past three years I had help my department to develop a plan for technology and was able to guide them in responsible thecnology usage and increase knowledge in how to purchase the right type of technology. Now it was my turn to put that knowledge to the test in my own personal life. In the next few weeks I will discuss that plan and how I adapted it on a personal level.

I called it the MAJOR PLAN. Today I will outline the plan for you.

Manage The Funding Source

Analyze The Need Using Assessment Tools

Jointly Utilize Exixtinf Technology Resources And Personal

Offer Adequate Training

Reevaluate The Process

Tomorrow, my Blog Topic will be called, "Reinventing The Wheel". I will explain how I took a System-wide Plan and adapted it for personal use.