There is a clear distinction with the use of technology between those under 50 and those over 50. It became even more apparent to me while I was helping a Y-gen co-worker with installing and using a screen capture software.

The conversation went something like this:

Me : Click on the link and download the software. Remember where you put it because you’ll need it again.
Co-Worker : Yeah…
Me: Now, go to that location where you saved it and double click to install the software. Got that?
Co-Worker: What’s the URL, can you just email it to me?
Me: Now, while installing the program you will want to read the screens that come up, just click Next and accept the defaults.
Co-Worker: Umm… okay
Me: Now, click on the Start menu and look for the program in the list of applications
Co-Worker: I know how to…
Me: Once you start the program, click on the File menu item and then New. The menu items are on the top of the screen…. (at this point, I look at my co-worker)
Co-worker looking complete underwhelmed by my instructions: Can you just tell me the URL and the steps for me to do a screen capture?
Me realizing that she understands how to do all the steps I just gave her: Sorry, I’ll email you the URL. If you want to capture a window press SHIFT+CTRL+W… (you get the picture)

I had gone into the mode of explaining each little step in great details because this what I’m accustomed to doing with the Baby Boomer generation. I realized in that moment that when working with someone closer to my generation, it is not necessary to complete each step with the question “does that make sense?” because it does make sense.

But the most amazing thing to me was that I realized what normally would have taken me 15 minutes of explaining and 15 minutes of follow up questions took me only 5 minutes of explaining, once I figured it out from her look, and no follow up whatsoever. She was able to get going in no time at all.

This difference in modes has intrigued me enough so that I began a little reseach into the different modes of thinking about technology in each generation. I came across a great article about a social entrepreneurs who is tackling the generation gap in regards to technology, but the paragraph that was most interesting was:

“A person born in 1929 is a linear thinker…one page comes after another…then you put that person on a computer and he is lost in the navigation. Then you add a smaller instrument such as a cell phone with Internet capability and it gets even harder.” (http://nonprofit.about.com/od/socialentrepreneurs/a/GenerationGap.htm)

Another piece I found is written by a reference law librarian at the University of Wisconsin called Technology and the Generation Gap. It’s a great piece, if you have time to read it.  She provides a great example of the technology gap that has been there for centuries. She tells a story about herself and Clyde, a man in his nineties who lived in an independent living facility where she worked as a college student in the 1990s. His technology? A tape player. His issue? He couldn’t figure out how to use it. She was continually helping him with his tape player, trying to help him master this piece of technology, when:

“…it finally dawned on me that Clyde had no real need to learn how to use a portable tape player. He had his phonograph for that. Clyde was using technology in exactly the way he wished. He used it to strike up a friendly conversation with the pretty young college student that worked at the reception desk, and if it meant repeatedly acting confused about some odd piece of technology, then, “Whoop de doo”, it worked.”

On reflection I realize that technology can be a bridge between generations, but we have to be conscious of who we are talking with and their level of expertise. Not all baby boomers need detailed explanations, but clearly, the linear thinking may require a different type of explanation. Also, not all Y Gen completely understand everything about technology, they often need some help and guidance as well.

So, a few things that I will do from now on: When I’m explaining something to someone, I will keep my eyes on them more often. I will look for understanding in what they are asking. I will try to read body language and more importantly, I will try to humanize the experience a bit more.

Ashima Saigal

Gen X