Help menu and help features – Almost similar to the wizards and assistance this feature is designed to provide the user with help and is generally provided in most software’s such as the tutorial software, training software and most word processors. This feature generally provides the user with a search in which the user can type to what he wants a solution to.
“Read me” files – A “read me” file contains data relating to other files which are in a directory or an archive. It is very commonly distributed with most computer software these days. These files are called text files and are usually under these types of names TXT, README.1ST, READ.ME, or simply README.
Online assistants and wizards offer a user an extremely convenient method of creating a slideshow or a website or what not. This can be done very conveniently.
The technology emerged when Microsoft and Apple felt the need to help and enlarge their customer base by helping them with procedures crucial to creating files that could be made with their applications.
The issues that are related are those of: The business of the company that manufactures the software. The ease of use for the customer The faith that the customer has in the brand(for example Microsoft or Apple who create software for presentations and spreadsheets)
The stakeholders are the customers who, with the assistance of wizards, can create files that can be made using some application or another. These people can significantly save their time and act in an efficient manner. This will give them a satisfaction and keep them coming for products released by major software power houses.
The situation doesn’t really have a problem unless it’s difficult to use or if it is non-existent. Both of these are rare occurrences.
It really affects only business of companies that release software. An example of what is talked about in the essay is the “Mac fever”. Converts to Macintosh prefer it to Windows and to these people Mac is considered an addiction.
Also, the impact is global because software is available to most people who can afford it(to almost everyone) anywhere with relative ease. So the impact is fairly good.
Social and Ethical Issues:
The balance in responsibility between an individual and an organization for training:
Training for jobs is necessary. This is done quite often, and in all companies. This is required so that the individual can ‘get a hang’ of things going on in the office, as well as to give him an idea of the future ahead of him.
This is also done when an individual does not meet the needs of the company and the company feels that they can improve the individual by training him in that area. For example, if a person is an Economics post-graduate from oxford, and he is computer illiterate (this is an extreme idea but it is a simple one), then the company feels that they can expand his abilities by training him in computers. Another scenario is when an individual has not studied computers, and his job is as a manager at a software company.
The company will train the individual so that he is a computer literate and can do well in both managing, and understanding the areas.We all agree that it is the responsibility of the company to train the individuals. But that is assumed to be to a certain extent. I mean, a company can’t train an individual more than enough. That would be a loss for the company, esp. if the individual quits.
In fact, that would be a gain for the company he joins next. But the point is, the individual, too, must have a responsibility concerning his own training. He should consider his options before applying for an interview, or before taking up a career. Before applying, he should see that he has the necessary skills for the job, and that the company should not train him for expected material which he is already supposed to know. There is a difference between one or two day trainings, and 5 month trainings.
I know a person who’s company employed him so he can go to U.S.A and study there at a private institute. I mean, sure, the individual is talented, but, isn’t that a waste of money and precious time. Shouldn’t the lucky fellow study on his own in the institute first and then apply for the job? This is the type of responsibility I am talking about.Therefore, there should be a balance in responsibility between an individual and a job for training. Both the individual and the company should consider whether it is of profit, or whether it really is required. Some of the factors mentioned above would really affect the future of the company.
The requirement of organizations to provide training when implementing change
This is a very practical measure. If there are changes in the system, employees must be adequately trained to deal with and use that change efficiently. A simple example would be a new database system for a hotel. One can't expect to change the system one fine day and hope all the employees can keep up with the change. New features and characteristics need to be explained to maintain efficiency. If no training is given, many unnecessary mistakes will be made before a level of efficiency is reached.
A hotel receptionist, could theoretically, misunderstand the system and book a week-long guest for an extra day. This could cost a lot for the guest who may remain unaware of the mistake.
Practice makes perfect and training accelerates the training process making life easier for the company and the consumer- who don't suffer due to mistakes caused by not understanding changes. In some cases, training not only accelerates but is the only practically way of learning something. Telling a bunch of workers at an Ad agency to suddenly start using Photoshop to create layouts instead of paper would cause problems without training. It would take aeons for them to teach themselves and achieve a reasonable level of efficiency. The consumers, people ordering the Ads will probably suffer as a result of poor initial quality.
Not training when implementing change can affect the product's consumers and as such be a requirement- besides, it will increase the efficiency of the company -unless the training is very costly. For consumers' sake, training must be provided by organizations implementing change.
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