Zen and the art of getting a grip
How many times have you heard a colleague curse out a piece of software? Heard them tell Microsoft Word it’s a piece of crap, or demanded Final Cut Pro to go straight to hell or proclaimed to all and sundry that cascading style sheets are the most stupid idea ever invented?
I know, I’ve done it myself. The thing is, there came a point during one of these tirads where I figured out why I was unleashing my fish-wife-ish-ness at my computer screen – it turned out the frustration I had with the word processor, the software, the styling language wasn’t actually anything to do with the product itself.
It turned out that I was the problem. Yes: shock and horror! Who knew??
When I had a good hard think about it, the fault was mine. I decided my frustration was mostly to do with the fact that I didn’t have enough knowledge to choose the right tool for the job, nor did I have the relative skills to wield that tool effectively.
“A good craftsman never blames his tools.”
I’ve heard this saying often during my apprenticeship. It took me many years after completing my training to fully appreciate these words though. A good craftsman knows his tools. He knows their advantages, he knows their limitations. He knows when to use one over the other, and most importantly, he is skilled with all the tools at his disposal. This way, he can concentrate on the task at hand, and not get bogged down with logistical frustrations.
Applying this to software – half the battle is deciding which piece of software to use and when to use it. When to switch from Photoshop to Illustrator, when to engage inDesign, how to export images from 3D StudioMax – it’s about workflow, it’s about knowing your tools strengths and weaknesses: it’s about knowing your own.
Next time you want to rip another hole into Powerpoint, stop and think about what it is that is frustrating you about the software. Is it even the right tool to be using for the job at hand? Or maybe you just don’t know how to use the tool at all? Be honest with yourself and then get help. There are tons of tutorials online – some are free, the really good ones cost a little bit of money – but save yourself some angst, and increase your levels of best practice by becoming a master of your trade.
