Is Technology a Boon or Bane?
Who among us hasn’t been torpedoed at the worst possible
time—usually when desperately trying to complete a crucial
document—by a crashed computer, a dashed cell phone, a smashed
PDA?!! The more dependent we become on these devices, the more we
fall hostage to outsourced tech support and overloaded help lines.
Is it getting better or worse? How will we cope in the future? And
are technology firms addressing this issue? This is what you said!
Beth Polish
President
The Critical Junctures Group
bpolish@aol.com
 For
my entire professional career, as soon as there was new technology
I was using it. I can remember carrying around four laser-disc players
(in the special custom-made cases required to check them for flights)
to make sure that I had a working one for a presentation and subscribing
to Compuserve (remember those long random-number logins?) just so
I could FTP files between NY and CA.
Despite all the aggravations, I’ve always believed firmly
that technology is a boon. Still, I have to admit that in many ways
it can also be a bane. For instance, it creates false expectations.
It’s a truism that with technology we can access much more
information and get everything done faster and cheaper. The question
is: Just because we can, should we? What gets lost is the value
that comes from reflection. It’s fabulous that you can make
comments to a 40-page licensing agreement easily and simply using
a word processor, but the fact that the physical part of the process
is quick means that you’re expected to deliver the result
just as fast. Unfortunately, worthwhile comments don’t necessarily
come so easily and simply. I don’t think our mental processors
function as fast as technology enables our thoughts to be communicated.
This gap has profound implications as we move toward valuing the
speed and quantity of communication over its quality. I’ve
heard editors at publishing houses say that with the advent of word
processors, manuscripts have gotten longer, but not better. How
many times have you thought “let me just get my thoughts down
quickly because I can always go back and edit them later”
only to find that in fact you didn’t because you were under
pressure to get something out the door. How many times have you
hit “send” only to regret it later? Perhaps a corresponding
truism is that editing sloppy thought is not the same as starting
with careful thought.
Another problem is that hardware and software, like the humans
who use them, have a useful life, wear-out with age, and degrade
without care. We sabotage ourselves if we don’t use our knowledge
of the flaws to minimize the damage they can cause. It wasn’t
fun carrying those four laser disc players but I never regretted
doing it. (But I still need to get better at backing-up my hard
drive.)
To keep technology a boon and not a bane, it’s helpful to
remember that whether setting the pace or anticipating glitches,
it’s we who are in control, not the machines.
Liane Pelletier
CEO and President
Alaska Communications Systems
lianepelletier@acsalaska.com
 When
I recall the daily lives of our parents, especially our mothers,
there’s simply no comparison to our own. Technological advances
have to be credited with allowing us to get more done than ever
before. We all lead lives in which the personal and professional
blur and become one, but the reality is that information and communications
technology is an essential part of getting the job done. Haven’t
we all left the house forgetting our PDA or cell phone and felt
“naked” without it? We can’t live without these
“productivity” tools, in spite of the fact that in rare
cases our computer might crash and burn—setting us back a
notch or ruining the entire day! But I don’t know anyone who
experiences this and forever abandons the technology. Instead, we
anxiously wait for it to get restored—or even better yet—we
buy a newer, sleeker, smaller one, so we can move on with life at
an even faster, more productive pace. So, I conclude that technology
is a boon, not a bane. It’s indispensable. Taking good care
to backup, maintain and follow simple security procedures is all
the insurance needed to avoid being held hostage by the tools and
toys we all enjoy.
Teri Rogerwick-Beno
Eastland Computers and Graphics
eastland@tampabay.rr.com
 We
are living in a Hi-Tech society today, and one of the questions
asked frequently is “Does our company need a systems analyst?”
Computers today are doing more with internet, intranet, security
and networking. A systems analyst can help you make those choices.
They can make computerizing or upgrading your systems a smooth transition.
Some companies have a systems analyst on staff, but for those who
don’t, it is something to give consideration to. A systems
analyst can work on a per project basis with your company.
The systems analyst visits your company, evaluates your company’s
needs, and will follow the product or service from inception to
the final result. The systems analyst will look at your hardware,
software and communication needs and design a system that works
best. He or she will talk to the department supervisors and/or their
employees to see if there are special needs for each department.
If your company is upgrading an existing computer system, the analyst
can work with your company to phase in the new equipment. Stored
information is backed up and transferred to the new computers. When
a company upgrades, there are many issues involved. One of the biggest
issues is older software being compatible with newer computers.
Your analyst can tell you if it does. The systems analyst also looks
at future needs of your company, and that is taken into consideration
when designing your system. Once the analyst has completed the evaluation,
you will be presented with a proposal.
Systems analysts have to keep up with all the new technology, and
it is more likely your company will need several types of programs.
These may include accounting, word processing, a database, or even
a proprietary program designed for your industry. A systems analyst
knows the features of most programs and which is best for your company.
Package software may not meet all your company needs and may have
to be tweaked some. If your company has specialized needs, you may
want to consider having the system analyst write a program. The
systems analyst can also provide training and procedural manuals
if needed.
Hardware can be very a complex issue for some companies. The average
life span of a single computer is 3–5 years; this can be due
to hardware failure or the computer no longer meeting the requirements
of new software. When designing a computer system, there are issues
of “How much storage does your company need?” and “What
is the best way to backup the stored files?” Other issues
are “Where is the best place to keep your file server?”
and “Is there equipment that will interfere with its operation?”
Another issue is “What is the best way to connect all the
computers?” “Should you use wireless, above or below
ground connections?” There are also issues of network printers
vs. individual printers. “Which is convenient for the users
and cost effective?” The systems analyst will address which
is cost effective: custom-built computers or off-the-shelf computers
and what tech support is available. Maintenance of your equipment
can be done periodically. Computers have a longer lifespan when
they are well maintained.
Hiring a systems analyst can save your company money in hardware
and software. Examples are: (1) Companies that are nonprofit may
be able to purchase software at a discounted rate. (2) Site licensing
for software is available. In many cases sharing resources like
printers, scanners and other hardware is a great way of saving money,
both on hardware and ink. Your systems analyst can also help you
decide on the best option for communications such as the internet.
There are many choices today for internet providers and all have
differences, such as price, speed, availability and business services.
Companies are not alone when it comes to the hi-tech world of computers:
a systems analysts can help your company make informed decisions
and make the transition easier.
Anu Shukla
Founder and CEO
RubiconSoft
ashukla@rubiconsoft.com
 Technology
failures are true to Murphy’s law—happening just when
they shouldn’t: during a crucial phone call ,you “lose
signal” or have the dreaded “battery low” beep
raising its ugly head , or when twenty minutes of a half-hour web
meeting are wasted in trying to guide the participant to download
the viewer while bypassing the firewall and the absolutely dreaded
Windows crash that just ate up the ten-page document you had labored
over for three hours. However, it is hard to imagine what we would
do without the pervasive cell phone, e-mail, PDA, the web and other
innovations that are being introduced at an ever-increasing pace.
I, for one, resisted having a cell phone for a long time, and now
I have one with a camera built in so I can transmit pictures of
the kids to the grandparents. And of course, I also thought faxes
were good enough but now need to access e-mail from my PDA 24 hrs
a day. The fact of the matter is that technology failures inevitably
lead to better technology, and what we consider fads soon become
indispensable to our efficiency.
Thankfully, now more than ever, technology companies are taking
steps to alleviate the glitches—automated software diagnostics
can identify the point of failure and restore your computer to its
exact state before it crashed, knowledge management software and
data mining algorithms can find the potential solution from a vast
repository without having to call the outsourced support center,
and sophisticated spam filters are chasing away the unwanted e-mails
that had started to clutter our inboxes. And as for cell phones,
if the new power efficient chips don’t give us the desired
longevity, they are so cheap we can have several just for backup!
Keep those gadgets and gizmos coming—we have an insatiable
appetite for them; we can work out the kinks together.
Elissa Ellis
Executive Director
The Forté Foundation
 As
the executive director of a non-profit organization that requires
me to cross the country meeting with corporations, business schools,
and women, technology is a powerful facilitator. Like many executives,
I rely on my handheld device to manage our business from the road.
Additionally the web has enabled us to reach and engage thousands
of women who attend, volunteer, and speak at our undergraduate and
pre-MBA forums. We recently updated our website to provide robust
content customized by career stage. For example, you can find career
path profiles of successful women, career advancement strategies,
online chats, networking and mentoring resources, and opportunities
to share ideas. This virtual network helps us to inspire and direct
women into business leadership positions.
Deborah A. Farrington
Co-Chair and Founder
StarVest Partners, L.P.
deborah@starvestpartners.com
 Who
among us can live without all the gadgets and gizmos that we have
in our possession? I can’t. Because I am a partner in a fund
that invests in technology, New York City based StarVest Partners,
LP, I had to crawl out of my “Luddite” shell about seven
years ago to embrace all that the Internet and Wireless Age bestowed.
Our firm has used Blackberries for over five years now and I recently
merged my phone into the device for complete unified messaging—it’s
great. Until the day before I left for a 2 1/2 week trip to Europe.
My partner, Jeanne had to say, “Breathe in and out, Debby”,
and, I was not having a baby. Hurrying to get organized before the
long business trip to Europe, this new Blackberry (which was all
set to fly emails magically into Europe or call me anywhere, anytime
in the world) decided it would not sync with my “contacts.”
My blood pressure went to 3000 as I was desperately working with
our outside tech support guy for many hours on my last precious
day—I finally left the office at 7 PM with all things in order,
but a plane to catch at 11 PM and some last minute packing still
to do. Whew!
A few years ago, I would have seamlessly left the office without
a technological care in the world—ready to unhook and go.
Now, however, I am bound to this 3” x 4” device—relying
on it for my tether to the world: “Don’t leave home
without it” now applies to my Blackberry. I am hooked on 24
x 7 emails for the freedom from place it gives, the ability to communicate
any time, from anywhere and have all my contacts and emails on one
device. Unfortunately, it is not a seamless world especially when
trying something new. The moral of the story: have patience, take
the long view—it will be a time saving tool eventually, plan
extra time for the unexpected as something will go wrong initially,
stay close to your tech support team for unexpected encounters with
Murphy’s law—especially at the least appropriate moment.
And, think about “untethering” if you really want to
relax—or go to a place with no coverage!!
Joy Gendusa
Founder and CEO
PostcardMania
joy-gendusa@postcardmania.com
 When
I started my business, I never thought technology was a waste of
money. I looked at it from the viewpoint of “how could it
make me more efficient? How could it help me put more communication
out there faster and save more time to do more of what I do”—
which was to make more income.
In the beginning we had a lot of trouble. We used the lead-tracking
software called GoldMine. At that time we had about five PC’s,
and in order to be able to see just one GoldMine database, we needed
to get linked together and we needed a local area network. But I
didn’t know anything, so there were real learning curves.
What worked for us was to have a stable person to handle our technology.
Certain individuals, no matter what they know or don’t know,
tend to have machinery break down around them. But there are also
hardware people with the uncanny ability to just glance in the computer’s
direction and suddenly the thing is working again.
Before finding someone to handle my technology needs, I had to
get up-to-date with the technology I was using; I had to gain the
knowledge of it and confront it. I’m so NOT an electronics
person, and this was not easy for me. But I did it. I read the manual,
so to speak, and just boned up on my PC so I could get in there
and fix the minor things that could go wrong.
I am old enough to have worked without computers or cell phones,
so I love having that kind of technology today. I still find it
quite incredible that I can talk on the cell phone from my car,
because I remember having to pull over and find a pay phone.
I look at it this way—if my hardware keeps breaking, no matter
if it is “not his fault because he wasn’t here when
it happened,” he’s simply not the right techie to use.
I want people who take full responsibility for their product/service
and if it breaks, will take responsibility and handle it—all
the way down to finding the cause and determining the solution to
ensure it doesn’t happen again. That could be researching
for a better product or correcting another staff member who continues
to throw a wrench in it.
My husband had a software person developing his system, and a hardware
person installing the PC’s and handling the network. These
two people bumped heads quite a bit. That’s not good. He had
way more hardware trouble than we did (he has 11 people and we had
around 50 at the time) even though his hardware techie was an “expert.”
Now he uses the same computer guru we use. I really believe that
it is, to a large degree, about the person you hire to do the job.
You have to understand technology enough not to put bandaids on
stuff—you need to view it long term. If you don’t understand
how it works, your support folks can blame it on so many different
things. Before we hired a full-time IT Director, I was spending
$900 a month in outsourced service for our network. My President
said she wanted to hire someone full-time. We ended up hiring someone
for over 5X what I was paying each month. I thought, “Why?
I only have to pay $900.00 now—why pay $5,000 per month?”
Well, I looked at the monthly income of the company and I looked
at what we were losing because we were down so often. And I made
the decision.
Today, I am able to stay abreast of our technology because I talk
to the person who works for us. We speak the same language.
Technology is all about efficiency—using time to your best
advantage to grow your business. It should be a tool to help you
grow.
 The
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