"I'm not talking about coding apps or building complex databases. I'm talking about the basics: keyboard shortcuts that save hours per week. Understanding the difference between "reply" and "reply all." Knowing how to search your own inbox or switch between work and personal accounts. Reading the words on your screen or an error message before throwing your hands up and declaring "something's broken." Learning how to unmute yourself or share your screen after years of being forced to do all our meetings on Zoom."
"This isn't a generational thing, either. I know plenty of people in their 20s who are baffled by file management, and plenty of people in their 60s who could teach a masterclass in tech workflow efficiency. This is about a sort of learned helplessness that has somehow become socially acceptable, even quirky and endearing in some circles - a professional skill gap that wouldn't be tolerated in any other field."
Journalism and related professions often lack basic digital skills despite years of remote work and widespread use of collaborative tools. Common deficits include keyboard shortcuts, inbox search, distinguishing reply from reply-all, account switching, reading error messages, unmuting, screen sharing, and file management. The deficiency is not limited by age; younger professionals can struggle while older ones can excel. The situation reflects a learned helplessness that became socially acceptable in knowledge work. This professional skill gap reduces efficiency and limits the ability to adopt more advanced tools and workflows that could transform the field.
Read at Nieman Lab
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