Bill Gates once said: “The first rule of any technology used in a business is that automation applied to an efficient operation will magnify the efficiency. The second is that automation applied to an inefficient operation will magnify the inefficiency.”
Before investing in a new technology, make sure you know what you want to accomplish with that technology. For example, in the Ed Tech space, teachers may ask for a new tool because they think they want to make a cool Prezi or have kids make a video. But why? If what they really want is to spark conversations and engage students in creative and critical thinking, there might be lots of ways to achieve those goals. It’s important to keep the outcome in mind.
Want a new tool to automate tasks? Don’t buy anything until you’ve first done everything you can to simplify and clarify the process.