Whether I am teaching someone how to use their computer or I am fixing a computer, I have found that I am best at helping someone out when they make a list of everything that needs done.
Today I had two great clients that had nice neat lists made up of everything that needed done. One particular client had a long list of 15 or 20 things, but because she had taken the time to write them all down, I was able to get through the entire list in about an hour and 15 minutes.
I compare this to my clients who don’t have a list made up. I arrive and they try to think of all of the things they would either like me to teach them or fix. Inevitably within a day or two of leaving their house, I get a call about something that they meant to tell me about. Typically this happens after a spouse or child gets home later and reminds them about a problem (often the most important problem) that they originally called me for.
This is very similar to the advice I give when people ask me about what book they should buy to help them with their computer.
Since everyone learns differently, there is not one single book I can recommend that fits all needs. I tell people to write out a list of five or seven questions they have about their computer. Try to make them as specific as possible. Next, they should take that list to the book store and try to find the answers to the questions.
If the answers are easy to find and they make some deal of sense, then the book is probably a good one.
Making a list will help a person organize their thoughts and often it begins the troubleshooting process. After making a list sometimes people will see a common thread in the problem and be able to fix it themselves.
