Tools Can't Drive

© Copyright 2013 Caroline M. Pointer

The other day online someone mentioned that they still hadn't learned how to use Evernote for genealogy. And this is something I've heard many times in many different ways.

"You need to do a video on how to use Evernote for genealogy."

Or, "Show me how to use Evernote for my research, Caroline."

I've almost created a video on it, but I created 2 how-to videos for my note-taking tech tool of choice, OneNote, and I thought that was enough really.

I've suggested other note-taking apps to use as well. Other folks have done blog posts on how they use Evernote and some specifically on how to use it for genealogy, or at least how they use it for genealogy research.

And then there was a discussion last night on Facebook that touched upon this subject a bit, or at least, the negative effects of too much tech and not enough genealogy research basics.

And I'm going to predict this year you'll finally see how-to-use-Evernote webinars and presentations/workshops at conferences.

But?

I don't think most folks need it. I predict you'll be at the end of a webinar or at the end of one of those  conference presentations and walk away from your computer or leave the presentation hall not really knowing how to use it for your research. {And really? A presentation for a how-to-use-an-app for genealogy? It definitely shouldn't be anything less than a workshop showing you how to incorporate it into your research workflow when doing it live, IMO. Don't settle for less.}

You see, Evernote and apps just like it are just tools. In fact Evernote and OneNote are digital tools to help you take and archive notes. If you know how to take notes and use a file cabinet or a binder with dividers for organizing your genealogy research, you can figure out how to use Evernote and OneNote. {Unless, you're lacking computer or organizational skills. That's different.}

I don't think learning how to use the tech tool is the problem. One way I can tell this is by the number of my Research Plan downloads {for several types of platforms and not just OneNote} there have been. Folks are really asking for something else when they ask me to show them how to use a tech tool for genealogy. They're asking how to perform research. And I'm not talking about searching Ancestry.com for the umpteenth time or chasing down a shaking leaf. {While that can be rewarding at times, it becomes tedious and non-productive if that's all you ever do.}

I'm talking about narrowing down your research question and completing a research plan in order to answer that pointed research question in some form or fashion, and then doing it all over again with a new or revised research question.

And we can blame this on the advent of do-it-yourself sites like Ancestry.com, but that would be pointless. Besides, as with all things, with the bad comes the good, and IMO, Ancestry.com's good far, far {FAR} outweighs its bad. And, hello? It's a tool.

Or, if you'd like, you could blame it on me. I talk tech all the time. I push links to new tech out to y'all through my social media networks.

But if you'll notice on my 7 Gen-Tech Links Posts, I give you a link with an explanation of how it might be used while researching. In my Tech for Genealogy Google Plus Community, I try to begin and encourage discussions on how to use the tech. {And I definitely discourage Link Spamming there, which is leaving a link without any type of description of what the link is about, ideas on how it could be used for research, or a question about the tech the link is leading to. It's a community not a message board.}

I've even advocated recently in a local presentation that a person really should just learn one piece of technology a month while keeping up with their research. {Cray-cray, right?}

And I cannot believe I'm going to say this, but? You don't need another app or gadget to get your research done. You don't need another tech tool to get it done.

You need to focus on your research and your methods. Sure, use the tech or gadgets to help you.

But what you really need is your brain. And for genealogy, your pedigree chart. Sure, your pedigree chart may not look like your grandmother's {or maybe it does}. It may be gussied up and all nice and colorful looking back at you from your iPad.

But? It's a pedigree chart. And you're here in this online genealogy world to research. Stop getting distracted, and use that brain of yours to find your kinfolk. There is absolutely no tech tool out there that can do your research for you. It can either help you or distract you, but it can't do it for you.

{But? Don't fret. The 7 Gen-Tech Links Post will be back for the new year starting tomorrow. Just, you know, really look at them and see if they can help you find your kinfolk. If so, incorporate it into your workflow. If not, move on.}

Because the only one who should be driving your research is you.

'Cause, Silly, tools can't drive. They need you for that.

~Caroline

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