Thursday, April 28, 2022

I just want Batman's utility belt, really

Back on the tools

Where do you fit on the spectrum of tool users, friend? On one end are the people who, convinced that Phillips Head screws are an industry scam to sell screwdrivers, use a flat head on every screw and a hammer on everything else.

On the other end are the people who purchase tons of "professional" tools because of a Youtube video about hanging curtains.

In the middle are the actual professionals. The people who spend up big on a few tools critical to their work, but are happy to use whatever works otherwise¹.

Software tools are no different. Plenty of high quality customer service is sent out from a shared Gmail inbox. And plenty of companies are paying big bucks for way more complex tools than they will ever use.

The trick is to find the tools that will help you get the required jobs done with the least effort. Of course tradespeople typically buy their own tools, building up a set of trustworthy pieces that they use for years or decades.

In the software world we are often stuck using tools chosen by someone who will never use them (but who does control the budget). That mismatch of priorities can add daily friction for support teams, and ultimately impact on customer service quality.

It's a poor workman who blames his tools, true. The quality of the work output is what matters. But if I nipped across the road and replaced the tools on my neighbours new house build with my kid's First Construction Play Set, I reckon the timeline on that build might blow out a bit.

Tools do matter, so it is worth your time to understand what you need and to develop some internal influence over tool selection.

And get yourself a good set of screwdrivers.

¹ Also the people who buy 460-tools-in-one things off the TV but never open the box because they don't have anything capable of piercing the packaging.

Mat Patterson
Help Scout

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