David Keyes

Digital Inclusion Bytes: Assessing Household Technology Needs

This is the fourth in the series of Digital Bytes posts. You can find the other posts and their associated resources in the NDIA blog:

What do you assume is a good technology baseline for a household? How do we help community members assess what kind of devices and internet connection are best for their needs? What do you include in tech support? For this Digital Inclusion Bytes post, we’re introducing a new Individual & Household Technology Check-up Tool and a framework for tech support. 

Tools for you to use

The Check-up Tool is a questionnaire that can be used with other skill and needs assessments. The check-up covers devices, internet connections, monitors, printers, accessories, and tech support. It’s a starter survey to help guide digital navigators and providers identify the current state and needs of a user. This will help guide what’s needed in addition to asking what a resident needs to learn or do with their tech.

Individual & Household Technology Check-Up Tool

A couple of other good reference assessment tools are the Gila River Telecommunications’ Digital Connect’s program’s device assessment tool and the Pennsylvania Assistive Technology Foundation’s Smart Homes Made Simple Self-assessment Tool. See the Resources section below for more on these and other tech support tips and tools. 

Technical support traditionally starts with the hardware, set-up, and applications, but can more broadly include operational support, or helping users with online services. Assistance usually covers one or more of these three areas, and all of them include account logins and settings for privacy, notifications, updates, and more: 

  1. Connectivity, devices and other hardware technology
  2. Applications and software tools
  3. Use of online services or apps for specific purposes (e.g., employment, education, health, finance, public services, etc). 

Good user support requires some versatility in all these areas, helping users with initial set-up, troubleshooting, navigating the use of online services, skill building, and connecting to other technical and navigation support.  

Here’s one model to use for levels of support and the sequence: 

  • 1st level: Pre-operational tech support
    • Help choosing and signing up for internet service
    • Buying or obtaining a device and peripherals (mouse, headphones/microphone, printer)
    • Choosing, obtaining, and installing basic software and apps
  • 2nd level: Start using tech support:
    • Getting devices operational and connected to the internet 
    • May include some installation (e.g., putting in the modem/wi-fi router or a repeater, back-up drive (physical or cloud-based)
    • Installing basic software or setting up to download applications
    • Added settings for privacy, safety, and security
  • 3rd level: Operational tech support
    • Basic online digital navigation assistance 
    • Help using online applications (e.g., Zoom, the unemployment website and applying or finding info
    • Using applications and customizing views and settings
  • 4th level: Advanced tech support
    • Troubleshooting tech issues (e.g., camera or mic issues, can’t print, computer frozen due to malware)
    • More advanced applications and online services assistance

Good digital skilling work always includes building the self-sufficiency of community members. This means helping users with two key areas: 

1) Finding additional tech support, and 

2) Learning how to describe tech issues and search effectively for solutions online. 

Search tools may be getting better, but it’s still critical to help users learn effective search strategies; this also helps them become more self-sufficient and comfortable seeking tech solutions and support online. Senior Planet (AARP) has a good Ask the Techspert post on 7 Tips to Get What You Need from Tech Support and a post about getting tech support online on Bobology.com describes some of the options for using online services.

Lastly, we have the opportunity in our communities to build mutual tech support networks by connecting people and creating forums to provide support and reduce repeat problem-solving. This could include tech time, coffee or tea, volunteer matching, Tech Tips, and Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) tools. The Wyckoff, New Jersey Public Library has Tech Tips posted that include a few first things to do with your new computer and wi-fi set-up tips. Ashbury Senior Computer Community Center in Cleveland holds a Super Tech Day three times per year, where people can get help with their new (or not-so-new) gadgets from student volunteers. Motor City Tech Bars are providing free tech support at Detroit Public Libraries and community centers; they are a partnership between the City of Detroit Department of Innovation and Technology, with Human I-T providing support services.

Partnerships with local stores, electronic repair shops, and tech support staff from companies, schools, and other organizations can also help teach staff and users basic operations and tech support tips. Many have materials they use in-house that could be adapted for community users. 

With limited time and resources, we may not always reach the level of tech support needed. Using these tools to understand what users need will help you lay out a path to immediate and longer-term support. Combined with teaching programs, navigator and support sessions, and learning how and where to refer community members to tech support, this will help build the tech support ecosystem needed for full digital inclusion and equity.  

Let us know if you have other resources to link to and suggestions for improving the support matrix and Household Tech Check-up Tool. 

Resources

This blog was written by David Keyes, Advisor, NDIA, and is the fourth of a four-part series, Digital Inclusion Bytes: Insights and Resources, covering digital inclusion resources. You can find the other posts and their associated resources in the NDIA blog:

Our thanks to partners Bridging the Digital Divide and the Lucy and Jack Rosenberg Fund for their support in launching this blog series.