As software
improves, the people using it become less likely to sharpen their own know-how.
Applications that offer lots of prompts and tips are often to blame; simpler,
less solicitous programs push people harder to think, act and learn.
Ten years ago, information
scientists at Utrecht University in the Netherlands had a group of people carry
out complicated analytical and planning tasks using either rudimentary software
that provided no assistance or sophisticated software that offered a great deal
of aid. The researchers found that the people using the simple software
developed better strategies, made fewer mistakes and developed a deeper
aptitude for the work. The people using the more advanced software, meanwhile,
would often “aimlessly click around” when confronted with a tricky problem. The
supposedly helpful software actually short-circuited their thinking and
learning.
We are amazed by
our computers, and we should be. But we shouldn't let our enthusiasm lead us to
underestimate our own talents. Even the smartest software lacks the common
sense, ingenuity and verve of the skilled professional. In cockpits, offices or
examination rooms, human experts remain indispensable. Their insight, ingenuity
and intuition, honed through hard work and seasoned real-world judgment, can’t
be replicated by algorithms or robots.
(excerpts from Automation
Makes Us Dumb by Nicholas Carr)
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