Technology. It isn't always the answer

[Prestwich_Blue]

I'm an FOC but I make my living working in technology. I design technology solutions for companies that hopefully make them more efficient but I see increasing scenarios where technology just gets in the way.

I have a regular prescription these days and previously you'd request it by dropping a form off at the GP surgery, collect it a couple of days later then go into a convenient pharmacy to have it made up. Now I have to submit it online, wait for a GP to authorise it, then it gets sent to my nominated pharmacy, who need 3 business days to have it ready (although they're usually quite quick). If everything works well, I can submit a request on Monday morning and pick it up on Wednesday afternoon. Last week I submitted a repeat prescription request via the NHS app first thing on Tuesday morning but it wasn't authorised till Friday afternoon, and it wasn't available till the following Tuesday, a week after I submitted it. I had to miss 2 days of tablets because of this. Technology just makes the process worse for the user in this case, not better.

Tonight I went to the theatre and we went into Wagamama for a pre-theatre meal. I asked for the bill but the waitress didn't bring it (in complete contrast to America where it gets brought to you in good time even before you've finished your meal). They said I could scan the app to pay but it wasn't authorised till taking ages as my signal was weak, then I had to authorise it via my banking app. It must have taken 10 minutes and I'm not sure it even went through. Just bring me the fucking bill and the card reader so I can pay it without going through all sorts of hoops.

Why do we need to introduce technology that makes it harder for the user, rather than making it more convenient?

 

[DiscoSteve]

Similar FOC status, similar job, but I'm now working in the NHS space trying to fix some of the sh*t you're describing!

 

[crooky]

I'm an FOC but I make my living working in technology. I design technology solutions for companies that hopefully make them more efficient but I see increasing scenarios where technology just gets in the way.

I have a regular prescription these days and previously you'd request it by dropping a form off at the GP surgery, collect it a couple of days later then go into a convenient pharmacy to have it made up. Now I have to submit it online, wait for a GP to authorise it, then it gets sent to my nominated pharmacy, who need 3 business days to have it ready (although they're usually quite quick). If everything works well, I can submit a request on Monday morning and pick it up on Wednesday afternoon. Last week I submitted a repeat prescription request via the NHS app first thing on Tuesday morning but it wasn't authorised till Friday afternoon, and it wasn't available till the following Tuesday, a week after I submitted it. I had to miss 2 days of tablets because of this. Technology just makes the process worse for the user in this case, not better.

Tonight I went to the theatre and we went into Wagamama for a pre-theatre meal. I asked for the bill but the waitress didn't bring it (in complete contrast to America where it gets brought to you in good time even before you've finished your meal). They said I could scan the app to pay but it wasn't authorised till taking ages as my signal was weak, then I had to authorise it via my banking app. It must have taken 10 minutes and I'm not sure it even went through. Just bring me the fucking bill and the card reader so I can pay it without going through all sorts of hoops.

Why do we need to introduce technology that makes it harder for the user, rather than making it more convenient?

I'd never go to that restaurant again after that. Something's in life just don't need changing. Any place that requires an app to buy food is a waste of everyone's time.

 

[mexico1970]

I'm an FOC but I make my living working in technology. I design technology solutions for companies that hopefully make them more efficient but I see increasing scenarios where technology just gets in the way.

I have a regular prescription these days and previously you'd request it by dropping a form off at the GP surgery, collect it a couple of days later then go into a convenient pharmacy to have it made up. Now I have to submit it online, wait for a GP to authorise it, then it gets sent to my nominated pharmacy, who need 3 business days to have it ready (although they're usually quite quick). If everything works well, I can submit a request on Monday morning and pick it up on Wednesday afternoon. Last week I submitted a repeat prescription request via the NHS app first thing on Tuesday morning but it wasn't authorised till Friday afternoon, and it wasn't available till the following Tuesday, a week after I submitted it. I had to miss 2 days of tablets because of this. Technology just makes the process worse for the user in this case, not better.

Tonight I went to the theatre and we went into Wagamama for a pre-theatre meal. I asked for the bill but the waitress didn't bring it (in complete contrast to America where it gets brought to you in good time even before you've finished your meal). They said I could scan the app to pay but it wasn't authorised till taking ages as my signal was weak, then I had to authorise it via my banking app. It must have taken 10 minutes and I'm not sure it even went through. Just bring me the fucking bill and the card reader so I can pay it without going through all sorts of hoops.

Why do we need to introduce technology that makes it harder for the user, rather than making it more convenient?

I feel your pain with the NHS app because when the prescription ordering function hits a problem (It's usually at the doctors end) it can really fuck your system up.

As for restaurants I only eat where they take both cash and card, or of course just cash.

 

[Trevor Morley's Tache]

I'm an FOC but I make my living working in technology. I design technology solutions for companies that hopefully make them more efficient but I see increasing scenarios where technology just gets in the way.

I have a regular prescription these days and previously you'd request it by dropping a form off at the GP surgery, collect it a couple of days later then go into a convenient pharmacy to have it made up. Now I have to submit it online, wait for a GP to authorise it, then it gets sent to my nominated pharmacy, who need 3 business days to have it ready (although they're usually quite quick). If everything works well, I can submit a request on Monday morning and pick it up on Wednesday afternoon. Last week I submitted a repeat prescription request via the NHS app first thing on Tuesday morning but it wasn't authorised till Friday afternoon, and it wasn't available till the following Tuesday, a week after I submitted it. I had to miss 2 days of tablets because of this. Technology just makes the process worse for the user in this case, not better.

Tonight I went to the theatre and we went into Wagamama for a pre-theatre meal. I asked for the bill but the waitress didn't bring it (in complete contrast to America where it gets brought to you in good time even before you've finished your meal). They said I could scan the app to pay but it wasn't authorised till taking ages as my signal was weak, then I had to authorise it via my banking app. It must have taken 10 minutes and I'm not sure it even went through. Just bring me the fucking bill and the card reader so I can pay it without going through all sorts of hoops.

Why do we need to introduce technology that makes it harder for the user, rather than making it more convenient?

On previous short trips to the US I've travelled with my UK sim card and had no data available in the US due to the extortionate cost on my UK contract for foreign usage. It fucks you right over in certain situations where you can't access WiFi.

 

[threespires]

I'm an FOC but I make my living working in technology. I design technology solutions for companies that hopefully make them more efficient but I see increasing scenarios where technology just gets in the way.

I have a regular prescription these days and previously you'd request it by dropping a form off at the GP surgery, collect it a couple of days later then go into a convenient pharmacy to have it made up. Now I have to submit it online, wait for a GP to authorise it, then it gets sent to my nominated pharmacy, who need 3 business days to have it ready (although they're usually quite quick). If everything works well, I can submit a request on Monday morning and pick it up on Wednesday afternoon. Last week I submitted a repeat prescription request via the NHS app first thing on Tuesday morning but it wasn't authorised till Friday afternoon, and it wasn't available till the following Tuesday, a week after I submitted it. I had to miss 2 days of tablets because of this. Technology just makes the process worse for the user in this case, not better.

Tonight I went to the theatre and we went into Wagamama for a pre-theatre meal. I asked for the bill but the waitress didn't bring it (in complete contrast to America where it gets brought to you in good time even before you've finished your meal). They said I could scan the app to pay but it wasn't authorised till taking ages as my signal was weak, then I had to authorise it via my banking app. It must have taken 10 minutes and I'm not sure it even went through. Just bring me the fucking bill and the card reader so I can pay it without going through all sorts of hoops.

Why do we need to introduce technology that makes it harder for the user, rather than making it more convenient?

I guess sometimes it's just crap UX design but other times it allows organisations to reduce their cost base and they think the associated drop in service won't lose them business? Dicey game to play in the private sector but less so in the public sector. There's plenty of digitisation that is claimed to be about improving customer experience but everyone knows is really about doing the job with less people.

You're right about the NHS system for prescriptions it's bobbins, but I asked our pharmacist why it took 2-3 days to process from it appearing on the spine and he basically said it wasn't anything to do with the system it was not enough staff to process the ever increasing volumes.

 

[The Stockport Iniesta]

Thanks for the heads-up. I'll go to that restaurant, have a good scran then do a runner. Cunts won't have a clue what happened.

 

[I'm With Stupid]

Why do we need to introduce technology that makes it harder for the user, rather than making it more convenient?

Because it's not made to make it easier for the customer, it's made to make it cheaper for the company.

QR code menus so they can change the price whenever they want without having to reprint them all. QR code payments so they don't have to pay credit card fees. Digital loyalty cards so they track your spending and advertise to you more easily and then sell your data to others.

I work in education, and every 10 years or so, there's another technology that is going to 'revolutionize' education. In the 60s, there were classrooms full of computers where the kids would get perfectly individualized education. Then it was the internet. At the moment, it's AI that's going to make everything better. And yet somehow, after all of these revolutions, we still consider an adult in a room with 20-30 kids as the best method (well ideally fewer kids). There was even a big book publisher who went to one of the big trade shows and had no books on their stands, so convinced were they that digital was the future. They quickly rolled that back. And don't get me wrong, a lot of it is really useful, but it's never the revolution people like to claim.

 

[I'm With Stupid]

I'd never go to that restaurant again after that.

I'd never go to Wagamama's again after trying the food tbh. I went once. Absolute shite.

 

[Eccles Blue]

I've been getting my prescriptions this way for about 7 years. But I don’t need to order as all my tablets are on repeat and they send for me once a year to make sure I know what I am taking and why.
I’m very lucky with my pharmacy as well. They just deliver the medication.
Mind you with all the medication I’m on it takes me nearly half an hour on Sunday morning to put them out for the week!! :-) :-)

I have a routine on Sunday morning, put out my tablets for the week then a 2 hour FaceTime call to my sister in French France as a reward!!
So technology is useful at times. :-)
Like others I only use restaurants that have waiters or waitresses who bring over the machine or who take cash.
Plus I never go to the places where you order from a machine. I order from a person or I walk out. :-) Very fussy. *lol*

 

[surprisedbygrass]

Because it's not made to make it easier for the customer, it's made to make it cheaper for the company.

QR code menus so they can change the price whenever they want without having to reprint them all. QR code payments so they don't have to pay credit card fees. Digital loyalty cards so they track your spending and advertise to you more easily and then sell your data to others.

I work in education, and every 10 years or so, there's another technology that is going to 'revolutionize' education. In the 60s, there were classrooms full of computers where the kids would get perfectly individualized education. Then it was the internet. At the moment, it's AI that's going to make everything better. And yet somehow, after all of these revolutions, we still consider an adult in a room with 20-30 kids as the best method (well ideally fewer kids). There was even a big book publisher who went to one of the big trade shows and had no books on their stands, so convinced were they that digital was the future. They quickly rolled that back. And don't get me wrong, a lot of it is really useful, but it's never the revolution people like to claim.

Good point. Another major shift to reduce staff costs is the way we have all been " encouraged" to use on line services for "convenience" . We spend hours browsing our consumer choices, especially for insurance and utilities , populate often long and complicated forms , navigate further choices set up by algorithms and at the end make a mistake and start again . We have become unpaid admin staff in any number of private and public sector organisations . Where has all our time / attention gone ? I might be getting the " best deal " but why is it that , after a session interacting with a robot , I feel as if my brain has turned to sludge and my mood is irritable . We are human and we need to talk to other humans .

 

[pride in battle]

I'm an FOC but I make my living working in technology. I design technology solutions for companies that hopefully make them more efficient but I see increasing scenarios where technology just gets in the way.

I have a regular prescription these days and previously you'd request it by dropping a form off at the GP surgery, collect it a couple of days later then go into a convenient pharmacy to have it made up. Now I have to submit it online, wait for a GP to authorise it, then it gets sent to my nominated pharmacy, who need 3 business days to have it ready (although they're usually quite quick). If everything works well, I can submit a request on Monday morning and pick it up on Wednesday afternoon. Last week I submitted a repeat prescription request via the NHS app first thing on Tuesday morning but it wasn't authorised till Friday afternoon, and it wasn't available till the following Tuesday, a week after I submitted it. I had to miss 2 days of tablets because of this. Technology just makes the process worse for the user in this case, not better.

Tonight I went to the theatre and we went into Wagamama for a pre-theatre meal. I asked for the bill but the waitress didn't bring it (in complete contrast to America where it gets brought to you in good time even before you've finished your meal). They said I could scan the app to pay but it wasn't authorised till taking ages as my signal was weak, then I had to authorise it via my banking app. It must have taken 10 minutes and I'm not sure it even went through. Just bring me the fucking bill and the card reader so I can pay it without going through all sorts of hoops.

Why do we need to introduce technology that makes it harder for the user, rather than making it more convenient?

Pharmacy2U, free delivery, miles easier mate.

 

[Paladin]

I'm an FOC but I make my living working in technology. I design technology solutions for companies that hopefully make them more efficient but I see increasing scenarios where technology just gets in the way.

I have a regular prescription these days and previously you'd request it by dropping a form off at the GP surgery, collect it a couple of days later then go into a convenient pharmacy to have it made up. Now I have to submit it online, wait for a GP to authorise it, then it gets sent to my nominated pharmacy, who need 3 business days to have it ready (although they're usually quite quick). If everything works well, I can submit a request on Monday morning and pick it up on Wednesday afternoon. Last week I submitted a repeat prescription request via the NHS app first thing on Tuesday morning but it wasn't authorised till Friday afternoon, and it wasn't available till the following Tuesday, a week after I submitted it. I had to miss 2 days of tablets because of this. Technology just makes the process worse for the user in this case, not better.

Tonight I went to the theatre and we went into Wagamama for a pre-theatre meal. I asked for the bill but the waitress didn't bring it (in complete contrast to America where it gets brought to you in good time even before you've finished your meal). They said I could scan the app to pay but it wasn't authorised till taking ages as my signal was weak, then I had to authorise it via my banking app. It must have taken 10 minutes and I'm not sure it even went through. Just bring me the fucking bill and the card reader so I can pay it without going through all sorts of hoops.

Why do we need to introduce technology that makes it harder for the user, rather than making it more convenient?

So in your first example the technology works fine, but it is let down by humans. But even then, one of the two human interactions happens quicker than the expectation in most cases. Also you seen to advocate filling in a paper form before dropping it off at the surgery over completing an electronic form which is delivered instantly and without any inconvenience to anyone. Both methods then need an element of human intervention.

In the second example you want to change one method of paying by using technology for a more tried and trusted method of paying using a different technology.

It seems to me that in both these scenarios technology is actually the answer.

 

[Fernster]

I have repeat prescriptions which I order from the app every month.
The trick is to put the request in 5 - 7 days prior to requirement and it usually gets authorised in time and can be made by the pharmacy before your last lot runs out.
This works for me and I have never had an issue.

 

[BimboBob]

I was round my mates house who was showing off his Hive app. "Look!", he exclaimed, "I can turn the heating down and dim the lights". I helpfully pointed out to him that he was stood next to the dimmer switch and the heating controls on the wall.

Utterly pointless.

I also wouldn't use a place that made me download an app to pay. Or scan a QR code to see the menu.

 

[BimboBob]

I have repeat prescriptions which I order from the app every month.
The trick is to put the request in 5 - 7 days prior to requirement and it usually gets authorised in time and can be made by the pharmacy before your last lot runs out.
This works for me and I have never had an issue.

My local doctors has a website. Log in, order pills, pick them up 3 days later. Like you I never get to the stage that I've run out.

 

[denislawsbackheel]

Because it's not made to make it easier for the customer, it's made to make it cheaper for the company.

QR code menus so they can change the price whenever they want without having to reprint them all. QR code payments so they don't have to pay credit card fees. Digital loyalty cards so they track your spending and advertise to you more easily and then sell your data to others.

I work in education, and every 10 years or so, there's another technology that is going to 'revolutionize' education. In the 60s, there were classrooms full of computers where the kids would get perfectly individualized education. Then it was the internet. At the moment, it's AI that's going to make everything better. And yet somehow, after all of these revolutions, we still consider an adult in a room with 20-30 kids as the best method (well ideally fewer kids). There was even a big book publisher who went to one of the big trade shows and had no books on their stands, so convinced were they that digital was the future. They quickly rolled that back. And don't get me wrong, a lot of it is really useful, but it's never the revolution people like to claim.

Computers in the 60s?
I doubt it.
I saw the introduction of computers to schools in the early 1980s.
It was 1 BBC computer per school!

 

[grunge]

Related as its tech, there are some papers coming out at the moment about AI in software development is having lots of detrimental effects as well as some positives. You give the ai the information and requirements and it goes away and does its best to give the code you want ( often very poorly ) but it takes 30 seconds to a few minutes to do it. This is enough time to allow for distractions.

One of the key things for a software developer is when you get “in the zone” and code just flows nicely. You have all the parameters/flows/variables in your head and it’s all knits together. This ai “break” is causing lots of developers to never get in the zone and is causing delays rather than gains.

This in Ai form



There are already “vibe code cleanup experts” appearing on linked in.

There are far too many C level managers that think AI is a replacement to developers rather than thinking of the areas velocity can be increased and just make more products to sell.

 

[denislawsbackheel]

I was round my mates house who was showing off his Hive app. "Look!", he exclaimed, "I can turn the heating down and dim the lights". I helpfully pointed out to him that he was stood next to the dimmer switch and the heating controls on the wall.

Utterly pointless.

I also wouldn't use a place that made me download an app to pay. Or scan a QR code to see the menu.

I can do that with Hive from any room I am in.
I love my portable Hive thermostat. I take it to the room I am in and turn down radiator valves in room I am not in. I can also turn the heating on when I am out of the house so it’s toasty when I get in if there’s a cold snap.
Wetherspoons QR code system works easily.

 

[hampshireblue]

I vary between ordering prescriptions on the app or on the surgery website. The turnaround time is the same for both-about 2 days, and no different to when I used to use the paper method.

I get your frustration about the restaurant bill, but the problem was your "weak signal" and the authorisation of the payment is there to protect you.