Your SharePoint User Is Not Stupid

That’s right!

Your user isn’t stupid; SharePoint is stupid.

There I’ve said it.

Let the skies open up and lightning strike me dead.

• SharePoint is a tool.
• Tools don’t do anything. They are stupid.
• People use tools to build things.
  • The tool appears brilliant, but really it’s the builder, or the business analyst, or that team that knows the process/issue.
• Teach people to use what was built.
  • Remember how intimidating and exciting it was to drive a car or ride a bike for the first time?
  • Did you try to do it on your own the first time?
  • Did you have help?

If you don’t teach your user how to use what was built, you will need to point that stupid finger at yourself, not your user.

You were hired for your job, solving issues with SharePoint (if you are lucky). The sales team you are building a solution for was hired for sales jobs. They are not stupid because they don’t know SharePoint. You are not stupid because you don’t know sales. SharePoint isn’t stupid because tools can’t be stupid they are inanimate (unless you have enchanted tools).

Consider this the next time you want to call a user stupid because they don’t know SharePoint.