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What Qualities Make Good Technicians?

Posted by Cliff on from the lets-get-introspective dept.

rderek asks: "I am an instructor at an educational, and my focus is on computer technicians (not sys-admins). The course that we run is very demanding, and produces (we think) very good techs. We are allways in the process of adjusting our cirriculum to remain current, but it may be time to adjust our teaching process. What we want is not simply to create people who know how a computer works, but who also have the attitude and mindset of good technicians. I would like to know what each of you consider to be the qualities necessary for a person to be a good tech."

3 of 14 comments (clear)

  1. curiosity in a hackish sort of way by He+Who+Suffers · · Score: 4

    Having worked as a tech, in a variety of organisations, I have noticed that my colleagues with the 'right stuff' were all very curious about how things are, and how they work.

    Any new toy^H^H^H piece of equipment that comes into the office has the lid opened to check for new stuff. Articles about novelties must be followed up - it took me weeks to search out enough information to be comfortable with how sterling engines run.

    Much to the distress of my mother, I must plead guilty to having a track record for pulling things apart from a very young age, but mostly putting them back together in a working state. Of my friends who are techs, most have the same story.

    Hardware of all sorts is fascinating. The first time I see anything new, I find myself thinking out how such a machine would operate. If it is not immediately apparent, then the lid must come off, or the plans be searched out to satisfy my need to know. In this way a general knowledge is built up so that tech people have a feel for what is right, and get hunches about a faults, that then pay off when repairing unusual faults.

    1. Re:curiosity in a hackish sort of way by compwizrd · · Score: 2

      Exactly! Another important part I think, is having a gut instinct on how something is meant to be. Even if a good tech doesn't know how something works, having the instinct about how it must work, is very important for making a new toy work. Once you've got the basics down, then you start working on the fine details, by RTFM'ing or something lame like that =)

  2. Re:people skills by Get_Plover · · Score: 3

    seems like there are at least (2) types of tech - those who work with the afflicted machines in a shop/back-room and those who do the same under a barrage of human induced stress at client sites. Clearly the latter is more difficult, so a good tech ought to recognize early on whether they can manage themselves and others; stay in the back rooms if not. here are some things that proved helpful:
    Whenever meeting a client, regardless of situation, i usually find myself in stronger positions when i've kept my mouth shut - meaning only that they will almost always ask "do you think its xx or maybe Z?" - Safe answers sound something like..."I don't know, could be. You have my full attention now and I'm sure we can straighten this out." . Expounding with a client on all the things that COULD be wrong wastes a lot of time. Get used to " I've not seen that before. Tell me about the.... " --sometimes helps to seem a little impatient with the conversation ( if it seems pedantic), to keep walking toward that which is misbehaving.
    Helpful too is an ability to nicely shut them down when they begin relating the long list of corrective measures they have already undertaken to fix the problem. i don't mean to say don't listen to them (one MUST!) instead initiate and control the verbal exchange with something like:
    " You may have taken steps to correct this but please understand that even if you did I MUST be thorough... which may even mean repetition of some of your actions. I know this may be difficult but you will only distract me and prolong the analysis by bombarding me with questions. Let me ask you questions, and you try to be concise with the replies- we'll figure this out." --Clients like to think they played a part in finding the solution. Often they do.
    -Empathy helps too. especially with MS products. <scratch head> "I am as perplexed as you, let me scan the newsgroups and see if anyone else has this problem" <--buys time.
    A cardinal rule- never insinuate that anything anyone did was "stupid" either outright or by tacit agreement. This goes on alot. The bigwig or your contact or a guy who walks up to check on progress may be trying to cast a co-worker in a bad light, don't provide the ammo. everyone has expertise in their arena, recognize that, try to give credit to people for any positive actions and remain neutral.
    and don't forget to eat beforehand if you think its gonna be a long one....