"Just figure it out"
Here at the CiviCRM Admin Training in Paris, more than one person has mentipned that they were given the task of managing the CRM at their organization, being told basically, "Here it is. Please figure out out."
Sometimes in life that's a great moto.
Travelling alone in a new city? "Just figuring it out" can be fulfilling.
Got a movie like “Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind,” or a novel like Life of Pi? "Just figuring it out" is part of the experience.
But exploring a city unfolds slowly, in a way our senses can grasp.
Films and novels actually unfold for us; we can merely go along for the ride.
A complex software system, on the other hand, does not have physical streets you can walk.
There is no narrative beginning and end.
It's more like learning a language. And if you've ever tried to do that without a guide, you know it's daunting, slow, and error-prone.
So if you — or your staff — need to get a handle on CiviCRM, or some aspect of it, it's worth knowing that "just figuring it out" isn't your only option.
CiviAcademy offers a large library of video tutorials.
civicrm.stackexchange.com offers a structured Q&A format to get answers for your specific questions.
The official CiviCRM documentation is a very useful reference.
And, just as with learning a language, hiring an experienced educator can accelerate learning beyond any ad-hoc self-led approach.
A good coach can transform your learning experience, saving you (or your staff) literally weeks of confusion and missteps.
Whatever steps you take, look for ways to add structure and narrative to the learning.
Cities and films offer those naturally.
Complex software, not so much.
Unless you aim for it.
All the best,
A.