Losing the art of tinkering?

If you don’t know the process or the options available, how can you get the result you want?

Growing up at that time when online technologies were really starting to emerge (from the late 90s through the early 2000s), I found myself learning to code HTML and CSS from scratch. This was well before tools like Squarespace or WordPress made things easier, of course.

If you wanted to build something online or add functionality, you had to figure it out yourself — often spending hours trying things to get it right.

It might seem like a lot of wasted time now, but those hours I put in were invaluable.

Tinkering with different platforms, tools, and technologies helped me understand the fundamentals of creating something from the ground up.

This taught me how to work, solve problems, and most importantly, how to learn.

Having a non-profit organization gave me a great excuse to experiment with various tools and platforms — whether it was setting up online donation systems, finding platforms to sell event tickets, or managing a blog with multiple contributors.

Because there weren't many all-in-one solutions and easy integrations, I learned to connect different technologies (like setting up Blogger to have an RSS feed that could import into a static HTML site and automatically send out email updates). Blogger isn’t around anymore, but that’s not the point.

(Somewhere, there are dozens of iterations of the ACCESS website I experimented on over the years).

The things I learned from that time are relevant today — because it wasn’t just about getting things to work, it was about understanding processes, experimenting, and having a clear idea of my intended outcome and goals.

What’s changed?

Today we have so many quick fixes, automated solutions, and pre-made templates that it’s easy to skip over the important questions — the why, the purpose, and the goals behind our actions.

With just a few clicks you can set up a fully functional website, blog, online store, forms and a newsletter — but without the need to really think through your intentions and goals.

It’s easy to go with the default and stick with standard settings.
But there’s a benefit in taking time to figure things out.

Doing the manual work, navigating different platforms, learning the processes — there’s a lot to be learned.

Today I use things like my podcast, this newsletter you're reading or my new membership to tinker with new platforms and tools.

I value staying a practitioner, learning what’s new and understanding the process.

Why try?

I’m not saying to go back in time before there were these tools, but here are a few benefits for (sometimes) taking this approach:

• While automation and quick fixes are convenient, taking the time to manually tinker with technology can help you clarify your goals and intentions.

• Spending time experimenting with different tools and platforms can lead to a deeper understanding of processes and problem-solving techniques.

• The process of tinkering encourages you to ask important questions about the purpose and outcome of your work, which is key for meaningful outcomes and clear communication.

• Hands-on experimentation allows you to better connect with the tools and technologies you use, making you more adaptable and resourceful in your work — and more aware of what’s out there already.

• On top of the valuable learning experiences, you can also end up with some extra or unexpectedly good results.

I encourage you to find something to tinker with today.

It could be a task that feels manual, repetitive, or inefficient.

Or it could be a unique initiative, program or product.

Experiment with it, play with it, and see what you learn.

The results might surprise you.