It’s not PEBCAK, it’s you
During my college days, I worked at an on-campus computer store. It was basically a mini Apple Store of sorts, but frequented by too many students wielding their parents' credit cards. My role involved fixing computers and troubleshooting issues for students.
My co-workers, mostly Computer Science majors or engineers, were absolute geniuses (no pun intended) when it came to tech. However, there was one area where they often faltered: human interaction with our customers. Whether it was the freshman confused about uploading an assignment, the research assistant wrestling with formatting data, or the sorority president in tears over a crashed hard drive, empathy was in short supply.
"It's PEBCAK," a coworker told me, "Problem Exists Between Chair And Keyboard."
That term didn't sit well with me then, and it still doesn't.
People often see issues with technology as their own shortcomings. "I'm so bad at computers," they say. "It's user error!"
Is it user error if a poorly designed website hampers a freshman from uploading an assignment?
Is it user error when clunky, outdated software baffles a research assistant?
Is it user error when a hard drive malfunction destroys years of precious memories for a sorority president?
If there’s one thing I’ve learned over the years, it’s that if you’re working in IT or product management or UX or, hell, anything: if you’re blaming your users, you don’t understand them.
A strong product or process requires significant user research and analysis. Are you using data to confirm your own assumptions, or are you genuinely trying to understand your users' needs? If someone complains about a poor experience, can you confidently say you've done your research and it backs up your product? Did you make sure your design makes sense to the users? Have you offered all the essential information? Could you have prevented any mistakes on their end?
So, to my college coworker, I really hope you let go of the "PEBCAK" mindset. The real problem often exists not between the chair and the keyboard, but in the failure to understand the human being who sits there.