The Digital Agency has introduced a series of questions in the 2018 edition of the Digital Barometer to better understand how the French deal with the difficulties they encounter when using computer and digital tools and to better identify their expectations in terms of training and support.
Responses to the question " When you encounter a difficulty using computer and digital tools: what do you do?" highlight a wide range of behaviors.
- First of all, there is a form of symmetry at both ends of the spectrum of digital tool users: 8% of respondents say they never encounter difficulties, while 8% give up as soon as they encounter a difficulty (10% of respondents never use computer and digital tools).
- If they have difficulty using digital tools, 43% seek help
- 36% do so with their relatives and 2% with work colleagues: 5% turn to professionals (salespeople, associations, companies, computer assistance) or specialized structures.
- Finally, 31% of the people surveyed said they were on their own.
One in three people are willing to take free training
The 92% of people who said they "had difficulties using their digital tools" were asked if they would be willing to take a small free training course or a more complete but paying course (maximum 40 €). They were also asked if they knew of a place near their home that offers support in online procedures and digital learning.Among the people who encounter difficulties using digital tools (we do not take into account the 8% who declared not encountering any particular difficulty), nearly 40% wish to receive training to be autonomous on these tools: 33% in the form of a small free training course 6% in the form of a paying training course (maximum 40 €) more complete.
Those most willing to take free training tend to be older (37% of 40-69 year olds).
People with a degree and "managers and professionals" are more likely than those with little or no degree to take this type of training.
This is also true for people who give up when they encounter a difficulty and for those (few) who already turned to professionals (sellers, associations, companies, computer assistance, specialized structures).
60% who encounter difficulties using digital tools, on the other hand, do not express a desire to receive training, even free of charge: this is the case for 82% of those who do not use digital tools, 69% of those who ask colleagues for help, and 64% of those who are already on their own (64%).
Learning on the job, alone or with peers (family, friends and colleagues) is still the main way to learn about digital technology
The 2017 edition of the Digital Barometer had already shown that 33% of French people would like to benefit from support in dedicated places. We also learned that learning digital tools is first done alone, then with peers.One in three people (31% of the first responses) say they learned to use digital tools "on their own"; 21% with the help of family members, 13% with friends or colleagues.
Among those who most frequently report having benefited from an apprenticeship as part of their initial training are those under 40 years of age (20%), university graduates and the most highly educated categories of workers (managers and members of the middle professions).
Among those who have benefited the most from continuing education are executives (19%) and people in their sixties (15%). Another feature of the 60-somethings is the strong reliance on family members (children, even grandchildren) to learn how to take advantage of digital tools (27%).
Women are less likely than men (24% vs. 39%) to report having learned digital tools on their own: 26% turned to family members (15% among men).
The categories that expressed in the 2017 Barometer the highest expectations for support, whether personalized or via group classes, were retirees, the elderly (Over 70, 60-69), the less educated, but also the upper middle class (in terms of income).
