Good with tech? Help someone get the hang of it

You can see the microphone button. The person trying to join the video call can't, and you're tempted to take over their phone. But they want to find it themselves next time. If you're happy to wait while they try, and explain again when they need it, that patience belongs alongside your tech skills.

A familiar app or a printer you've connected before can be a starting point. Tadam is preparing to launch, with Tel Aviv first; these examples can help you think through the help you might offer.

What kind of tech help do I know well enough to teach?

Pick an action you can explain from the beginning. Joining a video call and checking the sound gives someone a better idea of your help than a broad claim about being good with computers. Say which apps and devices you know. Your own phone may be familiar, but another model or version can still surprise you.

Practise the explanation on your own device and write down the steps. Read them as someone opening the app for the first time. Where is the button, and what appears after you press it? Leave room for a different screen. The aim is to help someone follow what they see, rather than memorise where a control sits on your phone.

What should we agree before opening the app?

Find out what the person wants to learn. Ask which device they use, whether the app is installed and whether they can access their account. What happened when they last tried? They can describe the problem without giving you a password or a screenshot full of private information.

Choose something to practise in the time you have. A session might cover joining a call, checking the microphone and leaving. If it turns out that software needs installing or the person wants to switch devices, check what's involved first. You can say that part needs different help, or more time than you've agreed.

How do I explain something without taking over?

Let the learner do the clicking. Ask what they see, point to a control or demonstrate on your own device. Then give them another go. You don't have to tour every feature; repeating the action they came to learn gives them a chance to find the steps again.

Passwords and sign-in codes stay with the account owner. They enter them and choose whether to approve permissions or connect another device. Explain before touching their phone or changing a setting, and ask permission. If a private message appears, let them decide what to close or hide. Teaching the steps doesn't require receiving or keeping their login details.

When should I stop and suggest other support?

For a printer you know, you can work through the normal connection instructions together. Ask who else uses an existing connection before changing it. Someone else at home may rely on that setup, so find out what the change would affect.

Broken hardware, a suspected account breach and recovering access need appropriate support. Financial transactions, deleting files and resetting a device also fall outside the help described here. Stop if you don't know how a change could be undone. You can be good at explaining an app without being able to fix everything on the device.

What will help the person try again after I leave?

Ask them to repeat the action and tell you where they're still unsure. Write a small recap together in words they recognise. It could say: "We practised: __. To start again: __. If a different screen appears: __." Keep account details, codes and private content out of the note. Ask permission before taking a screenshot and agree on what it can show.

Be specific about anything unfinished: what did you check, and what question needs more help? One successful try doesn't resolve every future problem. A note about what you practised is easier to return to than a list of features you never used together.

How can I describe this skill for Tadam?

Start with the action you know and the help you can give. Practising a call in a familiar app is something a reader can picture and ask you about. Our guide to earning from everyday skills helps you find that starting ability; becoming a Tadamer explains Tadam's planned model.

Enjoy helping someone get the hang of tech? You're welcome to meet Tadam