Did you receive some new tools this Christmas? By tools I include electronic games, cell phones, and cameras along with traditional tools that now may include sonic tape measures and self-leveling lasers.

If you are like so many of us, even a couple of weeks later you are still trying to figure out some of the features. You have probably experienced some frustrating moments during the learning curve. Even if you already had a digital camera and had used a cell phone for years, the new devices feature new systems, and it can be like starting from the beginning again.

I went through a similar experience this week, although not with something especially exciting. It involved a software upgrade, moving from my contact manager, ACT 6.0, to ACT 2008. I was happy with the way 6.0 worked for me and didn’t need new features, but in the technological world of planned obsolesence, ACT 6.0 was not fully compatible with Office 2007 (another upgrade I would have preferred to skip).

I was familiar with the ACT program, knew what I expected it to do, and knew how I wanted to set it up. That said, I spent 8 hours of my own time and paid for 2 hours with one of their consultants to get it set up and working the way I needed it. That accumulation of time (and extra expense) allowed me to continue doing what I had already been doing.

Before someone sells you on an upgrade or a new device that will “save you time,” ask yourself the following questions:

1. Why do I need this?
2. What makes this different from what I already have?
3. Am I willing to spend the time to use this most effectively?
4. Will the end result be worth the time and expense?