Maslow’s hammer theory states “When the only tool you have is a hammer, it is tempting to treat everything as if it were a nail.”

So you may be asking what has that got to do with technology?

Well, I think there is a similar tie-in.  Many people use the wrong tool for the job.  Let’s take twitter for instance.  This is a great piece of technology (when it is working properly), which lets people communicate to many very easily.  But just because a business can send out tweets that they are offering a happy hour special, doesn’t mean they should tweet every time someone walks in the door or they order a new drink.

Email is another tool which gets misused quite a bit.  How many times have you sent emails back and forth when a simple phone call would have put the issue to bed in a matter of moments?

Speaking of the phone, there are times when texting makes more sense.  When the need arises to contact someone attending a conference, texting is a great way to let them know they are needed.  It provides a good method of communication while not disturbing others.

And while we’re on the subject of not disturbing others; How about not using technology at all when we’re at the movies?