Baby Step Number 4 - RIBBONS
Getting used to the new Ribbon interface could be frustrating, as was the dilemma of my friend from Johannesburg, South Africa. He was telling me that he has almost given up and would probably ask Microsoft to bring back the old user interface. I gave him my next advise:
1. THINK PURPOSE - I totally shifted my way of using Excel when those pesky ribbons came out. It was a difficult process because if you have been using an application day in and day out for several years, most actions become automatic. To unlearn it, you have to understand how it works or why the developers ever put it there in the first place. I went online via Microsoft's Help Menu and got this article:
http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/excel-help/interactive-excel-2003-to-excel-2007-command-reference-guide-HA010149151.aspx?CTT=3
The URL above talks about the new ribbon interface and how to find the reference locations for the commands commonly used in 2003. What I like about this article is the interactive approach it uses. It has a flash tutorial using the 2003 interface. Using the mouse, you can mouse over a toolbar button and it will direct you to which part of the ribbon to look for the command.
One drawback though, those who among you who learn better by seeing may need to stretch your imaginations a bit more since the interface just shows you text instructions with locations or groupings to find the command, so if you're not that familiar with the location then you would still take some time to lean the interface itself. Have fun exploring.
Till next post.
No comments:
Post a Comment