When Technology Meets Nana: Building Digital Solutions That Actually Connect
Let me tell you about my nana and the great video chat incident of 2020.
Picture this: There I was, trying to explain FaceTime to an 82-year-old woman who still refers to her TV remote as "the clicker." She squinted at my phone screen, leaned back, and announced, "I don't like it. It's watching me."
I nearly spit out my tea. But you know what? She had a point.
Here's the thing about technology—it moves so fast that sometimes it forgets to check if we're all still on the bus. My nana lived through dial phones, party lines, and the satisfying ka-chunk of hanging up on someone. Now suddenly she's supposed to be thrilled about having a camera in her face while she talks?
But here's where it gets interesting (and why I'm telling you this story).
My nana didn't give up. Oh no. This woman who survived rationing, raised four kids on a shoestring budget, and once fixed a washing machine with a bobby pin and sheer determination? She wasn't about to let a little rectangle of glass defeat her.
Every Sunday, she'd call me—on her actual phone, thank you very much—and we'd practice. "Press the green button, Nana." "Which green button? They're all green!" "The one that looks like a camera." "They ALL look like cameras!"
Three months later, guess who was hosting family quiz nights over Zoom like she'd invented the thing?
Why This Story Lives at the Heart of Everything We Build
At Digital Labs, we think about my nana a lot. Not in a "let's design for grandmas" way (though honestly, if it works for nana, it works for everyone). But in a "let's remember that real humans use this stuff" way.
Last month, I sat with a client who runs a 50-person accounting firm. Smart guy, been in business for 20 years. When we showed him our automation solution, his first words were: "But what if I break it?"
Sound familiar?
That little voice—the one that whispers "maybe I'll just stick to the old way"—it's not about age or tech-savviness. It's about feeling seen, supported, and genuinely understood by the tools we use.
The Real Question We Ask (That Most Tech Companies Don't)
When we're building something new—whether it's an AI model that spots patterns humans miss or an automation that gives you back your Tuesday afternoons—we always circle back to one question:
Would this make sense to someone who's brilliant but busy? Someone who has better things to do than decode our cleverness?
Because here's what I've learned from both my nana and our clients: The best technology doesn't shout "LOOK HOW AWESOME I AM!" It whispers, "Hey, let me help you with that."
What This Actually Looks Like in Practice
Remember that accounting firm owner? The one worried about breaking things?
We didn't just hand him a manual and wish him luck. We sat together (virtually, but still together), and I shared my screen while he followed along on his. Every time he succeeded at something—even something tiny—I made sure he knew it.
"You just automated your first invoice process!"
"Wait, I did?"
"You absolutely did. And tomorrow it'll run while you're having your morning coffee."
The grin on his face? Pure nana-mastering-FaceTime energy.
Two weeks later, he called me. Not because something was broken, but because he'd figured out three more things he wanted to automate. He wasn't scared anymore. He was excited.
The Truth About Connection in a Digital World
Technology should bring us together, not make us feel further apart. It should save us time for the things that matter—like those Sunday calls with nana, or finally taking that pottery class, or actually leaving the office while it's still light outside.
When we build something at Digital Labs, we're not just connecting servers or integrating systems. We're connecting people to possibilities. We're building bridges between "I don't know how" and "I've got this."
My nana taught me that determination beats innovation every single time. But when you combine the two? When you build technology with the fierce spirit of someone who refuses to be left behind? That's when magic happens.
That's when a video chat stops being scary and becomes Sunday dinner with the grandkids who live three states away. That's when automation stops being threatening and becomes Tuesday afternoons at your daughter's soccer game.
Here's What I Know for Sure
Every client who walks through our door (okay, lands on our Zoom screen) has a little bit of my nana in them. They're smart, capable, and determined. They just need technology that respects that.
So we build with her voice in our heads: "Make it make sense. Help me connect. Don't make me feel foolish for not knowing."
Because at the end of the day, the most sophisticated algorithm in the world means nothing if it doesn't help real people do real things that matter to them.
My nana's on FaceTime with her great-grandkids every week now. She still calls it "the video thing," but she wouldn't miss it for the world.
That's the kind of transformation we're after. Not the flashy, "look at us disrupting everything" kind. The quiet, powerful, "this just makes my life better" kind.
And honestly? I think nana would approve.
Want to explore how we can build technology that actually works for you and your team? Let's chat—video optional, determination required.
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