In the old days, a common DOS warning ended with, "…press any key."
And yes, there were plenty of tech support calls that asked, "where is the ANY key?"
Every interaction with your public runs the risk that some people just won’t get it. They won’t understand the protocol at your jazz club, or figure out how they use that new thing you just built. They won’t get your verbal shorthand or they’ll be frustrated by your presumption that they’re insiders.
One approach is to n00b-proof your offerings. To create products and services so simple and so well-explained that every single person will get it. Big warnings, extra paragraphs of copy, limited features… make it idiot-proof.
The problem with this approach is that you can never be simple enough. And of course, the bigger problem: Once you dumb it down so every single person gets it, you bake out the magic and the mystery and the elegance. Simple example: it’s not obvious how to use an iPhone, not obvious what to do when you walk into a church for the first time, not clear what to do when you visit Facebook for the first time either. At the symphony, should there be big applause signs so that people don’t clap at the wrong time?
Great design is intuitive. Great design eliminates confusion. But not for everyone, not all the time. The words and interactions you use often have a sophistication that will confuse some portion of your audience.
Why not consider making it easy for the confused to ask for help? And treat them with respect when they do. If you don’t create a little confusion, it’s unlikely you’ve built something remarkable.
And to go one step further: sometimes it’s okay to lose the n00bs. Not in an arrogant way (except for some brands) but in a way that says, "this might just not be for you…"
August 5, 2008
When you’re done with your email queue, are you done?
Do you spend your day responding and reacting to incoming all day… until the list is empty? … and then you’re done.
I’m noticing that it’s easier than ever to have that sort of day. Online tools are arranging interactions in a line, allowing you to feel satisfied with a constant stream of incoming alerts and pings.
Years ago, I got my mail (the old fashioned kind) once a day. It took twenty minutes to process and I was forced to spend the rest of the day initiating, reaching out, inventing and designing. Today, it’s easy to spend the whole day hitting ‘reply’.
Carving out time to initiate is more important than ever.
August 4, 2008
Sing it!
I spent some time a few days ago listening to a nascent band performing classic rock songs.
The first group sang a note-for-note rendition of a song by the Stones. The notes were right, but nothing else was. The singer didn’t know what the song meant. And the musicians, they just stood there. No energy, no smiles, no connection. It could have been a funeral with a great soundtrack.
A concert isn’t about the music, is it? And a restaurant isn’t about the food.
The funny thing is that learning to Sing It is a lot easier than learning how to play the guitar. For some reason, we work on the technique before we worry about adding the joy.
If you’re going to go to all the trouble of learning the song and performing it, then SING IT. Sing it loud and with feeling and like you mean it. Deliver it, don’t just make it. When you answer the phone or greet me at your office or come to a meeting or write something, don’t bother if all you’re going to do is do it. Sing it or stay home.
I had composed this post in my head, when, in a scary example of blog synchronicity, they announced the next song. One by Bluë Oyster Cult, of course. And yes, the announcer demanded that the guest on stage give us more cowbell. More cowbell indeed.
August 2, 2008
Bert was happy to eat the leftover rice from the rice cooker, but he didn’t want to grab something that someone else on the team needed. So he said, "I call last dibs." Dibs, of course, is a priority, your chance to get ahead of someone else in line.
Megan pointed out that last dibs was sort of an oxymoron, so she coined the term ‘dregs.’
Calling "dregs" is actually a great marketing strategy. It lets the community know that you’ll backstop them, you’ll worry about what’s left, and you’re happy to be generous. It’s an expression of great humility, sort of the opposite of what people expect from a business.
Pay what you think it’s worth, money back guarantee, are you sure you’re delighted, try it and let us know, a bonus for quitting… these are useful examples of calling dregs. Remarkable indeed.
August 1, 2008
