The dreamer's trap...

One of the advantages of being a firm thats not traditionally IT is that we are still distant from the many processes and procedures that have infested many an IT services company. Not to say that such processes are unnecessary (an easily customizable process framework is an absolute necessity) but I strongly believe that if overdone they can be a drag on productivity. When I say overdone, I mean following processess more for the letter than for the spirit. Being not caught in such a trap provides much freedom and scope for creativity so critical in product development. There are no mindblocks to asking the "why" and "why not" questions. Your performance is measured more by how much you contributed in the product gaining new customers, market share and in turn aligned with the company's strategy than being caught up in trivia like typing out an inconsequential document.

At the same time, I found myself caught up in what I thought was a dreamer's trap. Thinking about a new feature that I thought would make sense in the product I was handling, I managed to sell the idea to many a person here and thought I had a clincher. Somehow, whatever I found in analyst reports, market surveys, industry trends tended to support my argument. But then, as many a marketing course will tell you, "Know thy customer". For, beyond all these public digests of analyst reports, press reports, expert comments and analysis, there is a customer whose mindset is far more crucial. I had noticed this while working on a product at Nokia. So as to not repeat the same mistake, though I had a team in full steam into the project, I spoke to a friend of mine, who is an architect and tried to act the salesman, trying to convey the excitement I felt for the feature I thought was a clincher. The reply, the facial expressions and the reactions took me aback.

Diversity they say matters a lot in the thinking process of groups. So true. Though you see that in many a case study at bschool, it has so much more impact in real life. Especially more so when I was as involved as I was with the subject. That involvement is the dreamer's trap. It seems that product conceptualization is tricky business because while you need to be focussed and involved, you also need to be able to step back, exit from the dreamer's shoes and enter the end user's shoes. See if the world in the two sets of shoes are anywhere close. If not, you are in trouble. As easily as said, its a tough thing to do. Which is why talking to people totally unrelated to your profession, but those who can be a potential customer helps at times. Its reality check, to see if your idea is deviating from the practical track.

That conversation with my friend put the first hint of fear in my mind. Will this click? Taking a more patient look at it, I realized that I only needed to step back a little bit and refine the idea to suit my audience. As monica tells chandler, "Know thy audience" ;)