4 ms·
No, I cannot tell people what I did or what I am working on though I have tried :( When working on something new and very different only show it to non-technic
by austincheney 6y ago
No, I cannot tell people what I did or what I am working on though I have tried :(
When working on something new and very different only show it to non-technical non-experts. These regular users are a good litmus test of whether there is practical utility or potential for desire in that thing you are working on.
When you show it to experts you may get some valid feedback if the person is actually an expert, but more often you get back insecurity masked as hostility or disregard. People generally, and more especially experts, fear originality. The more a given originality challenges assumptions of current knowledge the more threatening it becomes, which quite possibly exposes the strongest of biases.
The challenge there is how to get far enough so that the new thing can be presented to common people in a way they are capable of digesting while separating valid criticism from uninformed criticism. Clearly, the idea cannot be technical and must have some amount of polish enough for a common user to understand. Can a child understand it? When a novice user is attempting your idea and doesn't understand why they should use your thing or what they are supposed to do with it that is valid criticism. When an expert says your idea will never work without asking questions or diving into the problem space that is invalid criticism.
This reminds me of what Marc Andressen describes when seeking initial investment for Netscape. They went to all the major telecom giants at the time seeking investors and failed most of the time. Nobody thought a browser was worth investing in or that the web in general was worth investment. The idea was frequently disregarded by experts without any actual consideration even when meeting in person.
Nobody is more practiced at failure than an expert.
- agomez314 6y agohmm sorry to hear that, and i agree in that many times an "expert" can become so engrossed in his/her worldview that they can become blindsided when something completely overpasses that. Reminding of Alan Kay when he talks about looking for a that leap in invention rather than evolution of invention...it's hard for people, especially those with entrenched interests, to accept that new reality.
- muzani 6y agoIt doesn't always have to be practical. Quantum mechanics was pointless for decades, but now it's the basis of much of modern society, from lighting to computers.