I’m internalising a really complex situation...
I have just had one of those eureka moments sitting by the pool in Fiji relaxing in the sun, so I thought I better jot it down while it was still fresh.
I am a big fan of Seth Godin especially (We are all Weird, Poke the Box, The Dip and Linchpin). It is no accident that when I was leaving Singapore a few weeks ago I picked up All Marketers Tell Stories (formally known as All Marketers Are Liars) because Seth’s words resonate with my world view and this was one of his original titles that I hadn’t yet read.
Having just finished reading it I want to reflex on it along with a couple of other stories that I have read in the last few days.
In the book Seth dissects the concept of wants and needs and how they are framed in a person’s world view.
Today it is more important for a product to satisfy a person’s wants than their needs.
The book draws in on the point that people notice only the new then make a guess.
1. Look for Difference – when we encounter something for the first time, we compare it to the status quo. If it’s not new, we ignore it.
2. Look for Causation – Once we choose to pay attention to something, our brain sets out to figure out how it happened. We instantly make up a rule or theory about how this thing came to occur.
3. Then we make a prediction. We predict what will happen next in our world. If our prediction is right, external surprises will cease and our brain can settle back to ignoring things again.
4. Rely on Cognitive Dissonance – Once we’ve made some predictions we ignore contrary data for as long as we can get away with it.
I was thinking of an example of this in the review that Juha wrote for the NZ Herald on the Surface device.
Juha wrote : Due to the ARM processor, Windows RT is unable to run normal Windows applications on the Desktop, which seems to be there just for Office. The logical next step for Microsoft would be to dump Desktop mode in Windows 8 RT completely, but right now, it was probably too difficult to do.
There are plenty of programs for the Windows 8 side of Surface RT though, in the App Store, but it's odd to have a Windows computer that doesn't run much Windows software so to speak.
Compare this comment above to the formula Seth suggested and you see how we all start to frame and create our own world views.
Combine this with The Formula for Change created by Richard Beckhard and David Gleicher,
D x V x F > R
D = Dissatisfaction with how things are now;
V = Vision of what is possible;
F = First, concrete steps that can be taken towards the vision;
If the product of these three factors is greater than
R = Resistance
Change Occurs.
Apply this formula to change to Rod Drury’s recent foray into Window Phone 8.
Rod has dissatisfaction with iPhone that has set him down a path of looking for difference.
D = Dissatisfaction - Rod wrote – I’ve been growing less comfortable with Apple’s view of the world and feeling like they have too much control.
V = Vision – Rod Wrote -The Windows Phone keynote resonated for me. A people-centric phone operating system.
F = First, concrete steps– Rod Wrote - Today the Nokia Lumia 920 launched. I happened to be driving past Telecom’s main retail store so I grabbed one.
All in all the products of these things over came Rod’s resistance and drove him to change.
A few days later Rod switched back to iPhone so what happened then?
I suspect that Rod’s resistance didn’t change nor did his dissatisfaction with Apple but I think some new dissatisfaction with the device and apps on the Nokia Lumia 920 weighted the formula against windows phone.
Rod wrote - The new iPhone 5 is a lovely bit of hardware, I pick up the iPhone. It is so small and light. It’s fast. Familiar.
Incidentally after using a Nokia Lumia 900 for a month I went back to a Nokia Lumia 800 for the same reason.
Rod wrote -The apps I use are not quite there yet.
I agree with this but in the other direction. I’m invested in the Microsoft ecosystem. I love my live tiles for my apps and I really love my music, I have been on subscription music for years and it has changed my appreciation for an awesome cloud based service that is truly amazing and revolutionary. When I use my iPod or iPad I can’t believe how poor iTunes is. It is a terrible user experience for a music player on the idevice, it is expensive to buy music and it does nothing to stream music across devices.
I am very happy that Windows 8, XBOX and Windows Phone 8 has gone so far to free people from the old world of downloaded mp3’s and impossible playlists and sync services.
That brings me to my worldview. I am still using a Nokia Lumia 800 as my primary phone that I have owned for a year now, I continue to love it. The only app that I really miss is Instagram, but I have that on my other iDevices so I still use it occasionally.
In addition I love my new Surface RT, I don’t need it but I love it. It is a great travelling device (I’m using the touch cover to type this blog post by the pool in Fiji). I can connect my digital camera via the USB to work with my photos and video and it really offers everything I need in a portable computer. I was surprised but my 6 year old daughter loves it more than her iPad because it is personalized to her wants (I didn't see that one coming). Also I love that it is red, others may not care but I do.
That brings me to my next purchase. I have ordered a Red Nokia Lumia 920. Not because I don’t like my Lumia 800 anymore (I do) but because I want to try something different for a while. I like that it is red, and I like that it works with my Xbox Music collection. Call me shallow but those are my wants right now. Oh yeah and I continue to use https://dabr.co.uk for twitter on all my mobile devices, windows phone and iPod as it works best for me.
I am happy that people like Karl and Rod are noticing Windows again and are liking what they see, I really enjoyed delivering the overview session on "the new Windows" at the Auckland devmob event. I can't help but think the people centric approach to software may just stick around and change a few worldviews of what mobile experience should be like for tomorrows users.