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Musings of an Aussie design strategist, trend analyst and journalist

Jan 14, 2011 1

Seth Godin on Testing

Seth has an annoying habit of encapsulating some ideas so succinctly that you basically need to copy and paste a post to get it out to your own audience.

He also has an annoying habit of… well… annoying some people ’round these parts but that’s another story.
Nevertheless, his post today hit one of the biggest innovation nails on the head. It concerns traditional processes of testing new propositions, something that anybody who works with more traditionally aligned clients on innovation strategy will have to deal with at some point.

Netflix tests everything. They’re very proud that they A/B test interactions, offerings, pricing, everything. It’s almost enough to get you to believe that rigorous testing is the key to success.

Except they didn’t test the model of renting DVDs by mail for a monthly fee.

And they didn’t test the model of having an innovative corporate culture.

And they didn’t test the idea of betting the company on a switch to online delivery.

The three biggest assets of the company weren’t tested, because they couldn’t be.

Sure, go ahead and test what’s testable. But the real victories come when you have the guts to launch the untestable.

Testing is surely one of the quickest ways to kill truly innovative propositions. Chuck something revolutionary out into your traditional consumer base for testing and it’s hardly surprising if it fails; most people wont actually be able to get their head around what you’ve presented them with.

A better bet, perhaps, is prototyping and designing iteratively with early adopters. These are the people who are actually going to drive mass-market adoption down the line and are a far better resource for refining innovative concepts into marketable propositions.
Image: Alforque

Feb 19, 2009 0

Quote of the Day

In down economies, the only thing that’s going to change things is changing things. This is hard for a lot of marketers automotive designers/design managers/product planners who are used to defending the status quo, but it’s truly the best option.

If you’re not happy with what you’ve got, what radical changes are you willing to make to change what you’re getting?

Quote adapted from Seth Godin

It wasn’t so long ago that I was talking about the need for designers and their employers to be making the most of the crummy situation in which we find ourselves and I think Seth’s recent posting on change really adds weight to my argument.

If this downturn is showing us anything it’s that the traditional ways of engaging with clients and customers are no longer effective. Many industries have recognised this already but the automotive planet revolves at a slower pace and with far greater inertia.

If we’re to continue to do what we love doing, we’re going to have to respond rapidly and in far more imaginative ways than we have been so far. Cutting brands and slashing jobs alone won’t do it. Halting development, as many are, is not the solution either. You may need to reassess exactly what you are developing, but when the money starts flowing, you’re going to need remarkable products to bounce back. Don’t let this mess get you down, use it to drive your creativity and sow the seeds of lasting, positive change.

[Source: Seth Godin]


About DownSideUp Design

I'm Drew Smith and I'm a project lead, research analyst, design strategist and journalist. By day I work for Sense Worldwide in London. By night I sleep (mostly). DownsideUpDesign is a place for me to collect stuff that I like, often love and sometimes hate for safe keeping. All views represented here are mine and mine alone and do not represent those of anyone else. Get in touch at downsideupdesigner (at) me (dot) com or tweet me (@drewpasmith) to rant, contribute or collaborate!

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© Andrew Philip Artois Smith and DownsideUpDesign, 2009. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this blog’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Andrew/Drew Smith and DownsideUpDesign with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.