Principle #2: Pair the right products with the right users

Note: for the full essay click here.

Your adoption efforts are most effective when you pair the maturity of a technology with the right demographic. You can either bring a product to the relevant group; or pick a group and see what products would be the best fit. Either way, the viewpoint of the segment on the Figure 1 and the product experience must fit together. Each segment has its own distinct reasons to buy something. Changing someone’s reasons is trying to change their worldview. People’s worldviews are out of your control. Moreover, people get defensive if their worldview feels challenged. Instead, try to get their views to work for you by catering technology that fits.

 

You can’t control either a users’ expectations or their experience with a product. Instead, try mapping out which products you have to see who they match up with. When the product’s maturity is paired with these users’ stance on learning new technology, it’s less stressful for everybody. Even if the underlying technology isn’t exciting to you, it might still add some convenience to them.

 

If a product is simply not ready for a certain group, and you do not have the resources to build out everything they would need to feel open, then it is probably best to leave it for now. Spending time on something where there is a better chance of success is better for everybody. If you are an innovator, it might feel uninspiring to simply follow the trends in certain areas; but it is better to follow the trend and stay abreast of your competition than it is to fail at implementing the state-of-the-art and fall behind.

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