Comments on: Talking to Future Users http://unsheffield.net/2009/06/talking-to-future-users/ Future Users of Cool Technology: 19-21 June 2009 Tue, 06 Jul 2010 02:42:39 +0100 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.1.3 By: Shawn http://unsheffield.net/2009/06/talking-to-future-users/comment-page-1/#comment-253 Shawn Wed, 26 Aug 2009 01:44:53 +0000 http://unsheffield.net/?p=448#comment-253 "As advocates for new technologies, we sometimes sound like we’re attacking the rest of the world for not sharing our peculiar obsession" I'm home. “As advocates for new technologies, we sometimes sound like we’re attacking the rest of the world for not sharing our peculiar obsession”

I’m home.

]]> By: Dougald http://unsheffield.net/2009/06/talking-to-future-users/comment-page-1/#comment-41 Dougald Mon, 15 Jun 2009 13:43:12 +0000 http://unsheffield.net/?p=448#comment-41 Tim - absolutely! Also, it's worth remembering that in some cases, we're really talking about "pioneers" rather than "early adopters", in terms of the proportion of the population as a whole. Jay - yes, I think it's important to realise that it's totally fine to be enthusiastic about new tools, we just can't get cross when other people aren't similarly inclined. And the reasons why new users will come to the tools are often different to the reasons we did. Tim – absolutely! Also, it’s worth remembering that in some cases, we’re really talking about “pioneers” rather than “early adopters”, in terms of the proportion of the population as a whole.

Jay – yes, I think it’s important to realise that it’s totally fine to be enthusiastic about new tools, we just can’t get cross when other people aren’t similarly inclined. And the reasons why new users will come to the tools are often different to the reasons we did.

]]> By: Jay Cousins http://unsheffield.net/2009/06/talking-to-future-users/comment-page-1/#comment-37 Jay Cousins Sat, 13 Jun 2009 10:38:25 +0000 http://unsheffield.net/?p=448#comment-37 Very well said Dougald, I look forward to discussing further at Unsheffield. I think often technologists and geeks are more excited by the tools themselves rather than their tangible uses, our minds clouded by technolust and the promise of the future. We need to shift the focus to the user and use/uses. Increasingly users find their own uses for technology, resulting in the technologies successful propogation. Twitter is a fine case in point, with the tool being adapted and changed to suit the needs of the users by the users, it is far more "what are you doing?" Very well said Dougald, I look forward to discussing further at Unsheffield.

I think often technologists and geeks are more excited by the tools themselves rather than their tangible uses, our minds clouded by technolust and the promise of the future. We need to shift the focus to the user and use/uses.

Increasingly users find their own uses for technology, resulting in the technologies successful propogation. Twitter is a fine case in point, with the tool being adapted and changed to suit the needs of the users by the users, it is far more “what are you doing?”

]]> By: Tim http://unsheffield.net/2009/06/talking-to-future-users/comment-page-1/#comment-33 Tim Fri, 12 Jun 2009 12:40:08 +0000 http://unsheffield.net/?p=448#comment-33 It's a good point about the early adopters being a small niche, but I think it goes even further than that - even us early adopters can be segmented just as the wider population can. I'm a case in point - you'll have to prise my iPhone from my cold, dead fingers, but I'm just not turned on by games consoles. I can see that the Wii was as big a quantum leap in interface technology as was the iPhone's touchscreen, but my overall reaction to the Wii is pretty much "meh". It's not really a technology-specific issue - any enthusiasts have the tendency to lose perspective about their obsessions if they're not careful. The challenge in persuading people to try something new is to frame the conversation in their terms - it's the means to an end, rather than an end in itself. It’s a good point about the early adopters being a small niche, but I think it goes even further than that – even us early adopters can be segmented just as the wider population can. I’m a case in point – you’ll have to prise my iPhone from my cold, dead fingers, but I’m just not turned on by games consoles. I can see that the Wii was as big a quantum leap in interface technology as was the iPhone’s touchscreen, but my overall reaction to the Wii is pretty much “meh”.

It’s not really a technology-specific issue – any enthusiasts have the tendency to lose perspective about their obsessions if they’re not careful. The challenge in persuading people to try something new is to frame the conversation in their terms – it’s the means to an end, rather than an end in itself.

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