Scott Anthony posted an interesting article on Harvard Business Publishing today called “How Knowledge Can Hurt Innovation”. You can click here to read it.
The gist of his observation is that people who have significant knowledge in their industry can fall into a trap where they assume other people – namely their customers and potential customers – have the same level of understanding. He refers to this scenario as “the curse of knowledge” and points out how it can lead to major missteps and lost opportunities. He suggests spending more time with customers and listening to what they say to break free of this condition.
I found his article interesting because the situation he describes is especially pertinent to those of us who work in the technology industry. Years ago I realized that talking speeds and feeds with clients was a great way to kill a sale. Since that point in time I have made an effort to develop messages that are easy to understand. My premise has been if something is easy to understand it should be easy to communicate, which in turn should make it easier for people to buy into.
I also wholeheartedly agree with Scott’s suggestion to spend more time with customers. On more than one occasion I have been surprised at how a client interacted with some piece of technology in a completely unexpected manner. Gaining that type of insight has proved to be invaluable when developing strategies for myself and my clients that is applicable to end-users.
Being a good listener and observing other people are two habits that can help all of us avoid “the curse of knowledge”.
Cheers,
