Joel Spolsky from Fogcreek Software, an excellent presenter who engaged the entire audience with humour . Talked about blue chip vs the off brand, iPod vs Creative, Angelina Jolie vs Sandra Bollock.
The key is to make people happy. Often the computer is deciding what you do, not the other way around. How does that impact on our emotions and feelings if we are not in control of the experience? Compare the checkout process on Abercrombie vs Amazon. Abercrombie where you must go through their process in a specific order and way. Amazon, where you can change things when you want, where you want in the checkout process.
Think about emotions!
Why do people feel safer in a SUV rather than a Camry even though they are twice as likely to die in a SUV?
Obsess over aesthetics! Style over comfort.
Why can Apple charge about 70% more for a product with less features. You can’t even change the battery.
Lipstick vs guts.
“The world is monumentally superficial”
Focus on happy comfortable people, not Java vs .NET.
Comments
There are 2 responses to Joel on software
Monday, 29th May 2006 5:55 am
That would be: Obsess over aesthetics! rather different from ascetics.
Cheers,
Miraz
Monday, 29th May 2006 7:35 pm
I’m glad someone is paying attention! I must admit I had to look up the definition for ascetics – then promptly fell off my chair laughing.
Thanks