The "Idea-UX" Problem
There are 10 million geniuses sitting around wondering why nobody cares about their great ideas.
Here’s why: Ideas have a UX problem.
When most people explain their genius idea, the listener thinks “Wait, you want me to 1) Figure out what the hell you’re talking about, and then 2) Be creative and imagine how it might apply to my life someday??”
From a UX perspective, other people’s ideas are a lot of work, and very uncertain reward.
Fortunately, it’s the easiest it’s ever been to solve the Idea-UX Problem. People do it all the time — usually, by building products.
Idea: “Everyone should be able to have a TV show.”
Product: YouTube
Idea: “Conversations should spread as fast as possible.”
Product: Twitter
Etc.
So — you’ve got an idea.
1) What is the product that INCARNATES your idea?
2) What version of that product can you build, or hire someone to build, right now, and without anyone’s help or approval?
Just solve these problems and get it built, and you’ll never have to explain your idea or persuade people to like it, because using your product is functionally equivalent to ‘agreeing with your idea.’
I’m not saying you should compromise your idea or become a product hack.
I’m saying you don’t actually have an idea until you’ve given people a new ability.
Until then, you only have an idea for an idea. Without the part where it actually impacts people’s lives — the implementation — the incarnation — the Word Made Flesh! — you simply haven’t solved the problem well enough yet.
I was fortunate to have an ex-girlfriend who taught me this many years ago. I thought she was being super annoying at the time, but if it weren’t for her, I never would have gotten anything done. So if you’re mad at me right now, I understand. I was mad the first twelve times I heard this too.
The point is this: If you’re smart enough to have ideas, you’re smart enough to have ideas about launching a proof-of-concept inexpensively.
So, do it!
Forget persuasion; get adoption.
Thousands of people are turning their ideas into products — so many in fact, that anyone who doesn’t, gets immediately tossed into the “unserious about their idea” pile.
The age of the treatise is out. The age of the product is in. Launch or be ignored.