Malcolm Gladwell: Human Nature (30 Min)

http://itc.conversationsnetwork.org/shows/detail230.html

From IT Conversations, this talk is from Malcolm Gladwell describing how we don't mean what we say & how it affects product we get. (The first story is a bit long, so if you want then skip to the 10 min mark)

It begins with the Story of Aeron Chair (8 Min long), we see people preference change from calling the chair ugly to become the best selling chair of all time. In business & life, we try to come up with things that people would like by asking them; From this case it failed, because in-between feeling -> expressing preference, something was lost.

The 4 lessons from this talk:
Lesson 1: Preferences are unstable
Preferences are not stable/constant -> it can change in different conditions
Example: Pepsi Challenge & new Coke, how New Coke launch failed after 100000 taste test. Then are focus group & objective measure reliable?

Lesson 2: Story Telling Problem
People make up stories when ask to explain what they do, feel or want
Example: When Tennis pro explains how to they hit a top-spin forehand

Lesson 3: Preference changes when asked why
Asking people to explain their choice changes their preference in a negative way; They gravitates the more conservative & less complex choice.
Example: Hang in there vs impressionist art poster

Lesson 4: Cannot explain new concept & uncertainty
There is language problem of describing radical ideas & products, we just class it ugly or un-preferable:

We don't have away to describe between ideas or product that are :
Ugly (un-preferable) vs Radical (challenges us)

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Key Statement:
People/We are really bad at interpreting the contents our own hearts;
So be mindful of when people say no to an idea, is it un-preferable or is it just complex/radical?