Opinions Don’t Matter
The problem that many organizations have is that there are too many people. And people have opinions. And most opinions. Don’t matter.
Should we make the button red or blue? Should it be shiny, matte, or flat? Should our mission statement be “to make the finest products on earth,” or “to make the earth’s finest products.” It doesn’t matter.
That’s not to say that the color or texture of a button can’t make a multi-million dollar difference to a company. But most of the time it won’t. Most people can’t seem to recognize the difference. They make big issues out of unimportant things, and ignore the things that are important.
With every decision there is a potential payoff. If the button in question is on a non goal-oriented page - with 100 visitors a month - in a product that customers aren’t paying you for, the payoff is low. If your designer makes a button for that page that doesn’t flagrantly violate a branding standard, then approve the button and STFU. Work on getting some customers to pay you for that product. Why do you already have branding standards, anyway?
If the button is on a page with millions and millions of views, with a goal that has an actual dollar value tied to it (Groupon comes to mind), then iterate the hell out of that button.
But while you’re iterating, be conscious of the structure of your thinking. What are the assumptions you are making about your customers? What, on the other hand, do you know about your customers? What are the assumptions you are making about what will motivate them? The facts are just those - the facts. The assumptions are also known as hypotheses - test them when possible.
Most decisions aren’t going to take an organization down. Most decisions aren’t going to make any difference in your company’s bottom line. What will ruin your bottom line is inaction. Friction. When you reduce friction. Things. Get. Done.
