Michael Schrage > Quotes

“

The more choices you have, the more your values matter.
”
― Michael Schrage

“Visionary organizations that value innovation should have simple customer vision statements. They need to imagine—and articulate—who and what their customers should become.”
― Michael Schrage, Who Do You Want Your Customers to Become?

“Instead of calls to action, the most innovative user experiences may be calls to inaction. (Design of default options is exceedingly important and superbly discussed in Richard Thaler and Cass Sunstein’s excellent Nudge.21) Web usability guru Steve Krug provocatively articulates this design sensibility in his heuristic, “Don’t Make Me Think.” Often the best way to get customers to appreciate an innovation experience is by not making demands on them. Don’t get in the way by offering to help. Engagement sometimes undermines a quality user experience. Eliminating choice frequently proves to be the best possible design choice. Because customers often prefer “mindless choices,” says Krug, minimalism is a virtue.”
― Michael Schrage, Who Do You Want Your Customers to Become?

“Who Do You Want Your Customers to Become was published... in 2012. Its essential insight is that innovation is an investment in the human capital, capabilities, and competencies of customers and clients.

Business history gives great credence to this “human capital” model of innovation. For example, George Eastman didn't just invent cheap cameras and film; he created photographers. Steve Jobs didn't merely “reinvent” personal computing and mobile telephony; he reinvented how people physically touched and talked with their technologies. Successful innovators have a “vision of the customer future” that matters every bit as much as their product or service vision. By treating innovation as an investment in customer futures, organizations can make their customers more valuable. In other words, “Making Customers Better Makes Better Customers.”
― Michael Schrage, The Innovator's Hypothesis: How Cheap Experiments Are Worth More Than Good Ideas

“Providing “the answer” is not the answer... I prefer presenting clients and students with “approaches” – that is methods, tools, and frameworks that put greater power in their hands and minds. That's more sustainable.”
― Michael Schrage, The Innovator's Hypothesis: How Cheap Experiments Are Worth More Than Good Ideas

“The ongoing success... reflects two fundamental shifts that have transformed my teaching, consulting, and advisory work since 'Serious Play'. The first is transitioning from the practice of selling solutions to the promise of providing an effective approach. The second is moving from the “transmission of expertise” toward the “cultivation of capability.”
― Michael Schrage, The Innovator's Hypothesis: How Cheap Experiments Are Worth More Than Good Ideas

“People from Boston to Beijing to Berlin to Buenos Aires expect good recommendations. They expect relevant choice. User experience is tightly coupled with user expectations; you can’t change one without affecting the other.”
― Michael Schrage

“Innovations that forgive—or, at least, ones that won’t make users feel bad—suggest a design philosophy sensitive to placing unnecessary demands. Organizations need to be very careful that their innovator’s asks aren’t interpreted as innovation demands or requirements. Tone matters. “Take it or leave it” innovation effectively asks customers to become compliant and obedient. An ask should be different than a request or command.”
― Michael Schrage, Who Do You Want Your Customers to Become?

“Who Do You Want Your Customers to Become' was published... in 2012. Its essential insight is that innovation is an investment in the human capital, capabilities, and competencies of customers and clients.

Business history gives great credence to this “human capital” model of innovation. For example, George Eastman didn't just invent cheap cameras and film; he created photographers. Steve Jobs didn't merely “reinvent” personal computing and mobile telephony; he reinvented how people physically touched and talked with their technologies. Successful innovators have a “vision of the customer future” that matters every bit as much as their product or service vision. By treating innovation as an investment in customer futures, organizations can make their customers more valuable. In other words, “Making Customers Better Makes Better Customers".”
― Michael Schrage, The Innovator's Hypothesis: How Cheap Experiments Are Worth More Than Good Ideas

“technology is taking over advice. For some critics, this takeover is hostile; for others, it offers the data-driven gift of intimacy, immediacy, and discovery.”
― Michael Schrage, Recommendation Engines

“They desired effective change, not disruptive revolution.”
― Michael Schrage, The Innovator's Hypothesis: How Cheap Experiments Are Worth More than Good Ideas

“Who doesn’t like—or need—great advice? Who doesn’t appreciate the timely and thoughtful suggestion that pleasantly surprises?”
― Michael Schrage, Recommendation Engines

“The bottom line is a learning curve.”
― Michael Schrage, The Innovator's Hypothesis: How Cheap Experiments Are Worth More Than Good Ideas

“A cynic, Oscar Wilde cynically observed, knows the price of everything and the value of nothing. By contrast, recommendation engines are computational optimists: not only do they know everything’s price, they’ll also predict its value for you. Successful engines are digitally designed to get to know you better. They’re built to learn what you are most likely to like.”
― Michael Schrage, Recommendation Engines