Friday, December 18, 2009

Think Like Me

I spend most of my time teaching Revit actively in a class setting or one-on-one/one-on-few mentoring. I also end up doing it passively like with this blog or editing AUGI | AEC EDGE for example. One important thing (as instructor/teacher/writer/editor) I must do is connect with students/readers, in a manner that they relate to. Fortunately I manage to do this pretty well. I can't really expect 100% but it is a nice goal.

It is important to remember this bit of wisdom, Seth Godin wrote in his post today, "The problem, of course, is that people don't always think like you." His focus is on marketing your product but it applies pretty well to most anything you are trying to push uphill. I'll go so far as saying that anything Seth bothers to write is worth reading (if you think like I think).

You may not teach Revit but if you are using Revit you are probably trying to help it along, help co-workers etc...it's a good thing to keep in mind as you go about your day and try to help others along.

5 comments:

Valkin said...

nice insight

Steve said...

I thought so too *-)...you must think like me haha!

Unknown said...

Very true. The work is often trying to understand the particular mental model each user has. Its work but very rewarding when you explain it in a way they understand and you see them make a connection and light up.

Jeremy said...

True indeed. You might want to check out Seth's book "Permission Marketing" too. Written in the mid nineties I think. It explains why avatars and online AD UI's know more about you than you realize.

Anonymous said...

I do so hate that part - that not everybody thinks like me!

Here's another good quote: "The transmission of information is not the same as the creation of understanding." Heard on NPR in interview of Sir Harold Evans (Mr. Tina Brown)