Andrew Hyde - Latest Comments in Ignore Early Adopters

Re: Ignore Early Adopters

Cassie Wallender — Tue, 11 Nov 2008 20:07:01 -0000

Plurk. Ughhhhhh. So unsightly.

Another thing to keep in mind - first adopters are first quitters as well, one only has so much time to spend on these things.

Re: Ignore Early Adopters

Andrew Hyde — Mon, 10 Nov 2008 20:40:40 -0000

I really wish it was :)

Re: Ignore Early Adopters

jeremyvaught — Mon, 10 Nov 2008 10:56:13 -0000

Plurk?! Is that a joke? Because even I have used it and moved on when it was obvious it was a huge time suck.

Re: Ignore Early Adopters

Andrew Hyde — Sun, 09 Nov 2008 21:10:05 -0000

I have always been amazed by game designers... so much passion, so much time.

Great example.

Re: Ignore Early Adopters

Andrew Hyde — Sun, 09 Nov 2008 21:04:26 -0000

always rough, but sometimes they really are right... startup to startup..

Re: Ignore Early Adopters

Andrew Hyde — Sun, 09 Nov 2008 21:03:05 -0000

Not yet, just ordered it!

Re: Ignore Early Adopters

BugFrog — Sun, 09 Nov 2008 13:29:05 -0000

Many game designers run into a similar issue. GD's are hardcore game users and start to make a game that appeals to their own demographic. When the game is done, only hardcore gamers are into it, and each hardcore gamer has a different idea of what the perfect game is. New Game A might hit that target for a minor percentage of of the market, but it will miss for a bunch more.

Experienced designers will try to make the game accessible and fun for many tastes, game goals, and usage patterns. Leveraging the early adopters as advocates is key. If they get involved and talk up the game, it gets a good reputation in groups that are considered knowledgeable. Then the second and third wave adopters find it and get involved. The churn of hardcore gamers can be volatile, so plan to keep or exit those players. Don't just abandon them.

Rambling conclusion: Pay attention and plan for when your audience shifts from early adopters to second (and eventually mass) market.

Re: Ignore Early Adopters

Jon — Sun, 09 Nov 2008 13:28:47 -0000

'Early-adopters' has become a prize almost, a label sought after by those in the tech community, as a mark of someone forward thinking. It seems like one of the biggest problems with the tech community is that it is so incestuous...with so many applications being made, is anyone stopping to wonder if these have any resonance with non-techies?
Anyways the problem with chasing that early-adopter label is that it really becomes much more about who is using the latest app, like a tech version of keeping up with the Jones' ... and less about someone seeing a great product and using it because it simplifies or somehow betters their lives.

Re: Ignore Early Adopters

Will Sargent — Sun, 09 Nov 2008 12:45:09 -0000

I can so relate. Most early adopters have bright shiny object syndrome; they pick a technology or a website because "it's new!" or "it's the wave of the future" and then they're off onto the next thing before they've even found the problems with the existing technology.

I'd be fine with early adopters if they were just 'there at the time', but they're not -- they're a particular demographic, and a fickle one at that.

Re: Ignore Early Adopters

Matt Emmi — Sun, 09 Nov 2008 12:34:32 -0000

Andrew, Have you read "Crossing the Chasam"? It directly addresses the differences in early adopters and early majority customers. The single best read of my MBA, and very pertinent to your post here:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wik...