News Logic

Great piece by Matt Alexander over at The Loop:

For some, “news logic” may elicit success, but for others, it merely fosters a dangerous tendency toward stifled, ego-centric decision-making. Decision-makers are far better served by focusing upon building a product worthy of the adulation of its users, rather than attaining complimentary press. Envisioning the pleasure of the end user – let’s call it “user logic” – forces the idea to undergo development until it is something good. If the idea is good, it will make its way onto the coveted blogs that Harrington speaks of. Focusing upon the potential for praise and attention alone makes way for the rise of negative headlines and critical responses.

In the past three years, I have been trying to apply the “news logic” to everything I do, write, and say. I often find myself asking “Is this something worth writing for my readers?” or “Do I really need to talk – is my opinion needed at all?”. Needless to say, this frequently leads to silence, which, however, I believe is always better than “me too” talking or writing.

I think many executives, no matter the company, should cut the marketing bullshit and ask themselves if they, and their users, are ultimately satisfied. If it’s not good, don’t ship it.