Extremism (the good variety)
Traditional businesses target large(r) demographics in order to sell and earn more. Looking the other direction is equally, if not more, important.
Tuesday, 27 August 2019
Hi there!
When I come across a staircase with a ramp adjacent to it, I usually end up walking up or down the ramp instead of the staircase.
When exploring business ideas, we try to understand what our customers may look like and then serve the needs of the largest section. So if our customers are represented by a bell curve, we end up focussing all our attention on the middle of the curve. We may choose to ignore the people at the smaller extremes of that bell curve because they are not profitable enough.
Examples of the ‘extreme user’ may be those who are visually or physically challenged. But you could be able bodied, and still be ignored by businesses. Through history, women and left-handed people have been ignored as consumer groups. And today, in a bid to capture the next generation and the young, businesses routinely ignore senior citizens. After all, old is not fashionable!
As societies progress, what was excluded earlier, becomes part of the main-stream. We’re (a bit) better with regards to diversity and inclusion in the workplace, and businesses are slowly catering to customer groups that were previously ignored. But if such inclusion is in response to protests by organisations, mass social movements or legislations, we miss the point not just from a moral standpoint, but also from a business perspective.
In design thinking, we bring attention to the ‘extreme user’ because, often, they amplify problems faced by the ‘average’ person. Identifying and solving their problems, potentially amplifies the experience for the other customers too.
That ramp that I prefer over the staircase, was not designed for me. As an ‘average’ user, I am expected to be able to take the stairs. But when considering wheel-chair users in the design, everybody wins — those who may suffer from knee or back pain, as well as those who prefer to conserve their energy, also benefit.
Today, most consumers may be indifferent to the environmental impact of detergents and deodorants. But by closely listening to the frustrations of environmentally-conscious people (the extreme users), consumer goods companies could proactively tweak their products and packaging to be sustainable. The end result would be a cleaner, healthier environment for everyone, and also a great marketing pitch!
What kind of ‘extreme users’ do you encounter in your day-to-day interactions. In what way are you one? And have you seen businesses around you cater to such users? I’d love to hear your stories. Simply hit reply!
Warm Regards,
Kasturika
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