Hitting the technology sweetspot; the intersection of emotion and obscurity
It’s 5:15am. It’s cold and near silent out except for the lazy flopping of my feet, with the crinkle and crackle of salt and sand on the road. Then my watch started talking to me; “I’m excited to be joining you on your second long run.”
“Wow. This is pretty freaking amazing.” I thought, as I laughed through my first few cold minutes of my morning run. It was like suddenly I had a buddy with me.
When the time flipped to start, I did not know what to expect; Surely I was going to experience a good idea, but it would probably fail to meet its promises, let alone my expectations. In the era of MVPs, this seems to be like the current premise of tech: good ideas that need more time.
But wow, I was blown away. Nike has made an amazing product that positions itself in the dreamworld of bridging the connection between human and tech, and then fading away.
It is not often this happens…in fact I can’t remember the last time technology had an impact on me like this. Okay maybe I can, but it was awhile back (when the iPhone 3GS came out in 2009). The way that phone made a connection with you, think of your first few taps, was really amazing; At this point, we take it for granted…the new iPad does come close with moments of emotional connection. With my watch, during my run, I was at the intersection of technology and impact, making an emotional connection with my device.
When was the last time you said “wow” about something? Better yet, when did this happen with technology?
Your coach right on your wrist…seriously
When Nike’s Coach Bennett’s voice came out from my watch I could start to feel a smile build on my face. This guy I didn’t know was talking to me from this super tiny device on my wrist, no headphones, no internet connection-nothing. Eventually, I realized if I wanted to have a productive run I’d have to stop going nuts over this new interaction and focus on my run, and I promised myself I would think more deeply about (and write about) it after. Here we are.
I’m probably old news. The app has been out for a long time and I recall seeing an email an equally long time ago on the new coach feature. The last time I used the Nike Run app was 2 years ago…their feature and capability set has certainly grown. So maybe this has been in the app for some time, so again, maybe I’m old news.
The Nike Run Club is Nike’s answer to apps like strava, Map My Run by Under Armor, Run Tracker, and more. NRC (Nike Run Club) encourages you to get out and run, compete in challenges, connect with friends, map & track your run, and of course buy more Nike shoes while you’re at it. That last part is actually amazingly hard to come by. Nike is smart about not throwing it in your face and offers it as a “check me out when YOU want” type of feature. Those are the best features, aren’t they?
More about the app-it offers coaches. There are 2 types of coaches: the first coach is the one I describe above, one who talks to you and guides you through your run. The second coach is digital and helps you plan your run with workouts tailored to you and your goals. I’m just going to hit on the first coach type.
Hello Coach Bennett. I see you my man.
I’m going to go off on tangent for a moment. When the game Metal Gear Solid (MGS): Sons of Liberty released for the original xbox in 2001, the game featured not only impressive graphics but an incredibly immersive story told with equally impressive voiceovers. But the trick, many of the voices were computer generated. Listening to it now, you can probably hear some slight abstraction but its pretty solid. Flash forward 18 years, no question our tech has gotten better. Enter the uncanny valley.
Is Coach Bennett real?
Okay…I’m sure he is. But the idea is not too far off from reality. Coach Bennett is excellently executed. His voice is smooth, rhythmic, and calming, perfect for your runs. In my example, we were doing a “long run”, about 42 minutes. So pacing here is calm and consistent and was more focused on meditating and controlling your thoughts and less on speed and breaking your personal record. I imagine the “fast/short runs” or competitive runs, Bennett changes his tone and pace.
“Okay, I’m going to leave you to focus on the things we just talked about and I’ll check back in a bit.”
Throughout the run, Bennett gives you moments to focus. His coaching style, touch n’ go. I found these moments amazing and expertly timed. It’s important to recognize the runner needs their space too. When you control the music playlist or the podcast (or whatever you jam to while running) you get to decide when you have those moments. The Nike app on your watch, not so-it goes until the end of your run. If you pause and keep running, that run data will not be tracked or recorded. These pauses of introspection are needed.
“We are stuck with technology when what we really want is just stuff that works.”
-Douglas Adams
Nike has also partnered with many athletes, coaches, celebrities, and companies to bring you unique and fun experiences. I can’t wait to do my first run with Kevin Hart. For my latest run, I used the workout partnered with headspace, a company dedicated to mental health and meditation. Really enjoyed this collaboration and will be continuing to join this workouts. Afterwards, I felt revitalized, focused, and ready to take on the day.
NRC is an awesome idea, perfectly executed. Rarely has an app or tech experience left me inspired, motivated, and just down right giddy. I can’t wait to go out again. To join Coach Bennett again as he makes me a better runner and athlete.
This is the point of tech. It doesn’t matter if you’re B2B or B2C, the best tech creates emotions while being invisible. When it comes to apps, these are things we interact with daily.
Make them fun. Make them delightful. Make them invisible.
Originally published at https://www.linkedin.com.
