BEG: 9:25 PM
Over the past 1/2 year, I've experienced a tremendous amount - perhaps the greatest emotional rollercoaster of my life. The excitement of concepting out project (of tremendous social value), not really getting interviews for the position that I am passionate about, and just getting older. Haha! One important learning lesson I've accumulated during this stretch has to do with a couple topics related to experience.
First, there is doing something for a very long time, honing your skills with a particular skill-set or competency, and second, there is the accumulation of different technologies and paradigms. The commonality that excites me about both of these routes is when someone is either very passionate and/or open-minded about learning. When it comes to #1, I get annoyed with the notion that someone has many years under their belt, yet they have not really learned much, or accelerate their content and knowledge base with that skill-set. In some situations, someone with 2 years experience in boxing can potentially gain more knowledge and become better than someone with 20 years. Then we're talking about a coefficient of learning, so-to-speak. And part of not really progressing or learning from your mistakes lies with being stuck or not wanting to break free from what one is used to. But I digress...
To compare #1 and #2, it is seemingly becoming the case that #2 will take the lead exponentially. Because, in this day in age, in order to adapt we simply need to move on and try new things. Practically each industry that exists is going through rapid changes so much so that practically no one is safe in their respective role -- except developers...for now. You may be great at Marketing, but you may have to get into IT, or even doing Finance. You may be an operations manager for Logistics, but you may need to become a Visual Basic expert, and perhaps even learning to write complicated SQL queries for extracting data from a database -- multiple ones at that (MySQL, PostgreSQL, MS SQL, etc.).
Anyway, just my random thought of the moment...
END: 9:41PM
Wednesday, May 23, 2012
Sunday, May 13, 2012
Likes vs. Ratings
START: 1:40 PM
In my attempts to identify competitive advantages with current Web Service providers, I realized that binary forms of liking something (or thumbs up/down) elicit a completely different response behavior from Ratings. As the former typically elicits a virtually-thoughtless process of determining the quality of a piece of media, I can't help but to conjecture that corresponding comments tend to follow suit in the same way. They tend to be one-liners; bash someone's else's comments -- basically communicate in unproductive ways. Just look at the comments section of YouTube and Vimeo, or any other forum out there in cyberspace. Although, Rottentomatoes.com is an exception to the rule; but that's understandable given the dynamics revolving around the industry/segment for which that website serves: featured films.
Ratings is a whole different ball game. As rating systems have a more continuous selection base (1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9 vs. Like/Dislike), they tend to -- in short -- really get the mental juices flowing on how liked or disliked a particular experience, service, or product was. Subsequently, and without a doubt, such a paradigm elicits more serious responses that (subjectively or objectively) qualify the entity that is being judged. See Yelp. Perfect example. Use a merchant with at least 100+ reviews, and you'll most likely see what I'm talking about.
On a level playing field you will most likely see this:
*** Thumbs Up/Down (YouTube): 500 Likes/100 Dislikes = a ton of lame/shallow/(sometimes) objective comments
VS.
*** 1-5 Rating Systems (Yelp): 600 Reviews, 4.5 STAR = a ton of comprehensive reviews that will typically include verbiage surrounding the dish someone had, the ambiance, service, and price.
* IF THIS BLOG INSPIRES, AND LEADS YOU TO DEVELOPING SOMETHING, PLEASE MAKE A NOTE OF ME IN YOUR PRODUCT/SOLUTION =). HAPPY TRAILS!
END: 2:06 PM
In my attempts to identify competitive advantages with current Web Service providers, I realized that binary forms of liking something (or thumbs up/down) elicit a completely different response behavior from Ratings. As the former typically elicits a virtually-thoughtless process of determining the quality of a piece of media, I can't help but to conjecture that corresponding comments tend to follow suit in the same way. They tend to be one-liners; bash someone's else's comments -- basically communicate in unproductive ways. Just look at the comments section of YouTube and Vimeo, or any other forum out there in cyberspace. Although, Rottentomatoes.com is an exception to the rule; but that's understandable given the dynamics revolving around the industry/segment for which that website serves: featured films.
Ratings is a whole different ball game. As rating systems have a more continuous selection base (1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9 vs. Like/Dislike), they tend to -- in short -- really get the mental juices flowing on how liked or disliked a particular experience, service, or product was. Subsequently, and without a doubt, such a paradigm elicits more serious responses that (subjectively or objectively) qualify the entity that is being judged. See Yelp. Perfect example. Use a merchant with at least 100+ reviews, and you'll most likely see what I'm talking about.
On a level playing field you will most likely see this:
*** Thumbs Up/Down (YouTube): 500 Likes/100 Dislikes = a ton of lame/shallow/(sometimes) objective comments
VS.
*** 1-5 Rating Systems (Yelp): 600 Reviews, 4.5 STAR = a ton of comprehensive reviews that will typically include verbiage surrounding the dish someone had, the ambiance, service, and price.
* IF THIS BLOG INSPIRES, AND LEADS YOU TO DEVELOPING SOMETHING, PLEASE MAKE A NOTE OF ME IN YOUR PRODUCT/SOLUTION =). HAPPY TRAILS!
END: 2:06 PM
Saturday, May 12, 2012
Network of Web Services
BEG: 1:10 PM
With this trend of startups creating web services for particular needs, more and more is it becoming apparent to me that we are witnessing the advent of a network of services. The virtual version of offline merchants referring each other to another merchant. Let's say the year is 1990, and you go to your Tax guy. If that guy (or girl -- have to be indifferent here) knows you need some legal services, s/he may refer you to a "great" lawyer. Nowadays, online services are utilizing the "Affiliate Marketing" concept, but in a more seamless way. The movie production K-town Cowboys perfectly demonstrates this trend. http://www.ktowncowboys.com has links (I guess through APIs?) to both Kickstarter and Google Checkout -- both web services...i think. I know Google Checkout is.
I truly love this concept. Gives a concrete method for systematically tracking referrals, and gives business owners a much more effective chance of earning money from referrals. The hotness! I will surely take advantage of this paradigm if/when the time comes =). But, I'm more interested in seeing whether I can partner up with Gumroad or Square...
END: 1:26 PM
With this trend of startups creating web services for particular needs, more and more is it becoming apparent to me that we are witnessing the advent of a network of services. The virtual version of offline merchants referring each other to another merchant. Let's say the year is 1990, and you go to your Tax guy. If that guy (or girl -- have to be indifferent here) knows you need some legal services, s/he may refer you to a "great" lawyer. Nowadays, online services are utilizing the "Affiliate Marketing" concept, but in a more seamless way. The movie production K-town Cowboys perfectly demonstrates this trend. http://www.ktowncowboys.com has links (I guess through APIs?) to both Kickstarter and Google Checkout -- both web services...i think. I know Google Checkout is.
I truly love this concept. Gives a concrete method for systematically tracking referrals, and gives business owners a much more effective chance of earning money from referrals. The hotness! I will surely take advantage of this paradigm if/when the time comes =). But, I'm more interested in seeing whether I can partner up with Gumroad or Square...
END: 1:26 PM
Friday, May 11, 2012
"Pivoting"
BEG: 2:20PM
Yes -- I just wrote this buzzword that's sweeping the GLOBE! The word, however, is nothing new. This word has now become quite sexy, just like "entrepeneurship" (i'll worry about spelling later), "start-up", "ideation", etc. But enough bashing on its overuse. Everything gets overused at one point or another. Okay, back to what I wanted to convey with this word...
I love the meaning behind it, and all of the externalities that surround the concept. Back before Eric Weiss wrote "The Lean Startup", i'm guessing such a concept was not practiced regularly, probably avoided at most times. Although, that notion is in and of itself a paradox because how can one avoid something they have no experience with? I have to believe that the norm for anyone, or any team, or any organization was to avoid having to almost instantaneously change direction. Why? Because Pivoting can be traumatic given the historical mindset we all had. Need to scrap that 1-month effort? "No Way! I've put all this time and effort into this". Ah! Now we have the psycological attachment to the project. And the more time & $$$ spent progressing with the wrong trajectory, the harder it will be to break free. BTW: if my explanation here is exactly what Eric Wies wrote in The Lean Startup, i technically cannot be accused of plagiarism -- because I have not read, or heard excerpts from it yet =)
Now this is the part where I actually did learn from Eric Weiss, and it actually makes practical sense: plan to fail before failing. With the notion that building a prototype is meant to validate or test assumptions & hypothesis, it's much easier to not become so attached. Of course, there is a necessity to be motivated in building your product, which should not be forgotten. What I love about the idea of planning to fail early is that it forces oneself to identify the most crucial aspect of your product, waste little time, and maximize your focus towards developing that product -- ASAP!
But, I want to give an analogy of my understanding on the implications of not "pivoting" early enough. Think of your product/solution as a young Shaquielle O'neal. At age 14, being 6'0, 150 lbs, he's far more able to manuever around people and stop-on-a-dime to juke someone out than if he were in his late 20s, at 7'1', 300 lbs. Get the picture? Okay, not the best analogy, but I'm guessing you get the picture...
Okay, I have an interview with a Visa VP at 3pm. Apparently the guy from yesterday's call liked me enough to get me to this 2nd phone screenings. I'm definitely grateful and appreciative. Let's see how this goes.
END: 2:42 PM
Yes -- I just wrote this buzzword that's sweeping the GLOBE! The word, however, is nothing new. This word has now become quite sexy, just like "entrepeneurship" (i'll worry about spelling later), "start-up", "ideation", etc. But enough bashing on its overuse. Everything gets overused at one point or another. Okay, back to what I wanted to convey with this word...
I love the meaning behind it, and all of the externalities that surround the concept. Back before Eric Weiss wrote "The Lean Startup", i'm guessing such a concept was not practiced regularly, probably avoided at most times. Although, that notion is in and of itself a paradox because how can one avoid something they have no experience with? I have to believe that the norm for anyone, or any team, or any organization was to avoid having to almost instantaneously change direction. Why? Because Pivoting can be traumatic given the historical mindset we all had. Need to scrap that 1-month effort? "No Way! I've put all this time and effort into this". Ah! Now we have the psycological attachment to the project. And the more time & $$$ spent progressing with the wrong trajectory, the harder it will be to break free. BTW: if my explanation here is exactly what Eric Wies wrote in The Lean Startup, i technically cannot be accused of plagiarism -- because I have not read, or heard excerpts from it yet =)
Now this is the part where I actually did learn from Eric Weiss, and it actually makes practical sense: plan to fail before failing. With the notion that building a prototype is meant to validate or test assumptions & hypothesis, it's much easier to not become so attached. Of course, there is a necessity to be motivated in building your product, which should not be forgotten. What I love about the idea of planning to fail early is that it forces oneself to identify the most crucial aspect of your product, waste little time, and maximize your focus towards developing that product -- ASAP!
But, I want to give an analogy of my understanding on the implications of not "pivoting" early enough. Think of your product/solution as a young Shaquielle O'neal. At age 14, being 6'0, 150 lbs, he's far more able to manuever around people and stop-on-a-dime to juke someone out than if he were in his late 20s, at 7'1', 300 lbs. Get the picture? Okay, not the best analogy, but I'm guessing you get the picture...
Okay, I have an interview with a Visa VP at 3pm. Apparently the guy from yesterday's call liked me enough to get me to this 2nd phone screenings. I'm definitely grateful and appreciative. Let's see how this goes.
END: 2:42 PM
Thursday, May 10, 2012
A key parameter to building a product/solution
BEG: 12:02 PM
As I am concepting out a particular product/solution, more and more do I realize that I need to become one of the users that is intimate with that which I am attempting to solve for. Yes, this is where the research and what not comes in before even attempting to get others involved to help you. Guess it makes the process a whole lot easier if I lived, breathed, and tasted what it's like to be a user within this particular industry
Okay, I have a phone screening w/ Visa @ 2pm. And I have a lot of questions for the hiring manager. Let's hope I can get far enough to ask these "award-winning" questions. Gosh, I'm so full of myself ;-p.
END: 12:05 PM
As I am concepting out a particular product/solution, more and more do I realize that I need to become one of the users that is intimate with that which I am attempting to solve for. Yes, this is where the research and what not comes in before even attempting to get others involved to help you. Guess it makes the process a whole lot easier if I lived, breathed, and tasted what it's like to be a user within this particular industry
Okay, I have a phone screening w/ Visa @ 2pm. And I have a lot of questions for the hiring manager. Let's hope I can get far enough to ask these "award-winning" questions. Gosh, I'm so full of myself ;-p.
END: 12:05 PM
Wednesday, May 9, 2012
Love what you do, and do what you love.
START: 7:57 PM
Having a job and wanting to do stuff outside of your job is much harder than simply combining the two concepts. With whatever you love doing, make that your job. You won't have to find any other things to do outside of your job =). Okay, besides the bare essentials (family and friends), doing one thing takes time away from other things. An analogy would be you driving in a Cooper T. Can't fit everyone in that thing so you might as well have the people you're coolest with in the car with you =).
Anyhow, if you can achieve this concept, you'll be sure to save LOTS of time, and be able to maximize your productivity! But, you already knew that, right? =).
END: 8:02 PM
Having a job and wanting to do stuff outside of your job is much harder than simply combining the two concepts. With whatever you love doing, make that your job. You won't have to find any other things to do outside of your job =). Okay, besides the bare essentials (family and friends), doing one thing takes time away from other things. An analogy would be you driving in a Cooper T. Can't fit everyone in that thing so you might as well have the people you're coolest with in the car with you =).
Anyhow, if you can achieve this concept, you'll be sure to save LOTS of time, and be able to maximize your productivity! But, you already knew that, right? =).
END: 8:02 PM
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