PRODUCT ADOPTION & AI
I am sure most of us have seen these knives around, or a version of them. Extremely versatile, promising to be the only set of ‘knives’ you’ll ever need.
I remember seeing these knives for the first time and I was blown away. I remember the sales man showing how this strange set of utensils could help anyone cut fruits and vegetables like a chef, in very convenient / rapid ways. It was impressive, almost too good to be true, And I wondered why the whole world wasn’t using them. But like most people, after the show I’d walk away, go home, and use a regular knife for my cooking.
A project I was involved in at one time involved changing a reporting system. The new system boasted a cleaner UI and could fetch real time data, with a great support team behind it. Despite its great features, we found it difficult to migrate users from the old D-1 system, (despite it making a really loud ribbit sound whenever it opened) to the new one. Why didn’t everyone quickly jump to the obviously better choice?
My experience has been that a lot of the work we do and the choice of tools to get it done is done subconsciously. Usually based on previous experience. Our hand naturally reaches for a regular knife when we are faced with a cutting problem, the fancier super knives do not come to mind. Developers quickly copy and paste their errors into google and click on the stack overflow link without even thinking about alternative tools. And this all happens without the user paying much thought to it. I believe a lot of great useful products remain unadopted due to this phenomenon, including the slow adoption of AI.
What can we do differently?
Watching someone do something, while useful, doesn’t constitute full learning. In order to learn, someone must be given a chance ( or pushed ) to apply the new procedure to solve a real problem they are facing. By actually using it for a problem that is relevant and real to them, the tool/product has a chance of being registered at a subconscious level.
I personally have pushed people around me to use some of the AI tools available, most notably ChatGPT in their workflows. Most people know about it, but just don’t use it. Only after some initial push do they begin to use it on their own and integrate it into their various workflows. This sometimes means refusing to help them until they try to resolve their problem with ChatGPT, usually giving them the exact prompt to use. Soon after they start finding unique use-cases on their own that I wouldn’t have thought to suggest.
True learning and appreciation only comes from application. Take a look at your current workflows, and find places to integrate AI safely, then actually do it.
Here’s a list of suggestions:
www.theresanaiforthat.com
