When wrestling with finding Product Market fit, via a Minimum Viable Product, (MVP), I constantly find myself referring to an issue I call the Engineer’s Paradox:

Engineers want to build for adoption, that is a carefully designed system that accommodates user adoption with the requisite features and performance they require, or else they will risk losing customers. Yet, to truly understand what users want, and how they will use the system, one needs to release a “suboptimal” product in order to gain customer feedback.

So, if you release junk early, no one will ever want what you build, but if you release a fully operational system too late, it may not conform to what user’s want. So, let’s see how we can find a happy medium…

Overcoming the Paradox
Getting to MVP requires a disciplined desire to understand the real market use cases, and how the product can adapt to that. So it is essential to compromise the technology in search of that. To do so you can:

• Find a group of dedicated users who can give you active feedback on your intended solution
• Find a group of desired users who you can watch do their common tasks, using their existing methods, otherwise known as ethnography
• Find as many real applications as you can to “dogfood” your own product
• Show off your demo to as many people as you can – no “stealth mode”

All of the above need a comfort with the notion that technology is easily adjusted, but building markets is difficult. So, rather than build the elegant thing no one will use, instead try to engage the market as soon as possible through various prototypes. Moreover, if you have a close relationship with an early market, where you show genuine effort to incorporate feedback and respond quickly, you’ll be surprised how much they’re willing to tolerate. So, the overall approach is a great way to manage their user experience.

The greatest perfection is imperfection
I’m sure Lucilio Vanini wasn’t referring to product-market fit, when he said “perfection depends on incompleteness” (or “perfectio propter imperfectionem”).

If you’re still concerned, take comfort – odds are no one will use your early product anyway.

I’ll start by throwing out my thoughts on the 2009 Colts:  I don’t really understand their decision, never really bought their public comments about the records, and find the seventy-two Dolphins to be quite insufferable.  I am confident that I am in no way biased on this issue, outside of the above statements.

Maybe 16-0 doesn’t matter anymore.  Maybe 19-0 really is the only mark of perfection.   Maybe if the Colts go on and win the Super Bowl, their season will be every bit as special as a 19-0 season.  After all, they were the front runners all season long, winning in the post-season was always made out to be the primary concern, and no one can ever take that historic win over New England away.

I have nothing to add that hasn’t been said already.  Except for this:  now that the Colts are 14-1, it’s going to be very hard to consider them the favorites in the playoffs.

That’s it.  They haven’t lost anything except pride.  But due to fear, or due to whatever the heck caused Jim Caldwell to pull his banged up starters in the third quarter, when the San Diego Chargers come to town, who is taking the Colts?  On what history?  Heck, the way Philip Rivers has been playing, the Colts (who have the best quarterback in the history of the game in his prime) don’t even have a quarterback advantage.

Of course, the Colts have secured homefield advantage throughout the playoffs.  Unfortunately for them, the NFL playoffs are a single elimination tournament.  The road to Miami only goes through Indianapolis until someone goes in and beats them.

I don’t believe in momentum, at least not in the practical sense, but you have to remember that the Colts are already a very injured team, a rag tag group of superstars and players on rookie contracts who fit into their financials as well as their defensive scheme.  There wasn’t all that long of a line to draft Pierre Garcon and Austin Collie in the last two years, and despite them being two of the better recievers in the draft, only going to a team with Peyton Manning at the trigger can truly make a career.  This is who the Colts are.  They need their stars just to not make a mockery in the playoffs.  They need them healthy.

And again, I don’t believe in momentum.  But then again, neither does Joe Posnanski, really, and his blog post on the Colts, perfection, and NFL tiebreakers 1) threatens to put this blog out of business, and 2) was so spot on that, even though you’d expect nothing less, was still that impressive.

And then there’s another point, one best described in Bull Durham: “I love winning, man. You know what I’m saying? It’s, like, better than losing?” Every pro football player knows how much better a week is after a win than after a loss. Look, I don’t know if momentum can carry a team in the playoffs. But it sure seems to me that a team that decided to go for the perfect season would be a scarier team to face in the playoffs than a team that lost at home to the Jets (and they could lose again this week — what’s the point in starting Peyton Manning in bleeping BUFFALO? Why even have him make the trip?). It seems that an undefeated team would be much scarier to play than a team that decided it was better to lose with a 14-0 record than put its wittle precious pwayers in harm’s way.

If the Colts win the Super Bowl, people will always wonder if they could have gone undefeated and made their case for greatest team ever. If the Colts don’t win the Super Bowl, Jim Caldwell’s decision will live in infamy in Indianapolis for a long time. I understand the decision, but I don’t agree with it.

This is not only perfectly worded, but about as edgy as I’ve ever seen Joe get.  And it’s not even directed at a particular unsuccessful baseball franchise.  And as good as this is, Ross Tucker does even better in 140 characters:

If history, records, and stats don’t mean anything to the Colts why start Peyton on Sunday in order to keep his starting streak going?

Yep.  Pretty much.  The Colts aren’t going to throw away Peyton Manning’s consecutive starts streak in Buffalo.  He’ll get one drive to do his thing out there with the starters, it’s unlikely that anyone will get hurt (just like against NY last week!).  It’s possible, and there’s a downside risk to every action, but you can fully expect Peyton, Reggie, Jeff Saturday, and Dallas Clark (but not Gijon Robinson) to be ready for action when the Divisional round roles around in the middle of January.

I firmly believe that the Colts fully intended on winning that game; after all, the Jets were still trying to win a game with Mark Sanchez.  Ultimately, he’ll be the reason they lose this week and miss the postseason.  Curtis Painter really didn’t need to do anything in the last two quarters to win it, just don’t turn the ball over.  The Colts had to think he was well prepared during the week to get in there and win the game.

But this overestimation of the gap between themselves and the rest of the AFC (i.e. the Jets) is exactly why this Colts team will not win the super bowl.  Or even a single playoff game.  The assumption that seemed smart at the time is, “spot our backups a five point lead, and we trust them to go win a football game.”  Curtis Painter will not be on the field in January, but a lot of the other players that gave up that lead and had a sorry performance without Peyton Manning there to lead them will be major players in January.

The point is that this is not really a great team.  It’s not a perfect team.  It’s just a team on a one game losing streak, like the Baltimore Ravens, like the Miami Dolphins, like the Jacksonville Jags who took them to the wire ten days before.  As Posnanski first said, it’s now an imperfect team that is reporting injuries, has no mystique, and offers neither the highly powered scoring offense of the Chargers or Saints, nor the stingy defense of the Ravens or Steelers.  This Colts team, more than those of the past, has become a one man show.

If any one player can lead his team to the super bowl, that man is Peyton Manning.  But in the wake of this loss, Manning has no allies.  Just his own talent, his receiving corps that he has trained, and his own superior preparation.

Do I think Peyton Manning is one of the all-time greats?  Of course.  Do I like him to win in the playoffs against the best teams in the AFC by himself.  No, no I do not.  I offically think the Colts will go one-and-done in the playoffs.

I wanted to share this story that I received from my friend Angela. It made me smile and reminds me of one of my recent tweets:  The image of perfection doesn’t exist so accept yourself as you are

Recently, in a large French city, a poster featuring a young, thin and tan woman appeared in the window of a gym. It said: THIS SUMMER DO YOU WANT TO BE A MERMAID OR A WHALE?

A middle aged woman, whose physical characteristics did not match those of the woman on the poster, responded publicly to the question posed by the gym.

To Whom It May Concern:

Whales are always surrounded by friends (dolphins, sea lions, curious humans). They have an active sex life, they get pregnant and have adorable baby whales. They have a wonderful time with dolphins stuffing themselves with shrimp. They play and swim in the seas, seeing wonderful places like Patagonia, the Bering Sea and the coral reefs of Polynesia. Whales are wonderful singers and have even recorded CDs. They are incredible creatures and virtually have no predators other than humans. They are loved, protected and admired by almost everyone in the world.

Mermaids don’t exist. If they did exist, they would be lining up outside the offices of Argentinean psychoanalysts due to identity crisis. Fish or human? They don’t have a sex life because they kill men who get close to them not to mention how could they have sex? Therefore they don’t have kids either. Not to mention who wants to get close to a girl who’s skin is all scaly and smells like a fish store?

The choice is perfectly clear to me… I want to be a whale.

P.S. We are in an age when media puts into our heads the idea that only skinny people are beautiful, but I prefer to enjoy an ice cream with my grandkids, a good dinner with a man who makes me shiver and a latte with my friends. With time, we gain weight because we accumulate so much information and wisdom in our heads that when there is no more room, it distributes out to the rest of our bodies. So we aren’t heavy, we are enormously cultured, educated and happy. Beginning today, when I look at my butt in the mirror I will think, “Good gosh, look how smart I am!”

Well, it has been almost 24 hours since I first heard the news.  I coulda wrote about this yesterday, but I felt I was to emotionally involved.  I figured, like most stuff I do, I’d give it 24 hours to sink in. 

Was I surprised?  Yea, I really was.  I was also surprised about A-Rod too.   Does this tarnish Manny?  You betcha.  Does it tarnish the Red Sox and their titles?  HEEELLLLLLL NO!!!!! 

According to Scott Boras  Manny Ramirez’s statement he got a new pill from a doctor.  I really want to believe that.  I really do, but I’m skeptical.  Manny has never been one to care about his image(unlike A-Rod.)  He feels that he’ll do what he wants when he wants and no one but no one will tell him differently.

Remember this is a player who quit on the Sox.  Disappeared into the Monster during a pitching change.  Cut off a ball from the center fielder.  Got into a tussle with a traveling secretary.  Didn’t play in a game because he was sick than that same night was seen in a hotel restaurant with an opposing player.  Common sense has never been a strong suit for the man.

He actually may of thought he could get away with it.  One thing I am pretty sure of is he didn’t juice with the Sox.  He never had the huge spike, or the sharp decline, or the strange injuries.  He could have started with LA.  Jeez just luck at his numbers.  Then again, maybe I have blinders on.

I still don’t fully know how I feel about this.  I am not naive enough to think that every player is clean.  Just the opposite actually.  Dirty till proven clean.

As a side not, this problem is not just a baseball problem.  This hits all sports.  Baseball just takes a hit because it has always hailed itself as a pure sport and the one sport that people have a “romantic” attachment to.  You can’t tell me that NFL players aren’t cycling.  You think Lebron and Dwight Howard got like that naturally?   Hockey players go night in and night out playing at a top level without some help?  Please!!!

  Not all ‘roiders have that typical body.  They now help players get faster and stronger “lean muscles.”  Help them recover faster from a workout or to help get through back-to-back tilts.  This is not a baseball problem this is a sports problem.  Frankly it is an US problem.

As fans, we demand greatness.  We demand a player earn his salary.  If he doesn’t perform up to our standards, he’s a bum.  He’s no good.  He needs to go.  You tellin’  me they don’t hear this?   They juice to make themselves better players, which of course, leads to fans loving them.  We are such hypocrites.  We demand perfection from imperfect humans.  We demand them to do more than any other athlete has ever done and when they need help to get there, we chastise them.

Put yourselves in their spots.  Imagine at your job that you perform at a high level for a few years.  That standard is what your bosses and co-workers want and need from you always.  Now you are getting a bit older and can’t do some of the stuff a younger you could do.  There, waiting in the wings is some hotshot newbie ready to take your job.  You need to get back your touch.  You telling me that the thought wouldn’t cross your mind to get some “outside help!”  This is the kind of thing these players go through on a yearly basis.  Is it right?  I don’t know, but it’s reality. 

Does this latest drug scandal take anything away from sports?  For me, it doesn’t.  I still love the drama and the competitiveness.   This may make me more of the problem then the solution.  Ask yourself what is better.  Athletes in the 70’s and 80’s when the drug of choice was cocaine(def. not a PED) or now when the drugs enhance the performance. 

I’ll continue to watch and root.  I still love Manny for what he did.  Even if more players are suspended or accused, my mind won’t change.  I just promise never to get surprized again.

Mabona Origami via hypebeast

I had an interesting experience recently with one of my team members. We were to submit an important project document to client and we decided that we will first freeze the table of contents (ToC) and then move on to filling up content.

Almost a day went by and I had no update on ToC. When inquired, I found that team member was aiming at creating a perfect ToC by referring to all possible external references – without realizing that we had lost a day in pursuit of perfection when we could have done it in less time and could have perfected it as we go along documenting. In pursuit of perfection, you become your own worst critic!

There are situations on project when progress is important in right direction – in my experience, perfection is an ongoing process that actually starts after you set a right direction and make some progress therein. That is the starting point of perfection as a process. When you repeat this process over and over again, perfection gets ingrained in whatever you do – leading to excellence.

Some of the important lessons for me and my team member from this experience were:

• More you try to perfect something, more time it will take. (and you never know whether it will be perfect at the end!)
• It does not have to be perfect – just good enough will do.
• Perfection has to be a process – rather than a one-time-attempt. Perfect Incrementally.
• Sometimes a quick 90% solution is better than a 100% perfect solution that comes in when it is no longer needed.
• Focus on a few vital things – and set priorities looking at purpose and time available.
• Perfection cannot pursued be at the cost of taking actions at right time.
• Get it done once – then perfect it. Do this over and over again and perfection becomes a way of work.

I think – following two quotes aptly sum up the lessons above:

“Aim at perfection in everything, though in most things it is unattainable. However, they who aim at it, and persevere, will come much nearer to it than those whose laziness and despondency make them give it up as unattainable.  – Lord Chesterfield:

Aim for success, not perfection. Never give up your right to be wrong, because then you will lose the ability to learn new things and move forward with your life. – Dr. David M. Burns”