Be Less Zombie

29If You Only Read One Chapter…

How anyone can design and run low-cost, low-risk, high-return experiments.

In the 1980s, an IBM voice recognition scientist had a brainwave.

He imagined a world where we could hit ‘delete’ and do away with computer keyboards. If IBM computers understood spoken words, why would millions of office workers need to drum keyboards ever again?

Logically it made sense. Commercially, it was mouthwatering. But the development costs were potentially staggering. How could they be sure that their audacious vision would work?

It's the question facing every executive who is presented with a new idea that needs investment: ‘How do I know if this will pay off?’

Here's what IBM did.

They set up a room containing a desk, a computer screen and a chair. Test subjects were invited in and told that this was a prototype computer that didn't need a keyboard. ‘Take a seat and talk to the computer. Let us know what you think.’

The guinea pigs obliged and squeaked in delight as their words appeared on the screen.

© Elvin Turner.

Here's what they didn't know. A few doors down was another office. Inside was a typist wearing headphones that were connected to a hidden microphone inside the test room. Every word that the test subjects uttered arrived in her headset. She typed what she heard, and the words appeared on the screen back in the test room.

The users loved it! Successful ...