"When you begin to think outside the box, you often become some other "leaders" lousy follower. That usually costs something" (Andy Rayner)

"Our guardian angels are bored." (Mike Foster)

It's where I feel I'm at these days. “In the second half of life, it is good just to be a part of the general dance. We do not have to stand out, make defining moves, or be better than anyone else on the dance floor. Life is more participatory than assertive, and there is no need for strong or further self-definition” (Falling Upward. Richard Rohr.120).

Tuesday, April 17, 2012

Too Many Choices Turns people into "Browsers"

"Sometimes Googlers don't want more choices. Sheena Iyengar, in her book "The Art of Choosing", says she began by offering twenty-four different jams for people to taste free of charge. She then reduced the number to six. When she was offering twenty-four choices, 3 percent of the people bought a jar of jam. But when she reduced the selection to six flavors, 30 percent bought some. Too many choices turn people into browsers, not buyers. By the way, the magic number before a person succumbs to cognitive over load is seven." (Viral, pg 110)

I remember that during the GM, Chrysler, and Ford motor crisis, one of the main criticisms was that, particularity GM, had too many options in product. Toyota and Honda had basically 5 choices of cars that have been the same for decades, though upgraded slightly each year. But they concentrated on a small number done well. GM's choices confuse people it seemed.

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