Experts aren't Always Right
In the last post we talked about how by rule breaking you can tap into your creativity and generate new ideas. It’s with this in mind that the following blog from Innovation Zen made me think that even experts sometimes put self imposed rules on themselves that can stunt creativity. I guess Siobhan and I do it we give out advice on the best way to do a direct mail etc. However, sometimes we are proved wrong and we learn about new ways to undertake marketing activities. In fact we never stop learning about marketing and are always open to better and more ingeneous ways of doing things.
The reason I liked Innovation Zen’s blog post is that it is all about predictions that experts have made over the years, which in retrospect look a little foolish. Such as
“There is no reason for any individuals to have a computer in their home.”
Ken Olsen, President, Chairman and Founder of DEC, 1977
Take a look, it might just get you to break your pattern of thinking, just click on this link http://innovationzen.com/blog/2006/07/17/predictions-gone-wrong/
and this link for the second part http://innovationzen.com/blog/2006/07/31/more-predictions-gone-wrong/
While reading the predictions made by a wide range of individuals it struck me that they were all extremely negative either suggesting that something will never happen or that ‘its just a fad’ or that wont last. Seems to me it is far easier for people to suggest what isn’t going to happen rather than thinking outside the box and as you suggest generate new ideas about the realms of possibilities in the future.
I would also suggest that making predictions in the digital age that we live in about what is or is not going to happen is futile. Much better would be to talk about paths of development, predicting the direction of development rather than attempting to pick a specific area and ‘predict’ what will happen. Times are changing and especially for marketers attempting to predict far into the future is pointless deal with the here and now and learn, create and develop as you go along to ensure you keep up.
@Paul Bassi
Thanks for your comments Paul they are much appreciated – it is true that we take the experts word for it, without question. Perhaps we should questions experts more, in fact we welcome it when our clients challenge our assumptions, it’s what keeps us on our toes