The Truth of the Thing

March 6, 2019 [email protected] @ArgesRic  https://mastodon.social/@ricardojmendez/ The Truth of the
Thing Ricardo J. Méndez

March 6, 2019 [email protected] @ArgesRic  https://mastodon.social/@ricardojmendez/ The Truth of the
Thing Ricardo J. Méndez Mistakes I’ve Made

@argesric @samsungnext Preview of coming attractions •It's not all about
tech; •Access and understanding > usability; •Lack of either access or understanding deepens inequality; •We are running out of time.

Relevant quote!

@argesric @samsungnext “A new scientific truth does not triumph by
convincing its opponents and making them see the light, but rather because its opponents eventually die, and a new generation grow up that is familiar with it.” — Max Planck

@argesric @samsungnext

Back story

@argesric @samsungnext https://www.nytimes.com/2019/02/23/opinion/sunday/venezuela-bitcoin-inflation-cryptocurrencies.html

@argesric @samsungnext https://www.nacion.com/revista-dominical/la-crisis- que-disparo-los-precios/ IY2AW47ACRE6ZAHFISNTVGRHME/story/

@argesric @samsungnext Timing was key. If you weren’t “in” before
the crash, you were out.

@argesric @samsungnext That deepening inequality? We risk that happening again,
between those with understanding and access, and those without.

@argesric @samsungnext What could have made things different? I just
accepted this kind of thing happened.

Mistakes I’ve made

Mistake 1: Tech, not problems

@argesric @samsungnext “The Tech is the Thing” Since I hadn’t
learned what my job was.

@argesric @samsungnext Key question: what’s your job?

@argesric @samsungnext End job is to keep the user happy.

Mistake 2: Stability, not usability

@argesric @samsungnext When all you have is an obsession with
computer science everything looks like a systems architecture problem.

@argesric @samsungnext Stability was the name of the game.

Mistake 3: Usability, not comprehensibility

@argesric @samsungnext Systems are lenses. A lens imposes a perspective.

@argesric @samsungnext Frictionless helps with adoption. Frictionless doesn’t mean accessible.

@argesric @samsungnext Accessible means users can approach the truth of
the thing. If it isn’t conceptually accessible, we are just asking users to trade overlords.

@argesric @samsungnext Giving them control? Explain what we mean. Explain
the trade-offs.

@argesric @samsungnext Wait, didn’t you just say…?

@argesric @samsungnext Which aspects could cause irretrievable damage to a
user who doesn’t understand them from the start?

Mistake 4: Problems, not people

@argesric @samsungnext https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T2CjuAwrAq8 “You need to see people, not problems”
— Bruce Lawson, Monkigras 2019

@argesric @samsungnext Problems •Censorship; •Frictionless money transfer; •Dependence on central
authorities.

@argesric @samsungnext Keep in mind who will use it, because
people’s situations are different. Remember that we are privileged.

@argesric @samsungnext People •Mining hardware at risk of being confiscated;
•Working abroad, wanting to send money home; •Unaware that they are in an economy about to tank.

The truth is…

@argesric @samsungnext https://www.nytimes.com/2019/02/23/opinion/sunday/venezuela-bitcoin-inflation-cryptocurrencies.html

@argesric @samsungnext You are working on the future. This should
worry you. People will live with the decisions you make.

@argesric @samsungnext We can’t afford to wait until it goes
mainstream. Someone will figure out how to make this accessible.

@argesric @samsungnext Out-execute them, because the tech is not the
only thing. Keep your users happier.

@argesric @samsungnext Make sure your users understand the truth of
what you’ve built. Contact: [email protected]

The Truth of the Thing

The Truth of the Thing

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