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3.28.2008

A Fair Assessment

I got two phone calls today asking for my feedback about particular products. When people ask for my opinion/advice, I don't take it lightly. I want to live up the honor they have given me by asking for my opinion. Random surveys are one thing, but calls from people who know and trust you are another thing entirely.

I want to accurately point out the positives while helpfully noting the negatives. All the while, I need to watch my biases and my preconceived notions about the thing we're discussing. It certainly takes more wisdom than I currently have. May I gain more wisdom in the days to come.

Both products are really excited, cool, and have the potential to be extremely useful. But, on the other hand, there are significant issues that may ultimately hold them back from becoming the mass-marketable tools they were designed to be.

So, what do I do? What do I say? How does one accurately assess the products, projects, or even situations that arise?

It is no trivial thing.

I wish I had an answer, but I don't. Certainly we can discuss price-point, value, minor tweaks that could be done, but that does not answer the question of: Will this benefit people to the point where it can make a lot of money?

Hopefully the things I did say, and the comments I make in the near future, will be helpful. I love being in this position, but it eats me up inside as well.

~Luke Holzmann
Your Media Production Mentor

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