| "Consumers prefer to be spoon-fed changes with | | | | manufacturing approach, first data dictionary, etc., but |
| teaspoons." | | | | suffice it to say people said we were years ahead of |
| - Bryce's LawINTRODUCTIONNot too long ago | | | | our time.The competition wasn't far behind either, as |
| Panasonic's corporate slogan was, "Just slightly ahead | | | | other commercial methodologies were introduced as |
| of our time." It was catchy and it inferred their products | | | | well as structured programming techniques and data |
| were on the cutting edge of the industry. There was | | | | dictionary systems. I could easily argue how "PRIDE" |
| only one problem with this, as Panasonic found out, | | | | was superior in so many ways, but as I mentioned |
| people feel uncomfortable using products ahead of | | | | before, consumers are not really interested. Instead, |
| their time. Consequently, their slogan was changed to, | | | | they selected cheaper alternatives which were |
| "Ideas for Life." But this essay is not so much about | | | | implemented badly. Regardless, they thought they had |
| slogans as it is about marketing products ahead of | | | | purchased a bargain.Based on legal advice, we |
| their time. The marketing graveyard is full of fine | | | | originally sold "PRIDE" as a proprietary product requiring |
| examples of products that were introduced and | | | | the use of a nondisclosure agreement to be made |
| considered ahead of their time: | | | | privy to its contents. This was both good and bad. It |
| | | | was good in the sense it allowed us to protect the |
| Sony's Betamax video recorder was introduced in the | | | | product from misappropriation (which was tested in a |
| mid-1970's and was well regarded as a superior and | | | | court of law), but it was bad in the sense we were |
| quality product over its competition. The VHS format | | | | handcuffed from disseminating information on how it |
| ultimately unseated the Betamax though, not because | | | | worked. While MBA was restrained from public |
| of superior quality but primarily due to cheaper costs. In | | | | disclosure our competition propagated their products |
| less than ten years Betamax was gone.Xerox's Star | | | | through the media. So much so, that "PRIDE" faded |
| computer was introduced in 1981. It was also a quality | | | | from public view.As the first in the industry, we made |
| product that was ahead of its time, featuring a | | | | our money early on and invested a lot of it back into |
| Graphical User Interface (GUI) that was copied by | | | | the product in the form of research and development. |
| Apple, Microsoft, and just about everyone else.The | | | | Consequently, "PRIDE" evolved into a much larger |
| GRiD Compass 1101 computer was released in 1982 | | | | product that now tackles issues such as Enterprise |
| and is the first true laptop as we understand it today, | | | | Engineering and Data Base Engineering. Frankly, it |
| with a sleek design that included a screen that closed | | | | became more robust than the average person could |
| on top of the keyboard, a built-in modem, bubble | | | | assimilate which is one reason why, in 2004, we finally |
| memory, and it ran on batteries. But the product wasn't | | | | put it in the public domain through the Internet.As I have |
| cheap and sold for upwards to $10,000 making it | | | | written in the past, the market has changed |
| prohibitive to purchase for the average business | | | | considerably over the last 35 years since "PRIDE" was |
| person. Even worse, it didn't support the IBM PC | | | | introduced. The people have changed, the technology |
| architecture making it incompatible with popular | | | | has changed, but the problems haven't, e.g.; the backlog |
| programs of the day.IBM has also had its fair share of | | | | of user information requirements has gotten longer, not |
| products that were ahead of its time and met | | | | shorter; systems still lack integration; companies are |
| premature deaths; including their Token Ring LAN | | | | plagued by redundant information resources; lack of |
| which was ultimately supplanted by Ethernet. IBM's PS | | | | documentation; fire fighting is still the common mode of |
| 2 line of computers was introduced in 1987 as a | | | | operating; projects come in late and over budget, |
| means to recapture the PC market. The PS/2 included | | | | etc.Recently, I was giving a "PRIDE" presentation to a |
| a proprietary "Microchannel Architecture" which, | | | | startup company with some rather young analysts and |
| although advanced and sophisticated, led to its demise | | | | programmers who are not as well versed in the |
| from competitive "open" offerings. And finally, we have | | | | history of the industry as I am. All they knew was |
| IBM's OS/2 operating system which was also | | | | basically what their college professors and instructors |
| introduced in the late 1980's and was the first 32-bit | | | | had taught them. I didn't do anything fancy, I just |
| operating system for the PC platform. OS/2 was miles | | | | explained the basic "PRIDE" concepts such as |
| ahead of everything else (and arguably still is). | | | | Information Driven Design, Standard System Structure, |
| Nonetheless, its strengths became its weaknesses as | | | | Layered Documentation, the System/Data Relationship, |
| it was deemed too sophisticated for the average user; | | | | IRM, etc. I kept it simple and to the point and this |
| this coupled with aggressive marketing by Microsoft | | | | perplexed one of the attendees who approached me |
| and incompetent marketing by IBM led to its doom. | | | | after the session and said, "I have been attending a lot |
| LESSONS LEARNEDWhat can be learned from | | | | of seminars and conferences lately on these subjects. |
| these experiences? Three things: | | | | I learned more in the last three hours than from all of |
| A product doesn't have to be superior in order to | | | | the sessions I attended over the last five months. |
| dominate a market; all that is required is just a little | | | | Where have you been?" Naturally, I was flattered by |
| marketing hustle. You have to remember, the | | | | his comments but explained how the industry lost its |
| consumer believes all products of the same ilk are | | | | way over the years and is only now trying to reinvent |
| essentially the same. If it comes down to | | | | systems theory. I told him there was really nothing new |
| technologically superior features or cost, the consumer | | | | or magical in developing systems, so long as you |
| will always take the cheaper product. Advanced | | | | demand precise terminology and clarity of concepts. I |
| features are nice, but the consumer must believe they | | | | said, "Don't look for cryptic solutions, there is no |
| are warranted and add value to their lives.For broad | | | | panacea. The best solutions are the simple |
| market acceptance, the product must be built on open | | | | solutions."As I traveled home I thought about the |
| standards. This was the hard lesson IBM learned in | | | | comments made by the class and considered where |
| building its products.Consumers prefer to be spoon-fed | | | | "PRIDE" stood in relation to the rest of the industry we |
| changes with teaspoons. It takes real visionaries to | | | | created. By staying the course "PRIDE" may not be |
| adopt new ideas and, unfortunately, they are few and | | | | the best known methodology out there, but it is still light |
| far between. The consumer wants simple solutions | | | | years ahead of the industry. Such is the price of being |
| they can easily assimilate. Remember, most people | | | | ahead of your time.CONCLUSIONAs mentioned, |
| are afraid of major changes of any kind. | | | | "PRIDE" has evolved into a substantial body of work |
| Let's also recognize that being first in your field is not | | | | which is one reason why we went public with it. By |
| easy in that you are ultimately inventing and cultivating | | | | itself, there is enough material to make a full college |
| your own market place. Inevitably you will make | | | | curriculum out of it. And hopefully this will happen.But |
| marketing mistakes along the way which copycat | | | | the other reason we put "PRIDE" in the public domain |
| competitors will leap on. Further, they will offer inferior | | | | was to establish an open standard thereby |
| products at a greatly reduced price. We have seen | | | | overcoming one of the deficiencies I mentioned |
| this time and again in the I.T. industry alone.The only | | | | earlier."PRIDE" is still way ahead of itself. It will probably |
| true benefit of being the first in your field is that you | | | | always be so. But as we celebrate our 35th year of |
| have the market to yourself, at least for a while. During | | | | business I have come to realize that "PRIDE" is so old, |
| this period of time you should rake in as much money | | | | that it is new to those people who were born after it |
| as possible, refine your product, and expand the | | | | was introduced. As Milt liked to say, "The original and |
| market as much as possible. And if you're making | | | | still the best."Tim Bryce is the Managing Director of M. |
| money, you can be sure competitors won't be far | | | | Bryce & Associates (MBA) of Palm Harbor, Florida, a |
| behind."PRIDE"Our company has learned these lessons | | | | management consulting firm specializing in Information |
| the hard way. The "PRIDE" Methodologies for IRM | | | | Resource Management (IRM). Mr. Bryce has over 30 |
| were first introduced in 1971, beginning with our | | | | years of experience in the field. He is available for |
| Information Systems Engineering Methodology (ISEM). | | | | training and consulting on an international basis. His |
| And by doing so, MBA created the methodology | | | | corporate web page is at: |
| market. I could go on and on as to all of the concepts | | | | can be contacted at: Copyright 2006 MBA. All rights |
| and innovations we introduced, e.g., first commercial | | | | reserved. |
| methodology, first to take an engineering | | | | |