Questions about The Next Generation of Software and Innovation Chris Hofmann Ireland Sept

The key is for each new business to define the things that are important for their users, and stay focused on those things “Make Great Software”, then figure out the business model. (not allows possible, but worth the effort) For Mozilla we have 6 basic tough questions

Our 6 tough questions Is it secure and safe enough? Is the web and the browser fast enough? Is it easy to use? Is it “interoperable / compatible” enough? Does it reach enough people, on enough devices, and in enough languages? Is it a useful and does it aid navigation to content ? Innovation is about trying 100's of things to find 2 or 3 good answers

To Innovate Repair the 'bad' choices from the past – Simplify – Throw stuff out Look for Opportunities in the Questions – Habits and needs change and evolve – Tab Browsing – Worked for 6 or 7 Tabs – It doesn't work as well when users have 40 tabs

Great Software Solves a Real Problem Simplifies, Speeds, Puts Users in Control Provides a good collection of choices – Serve the best interest of the user? – Serve the best interest of the software provider? – Serve both? Sustainable organizations work on the union of good user and provider choices...

Research on Choice From the books “Nudge” and “Blink” and “Sway” Reactive v. Contemplative Decisions Order of Choices Matters – How to ask people what they want is hard – How happy are you? Humans Not Wired to Make Good Choices Software “Choice Architects” Can Help If you are developing software you are a “Choice Architect” Step up to the challenge! ;-)

How does this all fit together? An Economic Model of Engagement and New dimensions of Openness

Get users to provide data Get users to participate in your “network” These are basic premises of many Cloud Computing, Social Networks, SaaS applications across the software industry.... Both of these are heavily reliant on trust, openness, commitment and demonstrated ability to “not be evil”

Expanding Dimensions of Openness

How Open is Your Product? How Open is Your Org? Hundreds of Chances to be “Open” each day

Creating Open (Trusted) Organizations is Hard Its made of 1000's of decisions made in many different dimensions over many years. Keep asking the questions every day. How Open/Transparent/Observable/Engaging is Our Organization? How Well Are We Serving Our Users?

Thanks! Questions or Comments