Comments on: “Better” is the Enemy of “Good Enough” http://www.skmurphy.com/blog/2008/07/30/better-is-the-enemy-of-good-enough/ Startups, Entrepreneurs, and Consultants Sun, 14 Mar 2010 10:52:23 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Chris Crawford http://www.skmurphy.com/blog/2008/07/30/better-is-the-enemy-of-good-enough/comment-page-1/#comment-58436 Chris Crawford Mon, 11 Aug 2008 00:50:08 +0000 http://www.skmurphy.com/blog/2008/07/30/better-is-the-enemy-of-good-enough/#comment-58436 Excellent criticisms of our effort; thank you. I have urged everybody on the board of directors to read your comments. One of my own conclusions from all this is that Storytron desperately needs a real CEO. I'm playing programmer, technical writer, demo designer, team leader, and a number of lesser roles -- and I'm stretched so thin that I'm doing a lousy job on all of them. I remain confident that Storytron will be successful (oh yes, the software will be ready Real Soon Now!), but I think that our story will be "Incompetent fools screw up just about everything but somehow bumble through to success out of pure cussedness." Excellent criticisms of our effort; thank you. I have urged everybody on the board of directors to read your comments. One of my own conclusions from all this is that Storytron desperately needs a real CEO. I’m playing programmer, technical writer, demo designer, team leader, and a number of lesser roles — and I’m stretched so thin that I’m doing a lousy job on all of them. I remain confident that Storytron will be successful (oh yes, the software will be ready Real Soon Now!), but I think that our story will be “Incompetent fools screw up just about everything but somehow bumble through to success out of pure cussedness.”

]]> By: Terry Frazier http://www.skmurphy.com/blog/2008/07/30/better-is-the-enemy-of-good-enough/comment-page-1/#comment-57303 Terry Frazier Thu, 31 Jul 2008 14:37:12 +0000 http://www.skmurphy.com/blog/2008/07/30/better-is-the-enemy-of-good-enough/#comment-57303 Excellent post. I would rank Chris' fifth point – validate your market – as No. 1 or at least No. 2. There's little point in doing anything at all without being sure that you: a) have a clearly defined and reachable market, and b) can get money out of that market This is different than saying that 63 million video games are sold each year to 28 million buyers who spend $5.6 billion dollars and if we can get one-tenth of one-percent market share we'll be rich. It means figuring out if you're really capable of connecting, and having a conversation, with the people who want/need your product but don't know who you are. If you can't do this then planning and coding and mission statements have little real effect. If you are a big company, or developing your product within the umbrella of a big company, then there is likely an existing channel or proven mechanism for this connection. It's not a problem. But if you are a startup you need to answer this question before you do much of anything else. Excellent post. I would rank Chris’ fifth point – validate your market – as No. 1 or at least No. 2. There’s little point in doing anything at all without being sure that you:
a) have a clearly defined and reachable market, and
b) can get money out of that market

This is different than saying that 63 million video games are sold each year to 28 million buyers who spend $5.6 billion dollars and if we can get one-tenth of one-percent market share we’ll be rich.

It means figuring out if you’re really capable of connecting, and having a conversation, with the people who want/need your product but don’t know who you are. If you can’t do this then planning and coding and mission statements have little real effect.

If you are a big company, or developing your product within the umbrella of a big company, then there is likely an existing channel or proven mechanism for this connection. It’s not a problem. But if you are a startup you need to answer this question before you do much of anything else.

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