Comments for Don MacLennan: High Tech Yankee http://donmaclennan.com Musings on the absurdity and rewards of living and working around the world. Don writes from San Francisco, Prague and Boston Sat, 26 May 2012 22:16:37 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.com/ Comment on Don’t get caught using averages (part 2) by Peter http://donmaclennan.com/2012/05/26/dont-get-caught-using-averages-part-2/#comment-506 Sat, 26 May 2012 22:16:37 +0000 http://donmaclennan.com/?p=1095#comment-506 “But the discussion stopped at only one dimension of data.”

Not fair, I hinted at multidimensional research… :)

]]> Comment on Don’t get caught using averages (part 1) by Don’t get caught using averages (part 2) | Don MacLennan: High Tech Yankee http://donmaclennan.com/2012/05/07/dont-get-caught-using-averages-part-1/#comment-505 Sat, 26 May 2012 18:05:26 +0000 http://donmaclennan.com/?p=1007#comment-505 [...] Don MacLennan: High Tech Yankee Musings on the absurdity and rewards of living and working around the world. Don writes from San Francisco, Prague and Boston Skip to content HomeAbout me ← Don’t get caught using averages (part 1) [...]

]]> Comment on Don’t get caught using averages (part 1) by Don MacLennan http://donmaclennan.com/2012/05/07/dont-get-caught-using-averages-part-1/#comment-499 Mon, 07 May 2012 20:10:07 +0000 http://donmaclennan.com/?p=1007#comment-499 I think most companies let the feature creep go on for a while before removing features, if ever. In my most recent experience, doing some deep product analytics helped to understand those features that weren’t used by virtually anyone; that’s the low hanging fruit.

]]> Comment on Don’t get caught using averages (part 1) by craig kensek http://donmaclennan.com/2012/05/07/dont-get-caught-using-averages-part-1/#comment-498 Mon, 07 May 2012 18:08:06 +0000 http://donmaclennan.com/?p=1007#comment-498 Would you say your company takes this into account in designing what should or shouldn’t go into the next versions of the product? If a company listens only to the power users, the product designed can collapse under the weight of feature creep, be priced too expensively, perform lethargically, and/or have more bugs, just due to the additional coding.

]]> Comment on Don’t get caught using averages (part 1) by Don MacLennan http://donmaclennan.com/2012/05/07/dont-get-caught-using-averages-part-1/#comment-497 Mon, 07 May 2012 14:59:17 +0000 http://donmaclennan.com/?p=1007#comment-497 @Peter: exactly right. The Power Law distribution in this case is people’s propensity to complain versus praise. The ratio is said to be 10:1

]]> Comment on Don’t get caught using averages (part 1) by Peter http://donmaclennan.com/2012/05/07/dont-get-caught-using-averages-part-1/#comment-496 Mon, 07 May 2012 14:56:39 +0000 http://donmaclennan.com/?p=1007#comment-496 Yes, statistics in an insanely powerful tool, if used well. Especially if researching multidimensional data. You can always find something interesting, even surprising.

Semi-relatedly, one relatively common misperception amongst end-users is, that if more people are posting about problems with a product than posting praise of a product, it must be bad. Another case for power distribution, I would say. Put happines with product on X axis and strength in voicing opinions on Y.

]]> Comment on Do friendships ever end? by Greg seward http://donmaclennan.com/2012/03/04/do-friendships-ever-end/#comment-471 Sun, 04 Mar 2012 13:38:42 +0000 http://donmaclennan.com/?p=995#comment-471 Very true
Someone sent me a you tune link to a 1985 video I helped shoot for an Acadia sociology class he was in. I haven’t seen it in maybe 25 years. The memories, on so many levels, flooded back. Including The Four Tops piece we did. Remember?

]]> Comment on Another big day for AVG by Ashley Isaak http://donmaclennan.com/2012/02/02/another-big-day-for-avg/#comment-457 Thu, 02 Feb 2012 15:26:54 +0000 http://donmaclennan.com/?p=950#comment-457 Very exciting day for sure!

]]> Comment on Another big day for AVG by Jim http://donmaclennan.com/2012/02/02/another-big-day-for-avg/#comment-456 Thu, 02 Feb 2012 14:46:57 +0000 http://donmaclennan.com/?p=950#comment-456 Best of luck Don! I’m sure that your hard work will pay off!

]]> Comment on Republican rage explained? by Peter http://donmaclennan.com/2012/01/31/republican-rage-explained/#comment-447 Tue, 31 Jan 2012 18:53:42 +0000 http://donmaclennan.com/?p=931#comment-447 Somehow I think many, if not most of those people would hold the same rethoric against a republican president, if he were in office.

Maybe what brings such emotions is the fact that now it is more visible then ever, that the USA are not “the biggest and the best” anymore?

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