Do you prefer your LEGO with or without instructions?

I love LEGO.  I played with them as a child and have been lucky enough to play with them again with two generations of nephews.  But I am strictly a free form user.  I like to use my imagination to build houses and furnish them.  That's why my grandfather thought I might become an architect someday. :-)

But , after a loss in 1998, LEGO made a licensing deal with Star Wars and switched to producing branded sets rather than plain bricks.  The move saved the company by bringing in an entirely new group of users - those who prefer to follow directions. (Bhattarai, 2020)

People who like instructions find following them relaxing.  Interestingly they have the exact opposite effect on me.  Where they see the opportunity to find perfection, I see the opportunity to make a mistake. 

It all comes down to personality type.  Myers-Briggs has identified four preferences based on the way that we see and interact with the world.  I am an ENTJ.  So what does that mean in LEGO terms?  As an "N" I like to use my imagination and create new things.  And as an off the charts "J" I am a perfectionist who hates to make mistakes.

But it is interesting to note that I am part of a very small group.  Most people are "S's" not "N's".  That means that they like what is known and familar, what's real.  And they like instructions.

Since 70% of Americans are "S's." Kits are definitely the way to go.  But I hope they keep making raw bricks for the "N's" too. ;-)

Bhattarai, A. (2020, January 16)  Lego sets its sights on a growing market: Stressed-out adults.  washingtonpost.com.  Retrieved February 3, 2020, from  https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2020/01/16/legos-toys-for-stressed-adults/

Does your company need a "Bring Mom To Work" Day? Probably.

Joe Gebbia from Airbnb weighed in on a Wall Street Journal soapbox about making mistakes, by telling a story about how he and his fellow internet savvy 20-somethings at Airbnb failed to think about things like font size and language choices when developing their site.  Then they realized that their fastest growing group of hosts is seniors, followed by 50-somethings.  Oops. 

So what did they do?  They held a "Bring Your Mother To Work" Day and asked their mom's to use the site while they observed them.  I am sure that it was an eye opening and productive exercise. (2016)

Maybe it's just me, or the fact that I have been buying lots of stuff online lately, but I am shocked to discover how many dysfunctional websites there are out there; particularly if one tries not to use Amazon.

Here's a short recap of some of the problems that I have encountered in the past few weeks...

1. Entering my address and being told that it was incorrect because I either abbreviated NY or didn't. (Ikea)

2. Being unable to redeem miles because the name on my airline credit card does not match my legal name. (American Airlines)

3. Not being able to include my apartment number in my address because the company hadn't delivered to that address before. (Lego)

4. Couldn't order a comforter and have it sent directly to someone else as a gift. (JC Penney)

Really? 

So here's a suggestion.  Have a "Bring Your Mom To Work Day" to fix your website problems before they put you out of business.