In order to effectively balance the desire to innovate and introduce new features with addressing buyer resistance, I think PMs need to…
(1) deeply understand why customers are using their current solutions
PMs are always thinking about the problems with current solutions and how their innovation is so much better. I think they could spend more time analyzing the benefits of current solutions so that they understand what aspects of the product customers would not be willing to lose. From there they can either strategize how to maintain those benefits or actually weigh out if the gains FAR outweigh the losses. I loved the example of Toyota with hybrid vehicles because I have a hybrid Rav4. I was ready to adopt fully electric vehicles, but my parents who were more skeptical thought it was too much of an inconvenience/unreliable (behavior change!). However, they saw that with a hybrid vehicle, I didn’t have to change any of my usual behaviors but still got the benefits of the electric innovation.
(2) find ways to constantly touch grass
I think all PMs should return to the reality of the “curse of knowledge” regularly. The paper mentioned how behavioral tendencies are universal but awareness is not. I think in the midst of excitement about a new product, PMs should make conscious efforts to reframe their perspectives to a status-quo-status-quo as opposed to innovation-as-status-quo mindset. Greater skepticism can help PMs think more slowly through how they’ll make their products adoptable.
