If it makes sense...
by Dave Tufts - October 11, 2007 / 11:39am View more articles
I was on the phone yesterday with my favorite client. She mentioned a quote that I'd never heard before. I think she was actually quoting one of her co-workers or managers, but this quote was more meaningful than the typical business-motivational quotes that get thrown around.
"If it makes sense, it will happen."
How true. Assuming that all parties are sensible people, if something does make sense, it will happen.
There's no need for the programmer, designer, stakeholder, client or bill-payer to worry. If a feature – or lack of a feature – really makes sense, it's going happen.
"Making sense" also needs to be universal. Just because something makes sense to me, doesn't mean it really makes sense.
So that's my mantra for October. "If it makes sense, it will happen."
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I love this new philosophy.
However, the one caviate with this is that you rely on 'sense'. A very subjective term if there ever was one. The Darwin Awards are a classic example of what trouble 'sense' will get you into.
As stated, "Making sense" also needs to be universal. If you, your manager, your co-workers, and the droves of hot super-models all agree, then it will happen.
However, most likely, only one of that group (you) might think your idea makes "sense". If pressed, do you really think that makes sense? What really makes sense for your work environment - droves of hot... or a bigger monitor?
I disagree that 'sense' is subjective. Among sane people, "sense" is completely objective. I tend to think that I work with sane people, for sane people.
"If it doesn't make sense, it won't happen."
or
"If it is senseless, it will never happen."
However - plenty of senseless things happen all the time. Equivalently - sensible things seem to be overpowered by the senseless. Paris Hilton comes to mind. Consider mass psychology, the epitome of senselessness, during extreme situations involving fear, greed, or hysteria. Maybe we can add the qualifier "During sensible times, among sensible people"...
Now - is Nick sensible? Absolutely! and I have personally seen hot women rubbing his scalp causing his glasses to get skewed. It happens - he just won't admit for respect to his better half. :)
The statement is essentially an "officified" version of Aristotle's idea that objects in an unnatural state will remain in motion until they've reached their natural state. Holes were poked in this theory at one point because it couldn't quite explain horizontal motion.
However this theory works better here. If a "natural state" is what is considered to make sense, and things that make sense are generally society's norm, this statement says things will continue changing until they're considered to be accepted by society as normal (or "right" as a matter of law goes).
(One disclaimer though: I'm not sure that crossing physics with psychology/sociology makes any sense at any time.)
Corti: will you build me a giraffe out of ice-cubes?
Dave: sure but why would you want to do that?
Corti: Because I want a cold giraffe.
Dave: Why dont you just put a giraffe in the fridge.
Does that make sense?