frog DESIGN BRAIN

From Our Brain To Yours

F r o m the Information A g e
to the Recommendation Age
Volume 1 www.frogdesign.com/brain
 Thesis: We are leaving the Information Age and entering the Recommendation
Age. In the past it was difficult to gather sufficient information to make decisions,
and we relied on recommendations to guide us through this lack based on others’
prior experience. Today we have too much information, which ironically has made
recommendations even more valuable. Now we don’t have enough time to sort
through all the information, or we need higher levels of understanding to make
sense of the information. So recommendations act as shortcuts through the
information mass, getting us to the right, or “right enough,” answer.

There is a small wine shop near me which specializes in French wines from wineries that
no one (well, not me) has heard of. Luckily, the owner knows the grapes, he knows the
soil and most importantly, he knows what tastes good. For me, it means that, in business
parlance, I can safely outsource my wine knowledge to
I could gain enough knowledge to him, freeing up precious time and braincells.

comfortably make my own decisions in Let’s say I wanted to bring that knowledge in-house,
that is, into my brain instead of relying on his. The
the wine shop. But frankly, I just don’t tools are plentiful to do this: there are endless web-
sites, of course, and there are countless books and
have the time or the inclination magazines that I can buy. Eventually, I could gain
enough knowledge to comfortably make my own
decisions in the wine shop. But frankly, I just don’t have the time or the inclination; there
are just too many things clamoring for my 24 hours a day. It’s easier to just listen to the
proprietor’s recommendations, nod knowingly with eyebrows arched and lips pursed,
and pay up.

frog DESIGN BRAIN Article 1

From the Information Age to the Recommendation Age
©2005 frog design, inc. All rights reserved.
This anecdote is a microcosm of a larger shift that’s going on in our connected society: we
are leaving the Information Age and entering the Recommendation Age. Today information
is ridiculously easy to get; you practically trip over it on the street. Information gathering
is no longer the issue - making smart decisions based on the information is now the trick.

Let’s take my wine shopping as an example. In the old days, say five years ago, it was a
lot harder to find in-depth information on wines, especially recently-released ones. My
knowledge would have been limited to whatever was reviewed in magazines – a tiny sam-
pling. Books covered more breadth, but were not up to date. So I would have relied on rec-
ommendations from trusted sources – knowledgeable friends, or a good shop propri-
etor. I needed the recommendations because there was a lack of information.

Now with the web, I can have breadth, depth and timeliness all at once, and be fire-hosed
with quantity. The extents of the information available are almost limitless; it just takes
time to sift through it. And there’s the rub - there is so much data that it pushes us into a
state of analysis paralysis. So today for my wine purchases, or almost any product purchase,
I need recommendations because there is too much information.

Not only are there more choices amongst products and services, but there are more choices
within each that you have to think about. Products especially are so complex now that we
must compare an overwhelming number of features, specifications, compatibilities,
options and post-purchase add-ons. Have you tried shopping for a high definition
television lately? It’s enough to make your brain hurt.

How do you escape analysis paralysis? One method is to bring in someone with a fresh but
well-informed perspective. For consumers making buying decisions, this means seeking
out recommendations from people with prior experience with the product or service or
company. Recommendations serve as a shortcut through the thicket of information,
just as my wine shop owner shortcuts me to obscure French wines to enjoy with pasta.

The key to recommendations are their trustworthiness - the track record and perceived
objectivity and competence of the source is paramount. Car salesmen are not usually seen
as objective sources of recommendations as they have a financial stake in your choice.

Seeking trusted sources of recommendations is nothing new of course - it’s kept Roger
Ebert in business for years. But thanks to the web we don’t have to rely just on the official
sources or the limited experiences of our friends, family and co-workers. Websites like
Amazon and epinions have created “amateur experts” on everything from lawn trimmers
to cellphone services, assigning the more prolific ones titles like “Top 100 Reviewer.”
Amazon uses smart algorithms to suggest options for you based on previous choices.

frog DESIGN BRAIN Article 2

From the Information Age to the Recommendation Age
©2005 frog design, inc. All rights reserved.
 It’s the bricks and mortar stores that are way behind the times here, with exceptions such
as my local wine shop that are staffed with knowledgable sales people that go beyond a
corporate dress code of baggy khakis and sloppily worn tie, and don’t just respond to a
question on product specs by reading the box (gee, I could have done that). It’s no coin-
cidence that such stores are mostly independent and locally-owned - they have a greater
sense of responsibility to and connection with the local community. So how do you thrive
in the Recommendation Age? Here are some ideas:

Be transparent.
1. Be clear about what you offer and how it compares to others, and pay attention to
customers’ long-term happiness. This will ensure that you are the best fit for their
needs - and earn their trust when you tell them you’re not. Progressive Insurance,
who give price quotes on their competitors as well as themselves, have gone from
strength to strength by telling potential customers when they cost more.

Engage in a dialog with your customers.

2. Old advice, but take it to the next level. Polk Audio, manufacturer of loudspeakers,
allows its customers to rate its products on its own website. Now that’s confidence.

Don’t try to co-opt or create fake “trustworthy” sources

of recommendations.
3. Jon Stewart may be the most trusted source in fake news, but you should not pretend
to be an objective source of recommendations if you’re not. This is all the rage in viral
marketing, of course – sending out enthusiastic “normal” users to evangelize your prod-
ucts in night clubs, when in fact they are biased and commissioned. Sounds good
now, but the bill will come due when consumers’ trust level drops even further.

Ensure the people selling your products know their stuff.

4. Online/catalog hi-fi retailer Crutchfield has earned a reputation for expert staff who can
help with the most arcane audio questions. This is despite being at a disadvantage
to brick and mortar stores, as customers can’t experience the products before purchase.

Treat everyone as though they were a Recommender

for others.
5. The old adage that a bad experience elicits ten times as many bad recommendations
as a good one is even more true in the Recommendation Age now that there’s a world-
wide pulpit to preach from.

For more information or to have your Article by Adam Richardson

article published, please contact:

Mick Malisic
frog DESIGN BRAIN Article 3
Director, Corporate Communications From the Information Age to the Recommendation Age
mick@frogdesign.com ©2005 frog design, inc. All rights reserved.