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A major technology paradigm shift is really a jump in capability, opening up a whole new realm of possibilities. Initially, only a few functions may work, and even those may have “rough edges.” However, the new features provide such a dramatic improvement in usage patterns, that the previous approaches become obsolete regardless of their stability or “industrial quality.”

A business succeeds with a new technology product or solution when a lot of customers are willing to pay enough for that solution. They pay because they can recognize value. They pay because they can see that it works. The more the value, the more they will put up with “quirks,” which are considered minor annoyances compared to the increased leverage or workflow enhancement provided by the new approach.

The more the value keeps up with the shifting paradigm—that is, the more likely the usage paradigm is accurate and agile—the more likely that customers will sustain the business model over time. The usage-centered approach focuses on the business model for a system or component, and the value it offers as seen from the perspective of the community of users for which it is designed. “Works with quirks is OK!” means that these customers will pay for tangible value even if the usability is not optimal and it takes a while “to get the hang of it.”

Sometimes, ease of use is itself the paradigm shift. Thus, the checkbook entry portion of the early Quicken product was so straightforward that millions of users adopted the product. Pareto’s principle applied, because the more quirky aspects of memorization and category setup were “good enough” even though they were arguably not very easy to use. Intuit wisely concentrated on perfecting the most visible and valuable part of the paradigm.

The VCR is a good example of a “works with quirks” device. For years, people put up with flashing 12:00 indicators because the primary task—playing a movie—was easy enough to do. Similarly, the instant record feature (another key task) worked without having to figure out the flashing 12:00. It took several years before manufacturers devised on-screen programming approaches that could be understood by the ordinary consumer.

For a more complete discussion of paradigm shifts and "getting most of it right," please see the white paper, "Winning Business with Usage-Centered Technology."

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