"The Paradox of Specificity" describes an approach for new products that are based on specific needs. A well-known illustration of this is that a new piece of luggage for pilots should not also be designed for passengers. In other words, the needs of a specific target group can lead to solutions that are then useful and appealing to a much broader group of buyers.
If you apply "The Paradox of Specificity" to new products, it is not unlikely that you will end up with a product that also serves a much larger target group. You can also look at a few specific examples that illustrate why a specific approach can become bigger:
Example pocket knife
A very well-known example of the "paradox of specificity" is the Swiss Army Knife, also known as the pocket knife in Switzerland. It is very versatile: in the household, when camping, at work or when traveling. It is a very popular gift and can be used in many areas of life.
However, this success was not originally intended: It was initially intended for the military. In the 19th century, the Swiss military wanted to provide its soldiers with a practical tool. It was intended to make their service easier by allowing them to dismantle rifles and open cans. The inventor, Karl Eisner, then founded his company Victorinox. In addition to the world-famous "Swiss Knife", the Swiss company also produces perfume, watches and kitchen knives. Elsner officially invented the Swiss Army Knife in 1891 and began supplying the Swiss military.
During the Second World War, the pocket knife was discovered by the Americans and gained sudden fame. It was no longer only used by the military, but also by other people. Today it is used by countless people all over the world and is a cult object par excellence.
Example trolley case
It's hard to imagine, but in the past there were no wheeled suitcases. You traveled with a rucksack or an old suitcase that you had to carry. Remember your grandparents' suitcases. Today, the wheeled suitcase is widespread and a good example of the "paradox of specificity". Bernard Sadow developed wheeled luggage back in the 1970s. It had a leather strap with which you could pull it behind or next to you.
Robert Plath then initiated the wheeled suitcase as we know it today. He attached wheels to the side and the suitcase could be pushed upright. The special feature: Plath was a pilot and wanted to simplify the transportation of his suitcase. This is why the wheeled suitcase was initially particularly popular with pilots and airplane crews. But then the product was also noticed by a wider audience and well-known manufacturers such as the German suitcase manufacturer Rimowa took up the concept. Today, it is impossible to imagine traveling without the wheeled suitcase.
Example Internet
The World Wide Web, which today forms the foundation of our digitized society, was not initially intended for the general public, but was initially used for military purposes. The official launch date can be traced back to 1989. The inventor is Tim Berners-Lee, who first introduced it to a small group of users. He spread it to scientists and academics at universities to make their work easier. Eventually, it became more widespread and popular until the first major web providers such as Netscape made it available to the general public.
The more specific the target group, the better the product
The example of the trolley case illustrates the theory of the "paradox of specificity" very clearly. The more precisely you know the behavior and needs of the target group, the better the product will be. Alice Cooper can also be quoted in her book "The Inmates are Running the Asylum". She describes the procedure for this method as follows:
"If you want to develop a product that satisfies a wide audience of users, then logically you want to design the functionality to suit as many users as possible. Also to reach as many people as possible."
But she says this logic is wrong. You would have much more success if you geared product development towards a specific target group or even a single person.
Developers failed to design a product for all possible use cases and scenarios. This can quickly lead to getting bogged down. If pilot Robert Plath had had families or backpackers in mind when he came up with his idea for the rolling suitcase, he would not have created such a practical suitcase. The airport and its nature provided him with an inspiring environment to develop a suitcase that is "transported" on the ground, so to speak.
Cooper says:
"Every time you extend functionality to a wider group of people, you put another stumbling block of features and controls in the way of every other user. You'll find that the functionality that pleases some users detracts from the enjoyment and satisfaction of others."
If you include too many possibilities, you destroy a good product. But if you limit your product to a specific persona, then this persona can actually be satisfied and will enjoy the product.
"You can achieve greater success by targeting ten percent of the market and then getting 100 percent of them excited about it. It may seem counterintuitive, but designing for a single user is the most effective way to satisfy a broad population."
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