So yesterday we saw the promise of what someone could do with Continuum.

Phone in hand: phone.

Phone in front of a monitor: PC.

This makes a TON of sense. Who wouldn't want that? (We thought.)

Sure, we had personas.

Our target persona definitely wanted Continuum on Windows Phone.

But real talk?

We actually were building for people who looked and lived a lot like us.

We developed a shorthand for our (actual) target customer.

Our ACTUAL target persona was a Microsoft VP.

Microsoft VPs already had a smartphone.

Several.

Microsoft VPs already had a computer.

And all of their stuff was on that computer. (Also on the cloud.)

Who are we kidding?

Microsoft VPs had several computers.

Plus tablets.

Smart home.

Smart 3rd cabin in the woods.

Etc.

Microsoft VPs didn't really need a lower-powered OTHER phone and OTHER computer to add to the pile of other gear they'd already been accustomed to using.

You know the other thing we've come to expect computers to have?

That's right, a keyboard and a mouse. And, you know, a monitor.

So we're going to ask our Microsoft VP to carry around a keyboard, mouse, mousepad, MONITOR, etc, just to work on that doc in a coffee shop.

You think a Microsoft VP is going to carry around all that other stuff?

Instead of just a laptop?

NOPE. (To the nope)

We were building this great product for the wrong target consumer.

You know who would have been better?

(More tomorrow.)