Working on the range

Lately I tried to buy a laptop. I searched online for hours and hours and most of the product I found raised an eyebrow and a - “It looks nice, but I don’t know if it’s for me?” response.

Most ads had a lot of technical terms as the kind of the processor or the amount of memory, but I could not translate most of the details into information I can use.

A lot of consumer products have that problem, all the technical terms are very impressive, but users usually but what someone who they think know more than them is telling them to buy, usually using the line– “this is for you, it’s what you need”.

Wouldn’t it be great if I could just know what I need without the help of superior minds?

Well, it can be done.

A nice solution to this problem is found in some surfboard sites. These sites add a little matrix that gives you a range to place yourself on –

Am I a novice surfer or a pro?

Do I surf half a meter high waves or giants?

Am I heavy or light?

Every surfer can easily place himself on each axis and know if the surfboard he is looking for is for him.

When describing a surfboard, shapers (the people who make the boards) usually use terms like “swallow, concave, double concave, drive” and such. I have been wave riding for the last 20 years and I don’t always understand those terms, but I can easily tell you that I am a moderate to good surfer, I surf at around half a meter to a meter high waves (Israel is not blessed with high surf) and I am pretty light.

After placing myself on each axis I know if a consumer product is for me.

Much of the time, it will not be enough, customers will ask people they hold as better informed or ‘professional’ for advise, but in order to make that first search, to make the first filtering of products in a certain category, it will do.