I recently opened an MS Outlook email and paid close attention. The surface of visible options available to me was staggering. I list them below; from big buttons to smaller buttons (before any unfolding of menus or options.) If you are an MS Outlook user, how many do you use in one day? One week? (I counted five.)
- Reply
- Reply all
- Forward
- Delete
- Reply with Meeting
- Archive
- Ignore
- Junk
- Forward as Attachment
- Make Task
- Forward to Manager
- Mark as Done
- Team Email
- Reply and Delete
- Move
- Rules
- Forward to OneNote
- Actions
- Mark as Unread
- Categorize
- Follow Up
- Translate
- Find
- Related
- Select
- Read Aloud
- Zoom
- Save
- File
- Message
- Help
- Previous Item
- Next Item
- Get more add-ins (oh yeah, I needed that)
Jack Welch is credited with inventing the infamous concept of the “Vitality Curve”; the performance management practice that appeals for employees to be ranked against each other and the dismissal of the lower ranked employees. (Also referred to as stack ranking and forced ranking.)
Now, regardless of what you think of Jack Welch’s idea (I do not care for it, personally), I say that a version of it is needed to keep any software product vital.
This is one of the reasons why we need built-in telemetry embedded in the software products we create. When we do, we have the data to confidently fire the low performing software capabilities.
Just look at them in the eye and say: “It is not personal; it is only business.”