Capability moves at software speed
Capability is exploding. Software, AI... the pace is breathtaking.
But then you watch people, watch businesses operate, and you notice something else. A different rhythm.
It highlights a fundamental tension founders need to grasp: Capability moves at software speed. Adoption moves at human speed.
Think about software speed. New AI models seem to drop every few months. Apps update constantly with new features. The power available at our fingertips increases exponentially. What felt like science fiction just a couple of years ago is now downloadable. It's relentless, exciting, and sometimes overwhelming.
Now, think about human speed. Our speed. Learning a new tool takes time and effort. Changing deeply ingrained habits or workflows? That’s hard, slow work.
Integrating a new system across a team or company involves training, adjustments, overcoming resistance, managing budgets, fixing unexpected glitches.
We adopt new things step-by-step, often cautiously, fitting them into our already complex lives and jobs. It's linear, messy, and deeply personal.
See the gap? The growing space between what technology makes possible and what people are actually doing?
This gap isn't trivial. It's where friction lives. It's where powerful tools sit gathering digital dust because they're too complex or disruptive. It's where incredible potential goes untapped because the human bridge wasn't built. It leads to frustration: for builders whose creations aren't fully used, and for users who feel overwhelmed or left behind.
So, how do we navigate this? How do we bridge this crucial gap?
It starts with empathy. Truly understanding the world, the workflow, the fears, and the motivations of the humans you hope will adopt your technology.
It means designing for adoption, not just for capability.
How can this be simpler?
How can it integrate more smoothly?
How can it solve a real problem with minimal disruption?
It requires patience and support. Recognizing that learning takes time and providing the resources to help people cross the bridge.
The ultimate goal isn't just to create the most powerful tool. It's to create impact. And impact only happens when capability meets adoption. That connection occurs at human speed.
Look at what you're building, or the new tools you're implementing within your team.
Are you obsessed only with capability? Or are you deeply considering the human pace of adoption?
Are you building faster engines, or are you also building better bridges?
True progress isn't measured solely by the speed of innovation. It's measured by how effectively we help people embrace and benefit from that innovation. And that always happens one human step at a time.