Digital brands should move fast – but don't break things
When Mark Zuckerberg famously said that companies must “Move fast and break things", he captured the essence of a new generation of startups. His words were adopted as a mantra, appearing on posters around Facebook HQ and even as a headline in the company’s IPO submission.
Dan Machen
However, while I embrace what ‘The Zuck’ was saying… well, of course he’d say that. This was the guy who was carrying business cards bearing the legend: “I’m the CEO, bitch.”
What’s noteworthy is that, as the business grew up, not only did that card exit stage left, but in 2014 Facebook announced the demise of the mantra, too. “What we realised over time is that it wasn’t helping us to move faster, because we had to slow down to fix these bugs,” a Facebook VP later told Bloomberg. “Now, instead of just throwing something out there, we’re making sure we’re getting it right first.”
I think this anecdote from Facebook’s history is interesting because it reflects something companies have got to get right – how to move fast enough to innovate, but not break things. Because that could mean outpacing core customers, or getting tech out at the expense of user experience design. I’m currently enduring just this kind of pain from a brand I love: First Direct.
I joined at launch and have lived happily ever after with First Direct… until now. My issue is with its online banking/mobile app. The bane of online banking seems to be the requirement for second-factor security authentication, where you generate a secondary four-digit code for full access. This can be done on a smartphone, or via a small electronic device supplied by your bank. Judging by all the work emails I see circulating asking if anyone has “that mini-calculator thingy”, just getting access to a code seems to be a challenge for many.
Security is essential, obviously, and I can get my head round the secure key password and four-digit security code, but then (when I went to transfer some money for the first time the other day), I was asked for an additional ‘transaction code’. This is generated on your phone and further requires the last four digits of the recipient’s bank account, and then for you to re-enter your secure key password.
I can appreciate why these codes are necessary; the point is, I really don’t like them. For the first time in 30 years, I’m looking at other banks based on the accessibility of their digital services. My issue is this: technology should help keep us in flow – it’s that simple. When it’s easier for me to phone up in order to do stuff, then the app and online banking are not complying with a central tenant of behavioural economics: people gravitate towards ease.
So, while brands must mature and keep up with the times, I think more thought needs to be given to making the end user experience as frictionless as possible. We have to move fast, sure – but please don’t break things. Especially when it comes to brands like First Direct that some of us consider an old friend.
Dan Machen is head of innovation at HeyHuman