When we first launched the Passle Beta we were keen to get feedback and so we went around the corner to find some test users. Fortunately, this led us to a goldmine of researchers at the University of Oxford.

This was brilliant: we had the world's finest minds using our product.

One of these researchers’ interdisciplinary approach, combining animal cognition, social science & economics, was particularly interesting. These areas gave her a unique insight into 'real’ people's responses to individual, social and economic stimuli.

One day she wrote to us saying “I like your software but you should consider making it competitive to help with the on-boarding and on-going commitments from your users”.

"Humbug!" & "Piffle!" I thought.

Fortunately, and indeed, as usual, I was swiftly over-ruled and we have used her ideas and counsel in designing many aspects of the software, the training and the on-going usage by our clients.  

Her name is Dr Claire El Mouden, and the techniques she’s advised have become an integral part of our software.

One of her expressions, which I always keep in mind, is that "you can only persuade people to do what they want to do".

Our clients want to have a better online presence. They want to be invited to be the keynote. They want to be seen as the trusted advisor. However, time has a tendency to work against that goal.

By using Dr Claire's insights we have been able to help these people to do what they already wanted to do. And be seen as the experts in their field that they should be.

This morning I saw this commentary on LinkedIn which really summed up how we are seen by our users. A lot of that is down to her.