The inertia law

Topic

DecisionMaking

Type

Quick take

Imagine you've decided to make a change. But, even after this decision, things don't shift overnight. This isn't because people don't want to change; it's mostly because of inertia.

Change takes time, especially for us humans. Even if we're on board with a new idea, we still need time to:

Grasp what's different,
Get used to the new way,
Figure out how to fit it into our routine,
Maybe even turn it into a habit, and
If it doesn't quite sit right, we might look for other options.

For instance, when as Marketing team (long time ago) chose to use Agile in our Scrum process, we didn't get it right immediately. It took three months to roll it out. Eventually we built our own process (Nero) that required three years to refine it to really suit us.

We used to optimize our product development towards conversion funnel optimization. 9 out of 10 tasks and features was about this funnel. But enhancing the experience after a purchase? That took more time and effort.

Customers feel inertia, too. Think about when a popular brand updates its logo. I can't recall a major logo change that everyone liked right off the bat.

And when it comes to new or revamped features in products, customers need a beat. They might even appreciate the change, but adjusting their habits? Thanks to inertia, that's a gradual process.

So, whenever you're changing something that affects how people interact, always keep inertia in mind. It's a gentle reminder that patience is key.

Global maxima