Standard economic theory designs for the "average" person, who doesn't actually exist. Sutherland argues that by designing for the outliers and understanding the weird quirks of human perception, you create products that people actually love [4]. 3. Solving Problems Through Perception
The Alchemy of Influence: Why Rory Sutherland’s “Alchemy” is Essential Reading for Modern Minds alchemy rory sutherland pdf exclusive
Why humans prefer a "good enough" safe choice over a "perfect" risky one. Standard economic theory designs for the "average" person,
Sutherland defines alchemy as the ability to find "magical" solutions to problems by ignoring conventional logic. While traditional business models focus on efficiency and price, alchemy focuses on . If you want to stop thinking like a
If you want to stop thinking like a machine and start thinking like a human, it's time to embrace the alchemy.
In logic, there is usually one "right" answer. In psychology, two completely opposite approaches can both succeed. Red Bull is expensive, comes in a tiny can, and many people think it tastes medicinal—yet it’s a global powerhouse because it doesn't try to compete with the logic of Coca-Cola [2, 5]. 2. Don’t Design for Average