Building something no one else can measure: How to Study with a Highlighter

Building something no one else can measure: How to Study with a Highlighter

In the world of product development and studying, there is often a need to measure and optimize for certain metrics. However, these metrics may not always capture the true essence of human behavior or emotion. This creates a blind spot that can be exploited to create something unique and valuable.

When building a product or studying a subject, it is common practice to settle for metrics that can be easily measured and optimized. These metrics may focus on short-term gains and fail to capture the underlying behavior or emotion that they are trying to measure. Additionally, these metrics can often lead to unintended consequences and secondary behaviors that were not anticipated or desired by the system designers.

To overcome this challenge, many large teams and products rely on proxy metrics to measure the underlying behavior. These proxy metrics may not be perfect, but they provide some insight into the desired outcome. By identifying the blind spot in these proxy metrics, it is possible to build something that captures a space that existing incumbents cannot easily go after.

Similarly, when it comes to studying, there are pitfalls that one should avoid when using a highlighter. The first pitfall is using the highlighter on the first pass of a text or document. Without fully understanding the content, it is impossible to know what the important points are. It is recommended to read the text once, take a break, reflect on the main takeaways, and then come back to it with the highlighter for a second pass.

Another pitfall to avoid is relying solely on highlighting without taking notes. While highlighting can be a useful tool, it should never be a substitute for note-taking. Writing your own notes helps in processing and understanding the information. By putting concepts into your own words, you actively digest and make sense of them, thus committing them to memory.

Furthermore, it is important to use different colors for highlighting different types of information. If quotes, definitions, and main ideas are all highlighted in the same color, it can quickly become confusing. Using a smart highlighter that recognizes and adds highlights below your notes can help maintain clarity and organization.

In conclusion, building something that cannot be easily measured and studying effectively with a highlighter require a similar approach. By identifying the blind spot in existing metrics or highlighting practices, it is possible to create something unique and valuable. Here are three actionable pieces of advice:

1. Look beyond the surface-level metrics: Instead of settling for easily measurable metrics, dig deeper to understand the underlying behavior and emotions you want to capture. Find a proxy metric that provides some insight into these underlying factors.

2. Take a two-pass approach: When studying, resist the temptation to highlight on the first pass. Read the text once, reflect on the main points, and then come back for a second pass with the highlighter. This will ensure that you are highlighting the most important information.

3. Combine highlighting with note-taking: Highlighting is a useful tool, but it should never replace note-taking. Write your own notes to actively process and understand the information. This will help with comprehension and retention.

By incorporating these strategies into your product development or studying routine, you can build something that captures a space others can't easily go after and study effectively with a highlighter. Embrace the challenge of building something no one else can measure and unlocking the true potential of your learning.