Startups Can't Explain What They Do Because They're Addicted To Meaningless Jargon (qz.com)

Josh Horwitz of Quartz, who is attending RISE Conference, has an observation to share about the startups he is seeing at the event: As startup culture has gone global and transcended stereotypes, though, one of its defining traits has stuck around. Startup jargon is alive and well, and it seems to be getting worse. "Content." "Platforms." "Synergy." "End-to-end." "Solutions." It's nearly impossible to find a startup at the conference that doesn't resort to jargon when describing itself. These words sound technical and informed. But they mean nothing, and they make it difficult for ordinary people to understand what a company actually does. In an effort to either sound smart and attract investors, or to simply dress up an otherwise boring product, startups that rely too much on jargon end up alienating the users they want to attract.Also in the report, Horowitz talks about an app called Cubes, and how it was pitched to him. "We visually organize your email and cloud-based content for ultra fast access. It's visual storytelling with any type of content." The app essentially retrieves non-text attachments from one's email or Dropbox account, takes screenshots of those things and bundles them together in a standalone app.

Comments

The real problem

[Anonymous Coward]

The problem is that many startups don't do anything of value. A lot of those terms suggest to me they're either middlemen or advertisers. If you have a truly innovative product, it should be easy to describe. The word "content" isn't necessarily bad, though. If I'm writing articles and creating videos about a topic, it might be easier to say I'm producing educational content.

Re:The real problem

[NotDrWho]

The problem is that many startups don't do anything of value.

That's because so many software services these days are only focused on monetizing collected data on the private habits and interests of their users, which they can then sell in some fashion to advertisers, marketers, etc.

Re:The real problem

[Darinbob]

Exactly true. I know a lot of people in startups, and many of them do meaningless things. Either the company is unable to articulate what they mean (I can't figure it out and I'm in the same field), or they're goal is just to suck up investor money. The majority of efforts are often spent going to trade shows where they interact with other companies that do nothing (I think that's what "synergy" means).

One guy said he was only one out of two engineers in a company of ten, and that even with only ten people they had a full time photographer on staff.

Maybe a problem is that the customer is the investor. You can't talk about engineering or specifics as the investors will become confused, or feel stupid, or whatever. The original startup founders very often have zero technical knowledge or skills, but they know how to sell things and con people. So you have to use the language that investors use and that means fuzzy buzzwords when talking to investors or upper management. After awhile the entire company is babbling to each other meaninglessly while all nodding sagely lest they seem stupid or not a part of the cool crowd.

"Content" == "we're too stupid to actually build anything, but we can sell you customer information,"
"Platforms" == "we're going to take some open source code and stick it on off-the-shelf hardware, then try to sell it."
"Synergy" == "we want to piggy-back on your system."
"End-to-end" == "vendor lock in and no standards."
"Solutions" == "we dont know what we're good at yet, but we're willing to do whatever you ask us to do."

Disruption

[martiniturbide]

...you forgot "Disruption" as part of the used jargon.

That's because they don't know

[T.E.D.]

My general theory, which has served me great for academia, and the business world, and probably applies to startups just is well is:

If someone can't explain something very well in plain English, its almost certainly because they don't understand it very well themselves.

Gina's Inc

[utahjazz]

Seriously, tell me WTF this company does:

Gina’s Ink, Incorporated has created a platform called the Change My World Now Initiative, which engages, educates and empowers American children, facilitating their ability to reach out and in turn, empower children in countries around the world to move beyond their present circumstances and to find the independence and dignity that education can provide.

The Change My World Now Initiative transforms the conversation that children are having with themselves, their peers, their parents and their community. Instilling the ideas of self-reliance, self-worth, tolerance, and self-acceptance early in life will have a radical effect on children, their future, and their circles of influence, creating a cadre of young leaders, truly...Changing the World One Bright Light at a Time.

Re:There actually is value...

[wierd_w]

That is a HORRIBLE surrogate metric for determining quality.

The competency of their marketing department has no bearing on the competency of their engineering department.

I have seen brilliant, and innovative things totally hamstrung by lackluster marketing, and I have seen total filth that isnt worth even a cursory examination being presented in brilliant marketing materials.

How well they transcribe into obscure verbiage is a talent of the marketer. I can see wanting to make sure their marketing department is up to the task, since good products fail from bad marketing, but determining the value of the product from the marketing pitch?! What are you smoking?!

Re:I think I am in trouble

[ShanghaiBill]

Why not just call it what it is? Thumbnails.

Because then they wouldn't get funded.