When thinking about my start-up, preparing a menu for a group or even writing this blog, I find myself trying to figure out what content engages the greatest number of people -- what does the 'average user' want to consume?
This question often drives me to look at analytics, research social media optimization (which I don't even understand!), take polls from friends and family, or rely on some anecdotal example of a strategy that works for everyone.
What is a 'representative audience member'? Who is an 'average user'?
As I was preparing this site, I quickly realized that finding something that most people liked got harder the deeper I looked into it. It seems that examining the make up of an average user exposes that there is, in fact, no such thing.
The question about what is 'average' has bled into other areas of my life: What is the best education style for a 6 year old? What kind of restaurant environment attracts the largest customer base?
Just as I was beginning to lose my mind trying to tailor-make this website for the largest possible audience, my friend sent me an article about the idea of 'average' within education. It didn't help me figure out the best way to go about operating my business or even writing this blog, but it did help me understand that the problem of figuring out what is 'average' is a universal one.
http://www.gse.harvard.edu/news/ed/15/08/beyond-average