Just posting to say thanks rhonin, love reading these, and it would be great if you could continue just as you were.. good job ;)

Kasz216,
So with the grill and soda there wouldn't have been a way to find out how people would use it, right? A focus group of 5 or 20 people can not simulate what happens to a product over time as families, communities and society adapt to it. They just had to release it to a wider public and see what happens. I guess there is a difference, because video games are authorative. They tell you a story, let you live in somebody else's imagination (even you can make it your own, sandbox style). Video games are also an emotional product, so basically Miyamoto would not only look if people get the game to "work" (if they learn which button is for jumping and which for shooting), but how their emotional reactions are to each object in the game and if they are having fun.

5. People Try to Show Superiority

Itoi There exists an odd value that "the more pain you put in, the better", don't you think? I think you should just do what you're good at, and drop the opposite. 

Iwata I know what you mean. People working overtime are somewhat thought to be working harder than those who can finish work on time, right? People complain about their colleagues leaving work early, but that's just wrong. People tend to complain comparing their strong points with other person's weakness. 

Itoi It's like saying "Itoi can't even code programs." 

Iwata (laughing) Well, that's a pretty extreme example.

Itoi Getting back on the subject, I understand your point.

Iwata This is my personal theory, but all living creatures bear the task of passing down their DNA through reproduction. To reproduce, there's the necessity to show your superiority. The individuals who can do this well are the ones that were able to pass down their DNA. 

Itoi I see, I see. 

Iwata So I think it's natural for us to try to show that we're better than others. That's why we tend to compare our strengths with other people's weakness. This happens in any type of social organizations, such as in companies. Therefore, it becomes a priority to define an axis, a mutual agreement on evaluation. There is a need to create a fair basis.

Itoi That' a persuasive theory. 

Iwata I've never felt any contradictions so far. 

Itoi It's like Sanma Akashiya (Japanese comedian) saying "Men like women who can slip us into self-complacency." 

Iwata (laughing) I don't know about that, but I guess yes, in a way.

Itoi Existence that gives them advantage among others. 

Iwata There are times when you just have to grit your teeth and do it. Society will fall apart if everyone just quits doing what they don't want to do. 

Itoi It will, yes. 

Iwata Even when everyone can agree to make our company "the group of people who will devote our efforts to do things we are good at," we still have to identify and assign the minimum amount of works that employees have to do even when they know they are not good at. Otherwise, we cannot work together. It is the management's job to make efforts to minimize this "minimum amount of necessary works that employees are not good at," I believe. For example, some people just cannot communicate with the others. But things won't work out if there's someone in the company who will never try to communicate his or her thoughts with the colleagues. After all, a company is a group of individuals with different talents. That group of people tries to accomplish something large that an individual can't do. For everyone to move forward, the least amount of communication must always be made by each individual even when he or she is not good at talking with the others.

Itoi So you try to contain the "minimum amount of labors" and encourage people to grow by doing things they are good at. 

Iwata Yes, I think it's very important. There's also one other thing. There are people with talent that they themselves haven't realized. They may even think they're not good at it. For example, nobody thinks that they're talented in management from the start. 

Itoi Come to think of it, that's true. Nobody in grade school understands the notion of management completely. 

Iwata No. No one chooses management from the start. 

Itoi Probably not. 

Iwata I didn't think I had talent in management at first. It's easy to keep on thinking you're not made for it. However, in my case, there was nobody else up for it. It was like destiny that the position came to me. 

Itoi That happened twice in your life, becoming president. 

Iwata Of course it was my decision in the end to become president. But it wasn't my initial aim. I've given the same kind of opportunity to other people. Although they might consider themselves as "not the type", I assign tasks when I see their potential. They seem to find it tough in the beginning, but by advising them with new ways of thinking or new views to look at matters, they discover themselves getting interested in it as a result. 

Itoi Is this something that occurred recently? 

Iwata Yes. There were people who thought they weren't the "manager type". They used to declare that they loved to make games so much so that they would like to make it their sole career. But they have changed. I've heard them say how fascinating it was to teach others and watch them grow. It's a potential they already had. It's just that they didn't realize it. When you help others find that potential, you see people bloom in such a way you never expected.

 

hmmm, the 5th one is good also, although I don't find it as good as the others...

yeah, the 5th wasn't the best but still interesting.

Excellent read. Thanks for posting Rhonin.

the 5th one was fleshing out the 4th IMO

tiachopvutru - I think it's important because it links to a older interview with Iwata or Miyamoto (I do believe) saying about how they were "raising" people for Nintendo's increasing development teams. So essentially Miyamoto, by being EAD's head, is helping with the gaming design aspects while Iwata's been teaching the group/leadership aspects.

Considering how the games have been between the beginning of the gamecube era and currently, I'd say they've made considerable progress.

6. Finding your Reward

Itoi What's something you keep in mind when you're trying to find a new potential in someone? 

Iwata There are those things that you can continue doing, and those that you end up quitting. For example, I think everyone has tried to become fluent in English, at least once in their life.

Itoi Definitely. (laugh) 

Iwata But often times, you end up quitting.

Itoi It's like, "Heck with English!" 

Iwata I think there's an important point in this. It's something I've found out when designing video games. There are two types of games, those that you toss instantly, and those that you continue playing. It's not a matter of how fine the game is made, or the essential excitement of the game. In my opinion, this has something in common with whether or not you can continue a variety of other habits. 

Itoi I'd love to hear more about this. 

Iwata If the reward that you receive is worth more than the effort and energy you put in, people don't quit. If it's the other way around, people feel discouraged. This applies to those games you continue playing, or being able to keep on studying English.People put in energy such as time, labor, or money. The feedback you receive is your reward.

Itoi I see. 

Iwata This is why you become good at what you like. Artists draw paintings, and people compliment it. Through that cycle, he/she progresses. As for me, knowing more about computers makes it more interesting. For you, you find what's interesting, and you get involved with it. When you feel accepted, you feel a kind of pleasant stimulation, and you get better at it. Being able to establish this cycle is in fact probably his or her talent. I believe that talent is thus the ability to find your reward.

Itoi So being talented is about "feeling the excitement of accomplishment", and not "just accomplishing". 

Iwata I think so. Finding your reward with your inner "circuit that responds to rewards". 

Itoi I see. 

Iwata Some people are so close to finding that reward, but their circuit may not be active. Their circuit can turn on with some advice, or just by simply telling them to "keep on trying three more times." A positive cycle begins when your circuit is turned on, when you feel that the reward you receive is worth more than the energy put in.

Itoi Just like you said, "Your strength lies in those areas where you are highly evaluated, even if you don't think you've put in extreme effort." 

Iwata Being able to find that reward is a gift itself. Furthermore, I think those people who can continue doing what people don't like, or what may be too tiresome for others, are those people you call a genius. This is something I found through my relationship with you and with Mr. Miyamoto. 

Itoi Hmmm. 

Iwata It's not easy to do something for a long time. First of all, its' tiring, plus you never know if you'll receive something in return. However, for some people, there's no pain in doing it. Those are the people who can win. You're lucky if you have found it. You've found your talent.

Itoi I've also been thinking about rewards and pleasure. There are two types of pleasure, there's the normal pleasure, and there are those that feel stimulus. 

Iwata Ah! 

Itoi There's that pleasure that's stimulus, just like when you're receiving Shiatsu massage, that "Ouch, it hurts but it feels good" type of pleasure. When you can keep on working in that kind of area, you can become a genius. Rewards don't only come in forms of sweets or good food or money. 

Iwata (laughing) I know what you mean.

Itoi It's sort of masochistic. It's good, it hurts, but it's good, and only I know the pleasure of this. 

Iwata Rewards aren't just sweets or snacks. 

Itoi Enterprises give money or positions or vacations as a clear form of reward. Those rewards are limitless, and you have to keep giving more of it. There's no drama to it. I'd rather see more drama. Drama lies even within our senses. Sometimes the sour, salty, hot flavor tastes good. 

Iwata Like, "this tanginess is delicious." 

Itoi Exactly. There's those hidden flavors that stimulates us. When you're the only one that feels that way, you're in a good spot. 

Iwata The things you think you're good at, your reward circuit is definitely active. 

Itoi Yes. 

Iwata When you've found something like that, you expand your capabilities. Your circuit responds to other related stimulation. You find yourself talented in other areas. As for me, I keep finding how management is similar to designing software. 

Itoi I see what you mean.  

Wow, you can really get a lot from these. Six sorta explains how people come to like the things they do. If you feel like you get more out of something then you put into it, you begin to like it. Interesting how this can apply to the types of classes you decide to take in college.