The Effect Effect

The effect effect is the undoubted extra stickiness and shareability of an idea by calling it an effect.

There’s something about summing up a piece of research or an observation with the name effect that makes it a whole lot easier to communicate and remember.

Compare, for example:

The more solar panels installed in a neighbourhood the greater chance of a growth of solar panels in that neighbourhood
The neighbourhood effect

And, for those of you wondering why it’s not the affect affect, here's a sketch explaining when to use affect vs effect

Perhaps because of the effect effect, I've covered a lot of effects already in sketches (though there are many more to do). See all "effect" sketches

Published 2 Jun 2018

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For want of a nail

The one-hoss shay

Solar System Planets illustration: shows just how far away the outer planets like Uranus and Neptune really are from us here, peering up at the sky from Earth.

Solar system planets — distances to scale

Word spectrum

Seasons

An ode to the importance of little things. This classic poem memorably paints a picture of how small details can matter, and how small changes can make a difference. Taking that extra bit of care, adding that extra bit of polish, helping that person when you had nothing to gain, showing up with generosity — all small actions that through their effect on others can, ultimately, have a large impact. This same idea also applies to how we choose to spend our money and our time through contagious commerce — from Seth Godin: Early adopters change the world. While one person choosing not to eat meat will have a small impact on our climate, it will have a much bigger impact on the restaurants, groceries and food suppliers who notice what you’re doing. They’ll change what they offer, and that will lead to a multiplier effect of other people changing their habits. Buying an electric car or installing solar before they’re the obvious economic choice has the same impact. Because once marketers and investors discover that there’s a significant group that likes to go first, they’re far more likely to invest the time and energy to improve what’s already there... ...Very few people have the leverage to change the world. But all of us have the chance to change the people around us, and those actions change what gets built, funded and launched. --- For want of a nail the shoe was lost. For want of a shoe the horse was lost. For want of horse the rider was lost. For want of a rider the battle was lost. For want of a battle the kingdom was lost. And all for want of a nail.…An ode to the importance of little things. This classic poem memorably paints a picture of how small details can matter, and how small changes can make a difference. Taking that extra bit of care, adding that extra bit of polish, helping that person when you had nothing to gain, showing up with generosity — all small actions that through their effect on others can, ultimately, have a large impact. This same idea also applies to how we choose to spend our money and our time through contagious commerce — from Seth Godin: Early adopters change the world. While one person choosing not to eat meat will have a small impact on our climate, it will have a much bigger impact on the restaurants, groceries and food suppliers who notice what you’re doing. They’ll change what they offer, and that will lead to a multiplier effect of other people changing their habits. Buying an electric car or installing solar before they’re the obvious economic choice has the same impact. Because once marketers and investors discover that there’s a significant group that likes to go first, they’re far more likely to invest the time and energy to improve what’s already there... ...Very few people have the leverage to change the world. But all of us have the chance to change the people around us, and those actions change what gets built, funded and launched. --- For want of a nail the shoe was lost. For want of a shoe the horse was lost. For want of horse the rider was lost. For want of a rider the battle was lost. For want of a battle the kingdom was lost. And all for want of a nail.

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