Research Machines (RM) used to have this amazing facility where you could go and try out all their products in ideal conditions. I mean, no kids around for a start. (I’ve always thought that teaching would be much easier without pupils, though I think there may be a flaw in my logic somewhere.) Anyway, with no distractions, lots of tech support on hand and equipment and software in pristine condition, you could get a really strong idea of what you could do with them.

Now, I’m not knocking it — in fact I think all companies would have something like that in an ideal world. But (you knew there was a ‘but’ coming, didn’t you?). Most teachers and pupils are not in ideal conditions. Therefore, while it’s useful for teachers to visit such a place, or a reference site where everything is ticking over nicely, they also need to see the stuff working in a school “just like mine”.

That’s what I’ve written about over at the Bee Digital marketing website:

How does your product really perform?