There are three kinds of product that I'm interested in producing:
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Seeds are empowering packaged experience that give rise to curiosity and delight while also being maleable by the user in their own way. They are robust enough to handle modification and serve more purpose than a simple tutorial otherwise might.
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Primers are introductory materials designed to impart knowledge of the fundamental theory through step-by-step or narrative materials that are then applied in some scaffolded practice. The intent is to teach concepts over recipes.
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Kits are pre-engineered elements that can be reliably used to create a specific kind of capability. They are engineered around clear and concise conceptual models and deliver specific results with absolute reliability.
References
I originally collected these terms in Groundhog Day Resolutionso 2019 as part of goal setting:
Assembling “how to” guides, kits, and “seeds” (a catalyst for learning) is a way to help people get started on a new path while expanding my offerings. Writing about these kits will also have positive SEO consequences, and makes me a better teacher too.
My interest in seeds goes back further, though. I first came across it as a fictional reference in the novel The Diamond Age by Neil Stephenson. Much later, it was mentioned at the end of the first arc of Sword Art Online, where it is described as the VR system that was released publicly so it would spread, with others adapting it into their own worlds.