A company in the automotive sector getting inspired by…the humane society?…a beauty salon?…a chiropractor? You must be kidding!

No, not kidding…that’s precisely what happened in a series of client workshops we recently conducted. The team was in search of something different…not the “same old” ideas, not “me-too industry best practices” (aka benchmarking), but something out of the box — something really game-changing that would differentiate them in their market.

We first clarified specific areas of opportunity and capabilities we’d need to truly “change the game” — examples: customer-care, services bundling, turn-key solutions, use of data/analytics…

Then we went to places we’d seen these capabilities “in real life” (like the chiropractor) and gathered inspiration — asking questions, experiencing, feeling, watching, listening.

When we got back to brainstorming ideas, the results were transformative. Not only did we have sharper and more practical ideas (seeing real life helps a lot!), they were also clearly differentiated (“game-changing”)…i.e. very different from what we would have gotten had we stayed confined to the paradigms of their own industry.

This technique is known as “analogous inspiration”, and is one of the most powerful approaches you can use to generate new ideas. Why is it so effective? Two main reasons – first, it makes your brain “jump the tracks” from its normal pattern of thinking (a core prerequisite for creativity). Second, analogous inspiration frees you from “the blindness of your own context” (that gets you tangled in current constraints) and opens up paradigm-shifting ways of thinking as you see potential “game-changers” much more clearly in a completely different context.

So next time you want to spark your team’s creativity and take a truly different perspective, consider igniting the flame with analogous inspiration!

Picture: www.pexels.com

I was recently part of a startup/innovation-team trying to create a new offer for an important customer segment. We had moved quickly to create & test rough prototypes with real users and were beginning to get positive feedback. But for some reason we weren’t quite sure if we had really landed on a winner, or just something “ok” that might get interest, but not enough traction to sell. How would we know?

We decided to create a professional-looking flyer for a potential client in which we would present a “real-looking offer”…with a PRICE! We were pretty nervous – would they love it, hate it, reject it, or accept it?

…They hated it!!…after an emotional & reactionary outburst, they proceeded to tell us all the reasons why they didn’t like it…BUT then told us what the real industry need was, key selling points we’d have to emphasize…and at what price-point we’d have to offer it for it to be bought. In the end, it was the most valuable customer interaction we ever had, and actually re-shaped the next version of our offer which became a success.

Of course there are many factors at play in this story, but I believe one of the most significant is that we dared to put a PRICE on our offer. Why? Here are a few reasons…

• “Dollars & Sense” – a good dose of reality sets in when someone has to open their wallet and vote with their hard-earned dollar. It forces them to think about cost versus value/benefit. Is it really worth it? Is it a priority over something else? Does it make sense?
• “Black & White” – decisions are moments of truth. Are you in or out? Yes or no?…can’t be in the middle. By forcing a potential customer to “take a side” you’ve created instant clarity that gives you an amazing opportunity to understand more. What are the pros/cons, advantages/disadvantages?

Again, as is hopefully clear from my story, it doesn’t really matter which answer you get from your customer – “yes” or “no.” The value is that you’ve created clarity. And by making them take one side over the other, you’ve created amazingly fertile ground to dig further and understand the reasons why.

Don’t miss this opportunity. Next time you pitch a new idea to a customer, dare to put a PRICE on it!

Picture: www.seethewhizard.com

The following is an extract of a book I recently read called Change by Design, written by Tim Brown (CEO of IDEO, one of the foremost design firms in the world). The central theme is: “how design-thinking can be used to unlock creativity and innovation.” I especially appreciate how Brown boils down “design-thinking” to simple “how-to-level” concepts. “Open your Eyes” is one of these that makes design-thinking accessible to all of us.
“We spend most of our lives not noticing important things. The more familiar we are with a situation, the more we take for granted, which is why it usually takes a visiting relative to get us to visit Alcatraz or the Golden Gate Bridge, or spend a weekend in the Wine Country. (Tim Brown lives in CA)
My friend Tom Kelley (co-founder of IDEO) likes to point out that “Innovation begins with an Eye,” but I’d like to take this one step further. Good design thinkers observe. Great design thinkers observe the ordinary.
Make it a rule that at least once a day you will stop and think about an ordinary situation. Take a second look at some action or artifact that you would look at only once (or not at all) as if you were a police detective at a crime scene. Why are manhole covers round? Why is my teenager heading off to school dressed like that? How do I know how far back I should stand from the person in front of me in line? What would it be like to be color-blind?
If we immerse ourselves in what Naoto Fukasawa and Jasper Morrison have recently called ‘the Super-Normal,’ we can gain uncanny insights into the unwritten rules that guide us through life.”

Picture: www.dannygugger.com