Summary: “You’ve got to out-innovate the innovators.” The Art of Innovation, Page 3 “How can you/we become more creative and innovative?” I’m sure that question has come up more than once. And I’m sure you want to hear the answer. Lucky for us, Tom Kelley, General Manager of award-winning global design firm IDEO, decided to write a book about just that. In The Art of Innovation: Lessons in Creativity from IDEO, America’s Leading Design Firm, Tom shares the strategy and approach IDEO has taken to develop everything from the Apple mouse, to a portable heart defibrillator, to the Palm handheld. Or, as Tom puts it: “A Method To Our Madness”. So where should you start? With your Innovation Eye, of course! Golden Egg Innovation Begins With An Eye. “It’s not even enough to ask people what they think about a product or idea.” The Art of Innovation, Page 26 “Just ask them.” That's a common approach we take when we’re unsure of someone’s needs, wants or requirements. What do they want for lunch? Just ask them. Should I print in color or black and white? Just ask them. It's also a common approach when it comes to product development. In fact, it’s something I was taught in school (to understand end user requirements, simply ask and document as “Use Cases”). But, as Tom mentions in The Art of Innovation, if you truly want to be innovative, it’s not enough to “Just Ask”. You have to observe as well. “What do stand-up toothpaste tubes, all-in-one fishing kits, high-tech blood analyzers, flexible office shelves, and self-healing sports bottles have in common? Nothing actually, except that they’re all IDEO-designed products that were inspired by watching real people.” (25) Why isn’t “just asking” enough? Two reasons: Reason 1: “One reason is the same factor that prevents you from learning that your meat loaf tastes like sawdust. Your dinner guests are too polite to tell you the unvarnished truth, too wrapped in trying to give you the expected answer… How many people volunteer that they’re having a lousy day? It’s human nature to put on a bright face on a dismal situation.” (27) Reason 2: “A second reason for the ‘fine’ response is that your guests don’t know or can’t articulate the ‘true’ answer. Maybe the meat loaf needs more salt or less onion. The problem is that your guests may like to eat, but they’re probably not food critics. In business, too, your customers may lack the vocabulary or the palate to explain what’s wrong, and especially what’s missing. Companies shouldn’t ask them to.” (27) GEM # 1 Spend Time In The Jungle “If you’re not in the jungle, you’re not going to know the tiger.” The Art of Innovation, Page 31 Sure, you could read about the Tiger. Maybe watch a National Geographic documentary. But you won’t truly understand the Tiger that way. You won’t truly understand how it interacts with each aspect of the jungle. How it balances hunting for food and protecting its family at the same time. No. To truly understand the Tiger, you need to, as Tom says, “Spend Time In The Jungle”. And the same is true for innovation. Go to your customers’ environment. And I don’t mean go in for a meeting. You need to go and observe them. Go “shadow” them like a fly on the wall (think “job shadowing”). Seriously. And no, setting up a video conference isn’t the same. You need to be in the same environment as your customers. Because that’s the only way to truly see, and understand, how they react to, interact with, and more importantly, naturally use your product or service. Are they experiencing the product or service as you expected? Or are they using it in a way you didn’t think they would? You will almost definitely be surprised at the results; walking away with new ideas to refine your product or service for the better (which can ultimately lead to faster adoption). GEM # 2 Find The Rule Breakers & See Products In Motion “Finding the right people to observe helps.”
