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Luke Williams, a fellow at Frog Design, argues that you can’t find opportunities to innovate simply by watching for glaring problems and fixing them. Rather, you have discern more subtle problems that hide in plain sight.
[This is the second post in a three-part series of excerpts adapted from Luke William's book Disrupt: think The Unthinkable to Spark Transformation In your Business. The first excerpt is here.]
People often say, “Apple doesn’t do consumer research.” this usually precedes an argument against the need for market research of any kind. but the designers at Apple do conduct research–it’s just not the traditional kind found in consumer-behavior textbooks. It’s informal, impromptu, and driven by acute observations of the context in which their products are used. Being insightful isn’t a question of talent; it’s a question of awareness.
Awareness is essentially being mindful of the cultural and social constructs that surround you and the people for whom you are creating something new. You’ve felt it before. The moment you decide you’re going to buy a yellow MINI Cooper, you start seeing them all over town. Of course, they were there before, but the difference is that now your awareness has been focused.
Ive’s conclusion? “You’re seldom intimidated by something that you can feel.”
All the Apple designers I’ve met share this awareness of context, which may explain why they’re often sensitive to critical details that their competitors overlook. they examine the context for themselves rather than having it described by someone else. Jonathan Ive, Senior Vice President of Industrial Design, describes his observations of people interacting with Mac computers in an Apple store: “When people are looking at Macs in stores, they’re drawn to them in a very physical way. they don’t mind moving them around or touching them.” that observation lead him to an important insight: “You’re seldom intimidated by something that you can feel. if you’re intimidated by an object, you tend not to want to touch it.”
So, for Apple, there was an opportunity to give people a tangible sense of control over the technology by establishing an immediate physical connection between the user and the computer. think again about the statement “people are seldom intimidated by something they want to touch.” That’s an insight that wouldn’t have been possible without close, unobtrusive observation of people interacting with technology. to cultivate insights and uncover opportunities, you need to observe the telling moments that reveal what consumers actually feel and do (as opposed to what they say they feel).
My previous post explained how to identify a number of business clichés, get rid of some of them, invert and exaggerate the scale of others–and come up with disruptive hypotheses. but, hypotheses don’t exist in a vacuum. The people you expect to experience the shift you’re describing must believe that the change delivers value. So, when you consider how to put your hypotheses into action, you must stay focused on who’s involved in the situation and their needs.
Why is this important? because disruption for disruption’s sake is just annoying. The reason most hypotheses fail to make it past the “what if” stage isn’t that they’re too radical; it’s that the advantages of the disruption aren’t clear. Or, put a little differently, it’s not their lack of creative differentiation; it’s their lack of customer insight.
Being truly insightful involves immersing yourself into the world of your customers to try to see how things look from their viewpoint. The focus is on watching, not on talking. Start by looking at the real-world context your hypotheses will exist in. who lives there now? What do they need? What motivates them? It’s all about using customer insights to translate your hypotheses into actionable opportunities.
Think of it this way: Hypotheses feed observations. Observations feed insights. Insights feed opportunities.
The most common question I hear when people are new to contextual research is, “What am I looking for?” The most common answer is “pain points.” Unfortunately, in most cases, that’s the wrong answer. Business people are trained to focus only on problems–things that don’t work and need fixing. they live by the motto, “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.”
The most highly rewarded managers are often those who can quickly identify critical problems, analyze complex sets of data, and apply razor-sharp reasoning to come up with a solution. most managers have become experts at this process, and they’re motivated (often by hefty performance bonuses) to reach an end-point or conclusion as soon as possible. most researchers are trying to identify problems to solve.
But those researchers also become so preoccupied with spotting the big “broken” problems that he or she completely ignores everything else. Problems are also seductive because they’re usually clear. The customers’ frustration is visible and, even as an outsider, it’s easy to empathize. but, more often than not, it’s the small, seemingly unbroken aspects of a situation that provide the richest opportunity areas for innovation. These are often the nagging issues that never get much attention. we ignore them, precisely because they don’t change.
“Tension points” are things not big enough to be considered problems.
Consider the humble can of house paint. For years, cans of paint have been made of tin and opened the same way: pried open with a screwdriver. but then, Dutch Boy Paint came along and introduced the Twist & Pour, an all-plastic gallon container featuring an easy twist-off lid and a neat-pour spout, which reduces the spilling and dripping typically associated with traditional paint cans. A molded handle allows for a more controlled pour and easier carrying. Adam Chafe, Dutch Boy’s director of Marketing says, “Consumers told us the Twist & Pour paint container was a packaging innovation long overdue.” As this example shows, a satisfactory way of doing something (like opening a can of paint with a screwdriver) may be far from optimal.
So, instead of large pain points, you should spend your time looking for–and addressing–something much more subtle: small “tension points,” the things that aren’t big enough to be considered problems. The challenge, however, is that tension points are usually hard to spot, because the symptoms are easy to overlook. They’re not screaming for attention the way “real” problems are. They’re typically little inconveniences that people have grown complacent about.
Tension points are a lot easier to identify after you have an idea of what to look for. Here are four specific types:
These quick, efficient-seeming solutions address only the most obvious symptoms of a problem, not the underlying problem itself. Workarounds can actually be dangerous because, when symptoms clear up, people lose any incentive they may have had to deal with the real issues. over the long term, the problem gets worse and, eventually, someone will have to come up with another workaround.
People’s values play an important role in their motivations. What do they value? What’s important to them? What’s not? Tension is often present when a product, service, or experience is in conflict with the values people find desirable.
In his article for Wired magazine, “The Good-Enough Revolution,” Robert Capps outlines a change in consumer values that he calls the MP3 effect: we now favor flexibility over high fidelity (that is, MP3s over CDs), convenience over features, quick and dirty over slow and polished. having it here and now is more important than having it perfect. These changes run so deep and wide, they’re actually altering what we mean when we describe a product as “high-quality.”
Look for high-priority and low-priority values. Has there been a change in what consumers’ value in the products and services they buy? Has that change revealed a gap between what consumers want and what’s actually available?
Generally, the more established people’s habits, the higher the inertia, meaning they’re less motivated to consider alternative choices. many banking customers, for example, say that they dislike their bank and would be delighted to switch. but, the prospect of closing all of their accounts and reopening them somewhere else is so overwhelming that it’s easier to just stay where they are. Wherever customers feel trapped by inertia in a situation they find less than desirable is where you’ll find tension. Keep an eye out for situations in which customers act out of habit. Opportunities can be created to either break or leverage that inertia.
In October 2005, Bank of America identified a key point of inertia–people often round the amount of their financial transactions up to the next dollar. The result of leveraging that inertia is Keep the Change, a program in which the bank rounds up a debit transaction to the nearest dollar and transfers the difference into your savings account. since its launch, over 700,000 have opened new checking accounts, and 1 million have set up new savings accounts.
People often struggle with the tension between wants, which are things they crave in the moment, and shoulds, which are the things they know are good for them in the long term. In their column for fast Company, Dan and Chip Heath make the case that “People need help saving themselves from themselves, and that presents a business opportunity.” they reference the work of Katherine Milkman, a doctoral student at Harvard Business School. Milkman has studied the way customers wrestle with wants and shoulds, and she suggests bundling the two. For example, the Heaths write, “exercising is a should, so what if your gym offered to receive your magazine subscriptions? that way, if you wanted to read the new Vanity fair (a want), you’d have to drop by the gym. Or, what if Blockbuster offered you a free tub of popcorn (a want) for every documentary (a should) that you rented?” Look for the tension that lies between wants and shoulds. do your customers need help “saving themselves from themselves”?
I’m not claiming that this process is comprehensive. It’s not supposed to be. it is, however, an effective way to start developing qualitative observations. this research is designed to be quick, informal, intuitive, and above all, accessible. it shouldn’t take you more than two or three days and, in many cases, it can be done in as little as two or three hours. You’ll know early on whether it’s working. if it is, you move on to the next step. if not, you can go back, tweak it, and do it again without losing much time or money.
Of course, you could go out and spend several months and tens of thousands of dollars on detailed demographic and psychographic market segmentation, focus groups, and quantitative studies. but, I think you’ll get much better information–particularly while you’re at the beginning of creating something new–by simply watching what people do and asking a few well-planned questions.
That’s something you can usually do for free, or close to it.
Click here to purchase Disrupt: think the Unthinkable to Spark Transformation in your Business
[Top image by Erin Sandler]
KAVAL!
———-
EWA First Blood will be a discounted PPV!! Order it now for only $24.99! TV MA LVD
King Cliff promo from his hotel.
(Cliff is in a luxurious hotel. He is sitting on a couch with champagne in his hand and the EWA Championship on his lap)
Cliff: Hello, you may know me as Cliff. the most handsome man in the whole world. also you EWA champion. And…..the man who beat Risky Business a low life scumbag countless times. There's no competition in EWA what so ever for me. I am the reining EWA Champ. I am the third person to hold this title. I am the best in the world. Now to first blood, this Sunday I will beat Risky again. Then MY Path to HardcoreMania will begin as STILL the EWA Champion. Ha, speaking of HardcoreMania, this will be my first one. last year. Risky and amazing Adam faced off in a match for the EWA WORLD, WORLD title. Risky won. Boooooooooo. Bio-Hazard won Mr.TLC. Booooooo, have fun in the rest of your damn life. Prasdana defeated Shaun cold……Who cares. Lets see what else, hmmmm. the Don got EWA GM Jessee fired, Mike Adams retired… thats all I remember. this year will be much bigger, EWA has changed. its much bigger and new superstars dominate. last year it was held in Key Arena in Seattle. Now its in MY,MY,MY hometown….New York City. Yankees Stadium. Wow. the Yankees are the best there is and ever will be. (Booooos) Ha, now to end this. I'll walk in Hardcoremania as champion and then walk out. It doesn't even matter who my opponents are. Now….enjoy the rest of the show..
EWA HardCoreMania II Live from NewYork,New York in the Yankees Stadium.
“WE MADE IT!”
Match 2: Singles Match
Amazing Adam vs. Suicide D
Adam was in no mood to play around. SD did not come out as his music played. the fans cheering AA's name as he is in his home state of Iowa. Then as AA sits on the ropes waiting for SD to come, SD suddenly pops from under the ring and ambushes Adam. the hell is that? A screwdriver? oh no! Come on! SD is stabbing the screwdriver right into the skull of Adam. Someone stop this. AA is gushing out blood. the fastest in his career and EWA history. oh, SD ripping the flesh and skin of Adam.. the ref pulls him off. AA is holding his head and rolling around in pain. SD then hits the ref with the screwdriver. the impact causes SD to accidenlty drop the driver. SD rolls out of the ring and looks under it. He searches for something..oh! Lord! A ladder! A 15 foot ladder. Sd rolls it in the ring and picks it up, he carries it on his shoulder as AA gets up. Ohhhh! SD shoving the ladder straight into the skull of Adam. Adam falling down like a building collapsed. SD drops the ladder in the middle of the ring and drags Adam to it. He puts Adam between the ladder legs . SD slams the ladder on Adam's back several times then locking on the STF! Using the ladder! Pulling Adam's neck backwards with the support of the ladder. Adam blacks out as the fans throw cups at SD and boo loud as hell. SD suddenly lets go and demands a mic.
Suicide: You vs. me, First Blood for the Survival Championship. Accept it or you'll be the first person in EWA history to turn down a challenge. Tell the EWA Universe, when ever you want.
(Suicide drops mic and leaves with a smile as medic check on Adam)
Winner: no Contest
“Ladies and gentleman, we have just confirmed amazing Adam has suffered a concussion from the ladder he took the the head. He will be okay for Sunday but it bad condition. Just moments ago, Adam was lifted off to a near by hospital.”
CONTINUED
Match 3: Triple Threat no.1
Scott Diamond vs. Extreme Jeff Hardy vs. Sin City Soul
The match begins with Jeff attacking SC from his side. Jeff starts throwing rights wildly. SD comes from behind, and Jeff turns around and kicks SD in the gut. Then goes back to SC with right hands and clubs. Then Jeff grabs SC and throws his head right into the crotch of SD who was right behind. Ouch. Then hardy hitting SC in the back with a right hand. Hardy begins going back and forth between the other two. Then Hardy school boys SC from behind! SD quickly breaks it up then school boy pins hardy!Hardy kicks out a two. Then SC school boys SD! But SD kicks out at one. SC and SD both quickly get up. SC connextes a toe kick then hitting Hardy on the back. Then SC clotheslines SD out of the ring and out of the action. SC notices SD getting up and bounces off the ropes, Suicide Dive to the outside! Collision at high speed. SC gets back up and picks up SD. SC takes SD over to the apron, until all of a sudden, Hardy hits a Crossbody to the outside hitting both men! Hardy gets up and throws SC back into the ring. Hardy picks SC back up and hits a snapmare takedown followed by a sropkick to the back. Great combo. Hardy quickly hooks the leg, SC kicks out. Hardy picks SC back up. Hardy whips SC into the corner. Hardy rushes him but gets a boot to the face, then a running clothesline from SC. SC hooks the leg, hardy kicks out. SC waits for Hardy to get up then hitting a quick bodyslam. SC then quickly bounces off the ropes and hits a fast elbow drop. SC again hooks the leg, but Hardy kicks out at two. SD still knockd out on the outside as SC takes control. SC grabs Hardy's head and locks on a sitting slepper hold. Hardy turns right and left trying to find a escape. SD climbs onto the apron and SC goes over to him. SD connects with a right hook. SD gets in the ring and hits a big boot to SC's face. Then another one to hardy! SD standing strong. SD picks up hardy like he's garbage and throws him out of the ring. Then pinning SC, SC kicks out. SD stands above SC and waits patiently for SC to get back up. When he does, SD hits an elbow then throwing SC's head into the turnbuckle. SD continues his assault in the corner. SD lifts SC onto the top rope. But SC fights back with two right hands, then SD fights back with a strong right. SD climbs the second rope and grabs SC. But then from nowhere, hardy clubs SD right in the back. Hardy grabs SD and slams him back onto the canvas. Then Hardy climbs onto the second rope. Superplex?? no! SD from behind with a right to Hardy's back. the hell? Sd going under hardy's leg! oh!!no! Electric chair! Hardy sitting on the shoulders of SD. Hardy throwing right in desperation. SC climbs the top rope! Ohh! no! SC going for a crossbody on Hardy but hardy ducks forward into a pin! one…..two….no! SC crashing and burning! Great timing by Hardy. the three men get back up, hardy and SD both lariat SC. all men are down as we head to break.
We return as hardy is on the outside and SC has control. SC throwing a few kicks to SD. SC bounces off the ropes and knees him in the face. SC whips SD to the ropes then hitting a dropkick. Hardy crawls back into the ring. SC grabs him and rams him into the turnbuckles then pulling him to the canvas. SC immediately hits a standing shooting star press on Hardy! SC gets back up and clotheslines SD then doing another shooting star press! one…..two….no! SC rolls over to Hardy and hooks his leg but its another two! SC picks up hardy and throws a few right hands that cause hardy to retreat. the ref has to pull SC off. SC grabs hardy and whips him to the other corner, OH! A Spear! Out of nowhere from SD! Sd gets back up, Codebreaker! no! SD counters it into a powerbomb! this is it! 1….2…no! Sin City kicks out! SD looks at the ref in frustration and then goes to climb the top rope. He waits for SC to get up, SC finally gets up. SD going for a diving clothesline. OHH! Counter! SC hits a codebreaker when SD was right in the air. SC hooks the leg!1…….2……3!
Winner: Sin City Soul via pinfall on Diamond at 9:55
Sin City has captured his first win in EWA. Lets see is his partner can do it also.
wow ouch, I'll promo for First Blood
Promo from hospital bed: " Suicide" he smiles" you've beaten me like a government mule, but at First Blood, it'll be you the one who bleeds, last year's 'First Blood' I do believe it was me vs. Risky, but this time it's me and you, this isn't just about titles, it's about blood, I've put my career on the line each time I wrestle, you made me bleed in my homestate of Iowa? That's the only way you could ever win anything, by screwing something. But let me tell you something, I'm the survival Champion for a damn reason, I"m a survivor and I back down to no one, I'll be seeing you at 'First Blood' and bring anything you can, I dare you to bring that screwdriver again and see what happens, hell bring a whole army because nothing is going to stop me from destroying your career".
Match 4: Triple Threat no.2
Hitch Hiker vs. Justin Time vs. DJoMo
When the match begins JT immediately knocks DJ down and out of the ring. Then its JT and HH only in the ring. Jt throws a right but HH blocks it and throws right hands of his own. HH continues to throw fast right hands. Jt is able to get out a toe kick. JT throws a hook but HH catches it and throws back. He ends it with a uppercut. HH whips JT to the ropes, DJ grabs his leg from the outisde and pulls him out of the ring. Then Dj jumps onto the apron and hits almost like a apron srpingboard kick. DJ gets back into the ring. DJ and HH hook up, HH turns it into a headlock. DJ steps to his side and makes HH bounce off the ropes. HH bounces back from the ropes and knocks DJ down with a shoulder and right away pinning him. DJ kicks out at one. HH picks up DJ, DJ throws elbows to the gut. DJ whips HHS to the ropes.Again HH knocks DJ down with a shoulder. HH goes to bounce off the ropes, DJ gets up in a burst of speed and hits a dropkick. DJ hooks the leg but JT comes in and breaks it up. JT then throws DJ over the top rope and to the outside. As HH is on his knees, JT hits a powerful roundhouse kick to the side of HH's head. JT hooks the leg, its a two. HH tries to crawl over to the corner. JT follows and repeatedly stomps on HH's mid section. no DQ, so he can continue as long as he wants. Then as JT takes a moment to taunt, HH rakes the eyes, then a toe kick. HH throws a right, JT throws back. the two start throwing right back and forth. HH bounces off the rope and Jt hits a drop toe hold elbow drop combo. Then from the side of the frame, DJ gets back into action. DJ swings and JT ducks and drives DJ's neck into his knee. JT hooks the leg, Dj kicks out. Jt gets up and picks up DJ.DJ hits a jawbreaker, JT is stunned then gets even more stunned as DjoMo hits a Stunner on JT! DJ turns around and gets a RKO! no! DJ pushes him off. HH turns back around and gets a RKO of his own! Dj hitting his own RKO! Dj rolls to the apron, and climbs the top tope. Shoooting star press off the top rope! one…….two…….Three
Winner: DjoMo via pinfall on Hiker in 5:36.
Both Sin City and DJ winning.
Kaval. Kaval is an amazing wrestler and seems to really have the crowd behind me during his matches. I have never seen him do any promo work but as long as its half way decent he could be a big star soon.
John Morrison sucks. He is not entertaining and can't cut a promo to save his life. I have stated many times before this that John Morrison is overrated and untalented.
*I appear on the teletron**fans boo*
Boo go ahead and be I really don't care. I don't see the purpose or the benefit of pleasing you fans or making you excited. I didn't come into this business to be liked and make friends I came to make an impact, make a name for myself, and win championship title belts. all you hypocrits know that if you were in my position you'd do the same exact thing. Adam First Blood will be the first night I become a champion on EWA. First Blood will be the end of your championship rein. First Blood you will bleed, you will drip, you will leak blood. Then once I have you beaten, battered, and bloodied I will take my new title belt, rub your blood on the rubber part of the belt, and then place it around my waist. so not only will I have my title, I will have your blood as a trophy.
PROMO
This is a Travesty how do I lose to a rookie how how how. I'm furious you don't know how mad I am. oh just wait until Sunday Sin City Soul wait until Sunday. I still have another match tonight maybe the most important match of my career. How can I focus how? I am facing the cream of the crop in a Battle Royal. Let me answer that I will beat them because I'm Scott Diamond. I want it more than any of them. so I will do it. I will beat all of them. You better believe it. GET READY FOR THE DIAMOND ERA.
You don't really care who we like more out of Kaval or John Morrison. You did this question to either show off your wanna be wrestling show or to give your other account best answer by not being suspicious or both.