I recently got asked “what is the most original idea you’ve got?”
I found it quite hard to answer.
Looking back, I wish I asked “can you please define original ideas”; or “what are the metrics we are looking at?”
I didn’t. I wish I did though.
Here is why I think it’s really hard to answer.
- You need to know what the goalposts are.
- It’s a perfect information problem.
- Innovation should favour customer needs.
- The market only cares about perceived value.
Knowing where the goalposts are
It’s hard to know what is original without knowing what the objective criteria is for an original idea are.
Is it IP?
Is it being first to market?
Is it being in a blue ocean? (IE: blue ocean strategy)
Is it original because you never heard of it?
Is it original because it’s the only one of its kind. Such as a work of art?
Is it something nobody has ever tried?
How would you even know if nobody has ever tried it anyway, wouldn’t you have to have access to all human knowledge, ever?
This is a perfect information problem.
The perfect information problem
I don’t know what ideas you have already tried.
I don’t know what ideas you have discarded.
I don’t know what ideas you didn’t follow up, on or ran out of budget pursuing.
I don’t know what idea sits in someone’s drawer, a notebook, or on a post-it note somewhere.
It is a black box, a collection of unknown unknowns.
Even with all the data, with a criteria; we as innovators must remember that innovation processes and co-design will often favour customer needs, even at the expense of being “original”.
Innovation should favour customer needs
Innovation should start with customer needs. Leading with empathy, to generate ideas and pick solutions to test our ideas with customers.
Regardless of your chosen method; all innovation methods will have a select or filter stage.
For example, the method of “dot voting” is a selection.
Another example is testing the idea with customers; where insights drive the next iterative cycle of your innovation pipeline.
This iterative cycle is actively seeking a “market fit”
Usually this “market fit” will based upon the feasibility, desirability, viability Venn diagram.
The bottom line is that selection stage will often filter out ideas, even “original” ideas; this is because customer needs matter more than whether its original.
The market only cares about perceived value
The market only cares about perceived value from the lens of a customer.
To establish value, we can refer to the value proposition canvas;
Jobs to be done
In the jobs to be done (JTBD) section, we list out all the jobs a customer wants to do.
Pain points, Pain relievers and Gain creators
On the value proposition canvas we look at pain points, pain relievers, products and services to create gain creators.
Buying decisions are based on value
It’s customer’s perception of value that informs a customer’s buying decisions.
As innovators we validate value through testing products and services with customers; and through iterative innovation processes.
It is this iterative process that will filters ideas, even the “original ones”; in favour of solutions that actively solve the customer’s problems.
Summary
Meaningful innovation comes from co-designing with stakeholders, with customers; to actively filter, select products apply gained insights from iterative processes into products, services that actively aim to solve customer’s jobs and pain points.
This might mean your idea isn’t original or new; but it does solve a customer problem. And as a final point, if the solution does fit need and your lucky enough to hit product market fit, and it hits scale (mass market) to a point where customers are actively seeking out, begging for your product or solution – what does it matter if the idea was original or not?
Because, ultimately it is the market and customers that will decide whether your original idea matters or not.
What are your thoughts on this subject?
What about your thoughts on this subject?
What was the last original thought you had?
What made it original?