Beyond faster horses: harnessing user insights to develop truly new and unique products.
One way of accomplishing Stage 2 of the New Product Development Process (Idea Generation) is by gathering feedback from existing users through surveys, focus groups and from their interactions with salespeople and other employees. These methods allow you to understand the needs and wants of an overall market.
Another method is interviewing individual users in-depth, uncovering their unique motivations, and understanding why they use the products they do. Such insights may allow you to develop radically new products that satisfy underlying needs, not just surface ones. As Henry Ford allegedly said, If I had asked my customers what they wanted, they would have said a faster horse. By uncovering what they really wanted, a faster, more convenient way of getting places, Mr. Ford was able to open his creative eyes and see beyond the obvious.
Step 1: Ask a friend to remember a time when they participated in a social activity like throwing a frisbee or playing miniature golf.
Step 2: Interview them about this activity, noting details like when it occurred, what they were doing, and who was there. This will allow them to remember the details more vividly.
Step 3: Now, dig deeper. Find out how they were feeling during this activity. What did they enjoy most about it. Or what did they not enjoy. Most importantly, find out why they were doing it. Dont settle for surface explanations (e.g., because someone invited me). Instead, try to uncover real motivations (e.g., because playing mini-golf with my friends makes me feel like part of a group).
Step 4: Develop at least five ideas for new activities that will satisfy this underlying need.
Step 5: Pick your one favorite idea and draw a sketch of it. The sketch could be of a piece of equipment used in the activity, of people doing the activity, or anything else you think will result in being able to explain it better. The sketch need not be photo-realistic. Just enough so that it will allow you to show it to your friend, explain it, and get feedback. Insert it into your post as a .jpeg file.
Step 6: Show your idea to your friend and listen to their feedback. This is not the time to sell your idea, or convince your friend of its worth. It is the time to listen.
Step 7: Improve your idea as necessary, and describe your final product to the class as well as the five ideas and background information from your interview with your friend. Post all of this in your initial post by Friday before midnight. Respond to 4 classmate’s initial posts and anyone who responded to your post by Sunday night before midnight.
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