506: Everyday practical innovation – with Jerry Fix and Terry Carroll
Sep 17, 2024
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In this engaging discussion, Jerry Fix, an expert in practical innovation, joins Terry Carroll, a seasoned product management practitioner. They delve into the Targeted Innovation Process, emphasizing the need to understand customer insights to spark effective innovation. Listeners are introduced to a case study showcasing customer engagement in product design. The duo also explores the role of aesthetics in cleaning tools and how 3D printing transforms product development, along with strategies for measuring innovation success to drive real value.
Engaging directly with customers reveals critical insights that fuel the innovation process and align product development with genuine needs.
The Targeted Innovation Process provides a structured framework for translating innovative ideas into practical applications while ensuring alignment with customer expectations.
Deep dives
Understanding Innovation in Product Management
Innovation in product management mainly revolves around being close to the customer to comprehend their challenges and needs. Engaging directly with customers in their environment can yield critical insights that go beyond what they verbally express. This connection helps in feeding the innovation funnel with high-quality ideas that align with genuine customer value, instead of merely relying on superficial suggestions. This process is not just about ideation; it's equally about ensuring that the right ideas are selected for further development based on actual customer demand.
The Targeted Innovation Process Framework
The Targeted Innovation Process consists of a structured five-step framework designed to translate innovative ideas into practical applications. It begins with stating the problem and encouraging a wide range of input on potential solutions. Understanding various problem-solving styles is crucial, as it sets the stage for developing creative pathways tailored to the organization's strengths. The final steps involve generating numerous ideas and evaluating them through established tools, ultimately leading to a more streamlined product lifecycle.
Real-World Application of the Innovation Process
A case study illustrates the real-world application of the Targeted Innovation Process, highlighting the importance of directly interviewing customers for insights. By thoroughly engaging with 30 individual customers, the product team surfaced critical value drivers such as tool durability and ease of use. They simplified a cleaning process by redesigning tools and incorporating features that directly addressed customer needs, thereby ensuring a sound alignment of product value with customer expectations. This approach fostered innovation that not only met existing challenges but also added aesthetic appeal to the products.
Justifying Innovation through Metrics
To justify innovation programs within an organization, it is essential to employ metrics that track both leading and lagging indicators of success. Key performance indicators (KPIs) such as anticipated revenue from new products and the ratio of ideas to those entering the development process help illuminate the effectiveness of the innovation efforts. This focus on measurable outcomes bolsters the argument for continued investment in innovation, especially in challenging economic times when funding is often at risk. Emphasizing the return on ideas—not just on revenue—can also provide a broader lens through which to assess the value of innovation initiatives.
Global Product Management Talk is pleased to bring you the next episode of...
Product Mastery Now with host Chad McAllister, PhD.
The podcast is all about helping people involved in innovation and managing products become more successful, grow their careers, and STANDOUT from their peers.
About the Episode:
The Targeted Innovation Process is a practical framework that helps product managers drive innovation in their organizations. This approach focuses on understanding customer needs, generating quality ideas, and turning those ideas into real value. The process has five main steps:
Stating the problemUnderstanding problem-solving stylesCreating creative pathwaysGenerating ideasEvaluating ideas
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