INSIGHTS - THE FOUNDATION OF INNOVATION

摘要

Where does innovation and entrepreneurship begin? The tendency is to start with an idea. While this may be where many entrepreneurs start, it is wrong. The place to begin is with a need or opportunity. How do you identify a need or opportunity? The answer to this is gaining insights into the customers' needs. There are a number of techniques to identify the voice of the customer including ethnographic studies, observation, focus groups, using product deficiencies, and direct questioning. This paper presents an approach using insights as a means of converting the customer responses into significant needs. Insights can come from anywhere including casual conversation, or the methods mentioned above. The term insight referred to here is a statement in the form "I (insert a fact) because (why?) but (insert tension)". The need or problem to be solved is found in the tension. The paper describes the application of the concept of an insight to identify problems and seek solutions to issues facing the aging population. The study begins with observations of the aging population who live at home, sorting observations into themes, converting the observations to insights, sorting insight platforms, prioritizing insight platforms and formulating ideas. The process led to concepts that address the needs of the aging but were not initially explicit.