Embracing Radical Innovation
Moving beyond Design Thinking
When it comes to the design thinking methodology and its application in hackathons or business design sprints, I must say I find it rather intriguing. The double diamond process, as they call it, appears to be a systematic approach to problem-solving, aiming to broaden and define the problem space before generating solutions.
However, upon contemplation, I have come to think of its limitations. While this method allows us to address existing needs by interviewing customers and crafting solutions that seem to be inverted versions of their expressed problems, it may lack the capacity for groundbreaking, radical innovation.
In my humble opinion, to foster true innovation, we ought to explore what I would call a "seed-based" approach. This entails delving into the unknown, venturing beyond the confines of conventional customer interviews, and seeking disruptive ideas that have the potential to revolutionize the landscape of problem-solving.
Let’s focus on the problem with the need-based approach through an example:
Imagine a team of designers tasked with developing a new generation of bicycles. They embark on the design thinking process by conducting extensive customer surveys and interviews to understand cyclists’ needs and pain points.
After analyzing the feedback, the team identifies that cyclists often struggle with comfort during long rides. Many customers express discomfort and fatigue, particularly in the saddle area. Armed with this valuable customer insight, the designers set out to solve this problem.
Employing the need-based approach, the team works diligently to develop a more comfortable bicycle saddle. They incorporate extra padding, ergonomic design, and innovative materials, ensuring that the new saddle addresses the identified discomfort issue.
Upon unveiling the improved bicycle to the market, they receive positive feedback from customers who indeed find the new saddle more comfortable. Sales figures also show an increase, indicating that the need-based solution has met the customers’ immediate requirements.
However, upon closer examination, I find a limitation in the approach. While the team successfully improved comfort, they merely scratched the surface of potential innovations. The need-based solution focused on addressing a specific pain point identified through customer interviews but failed to explore other groundbreaking ideas.
For instance, what if the team had adopted a seed-based approach as well? In doing so, they might have envisioned a radical concept of a smart bicycle with an integrated self-adjusting saddle that uses real-time data to adapt to the rider’s preferences and provide optimal comfort. Such an innovation would transcend the current notions of bicycle design, potentially revolutionizing the entire cycling experience.
By solely relying on customer needs, the team might have overlooked the opportunity for visionary breakthroughs. The need-based approach, while valuable for incremental improvements, might inadvertently limit the potential for transformative innovations that disrupt the market and redefine the concept of a bicycle.
This example highlights the importance of incorporating a seed-based approach in design thinking to push the boundaries of creativity and uncover extraordinary solutions that surpass conventional expectations. A harmonious blend of both need-based and seed-based thinking allows for a holistic approach to innovation, fulfilling existing needs while unlocking the door to unprecedented possibilities.
I strongly believe that the world of innovation is replete with unexplored territories, awaiting the keen minds willing to embark on unconventional paths of discovery. This is my call to embrace both the rigor of customer-centricity and the audacity to dream beyond the known, for therein lies the essence of true ingenuity.
Don’t get me wrong here, the purpose is not to over-engineer a solution, or worse, fall in love with it. Instead, it's an invitation to stretch our boundaries when brainstorming ideas, approaching the process with a spirit of exploration. Embracing an exploratory mindset allows us to venture beyond the familiar and consider ideas that may seem unconventional at first glance.