In the rush to innovate, we jump to solutions, look for silver bullets. We cool hunt. Crowd source. Idea storm.
But there is a problem with ideas. Sure they are fantastic for a fledgling startup, but they are dangerous, time consuming and unproductive for most corporates. Unfortunately, one of the first responses to a “call” for more innovation is to ask for “big ideas”.
A better approach is to forget ideas and put out a call for “problems worth solving”. It’s the approach that I have been following for years and it has distinct advantages:
- Focus on business value – there is an immediate connection between any subsequent ideas and the business value that needs to be created
- Ownership – you can pinpoint a “business owner” who has a vested interest in the problem being solved
- Crowd solving – it’s easier to direct structured and unstructured teams to solve the challenge
- Understanding and articulation – working with the problem owner means that there is a clear understanding and articulation of the challenge. It means everyone is “on the same page”
- Systems win – in the corporate world, systems win. Taking a systematic approach to solving problems rather than pursuing ideas means that business value can be retained, capacity can be sustained and velocity can be built into (or on the edge of your business).
Once you have your problem sets, you’ll find it’s much easier to get started on that next innovation.