What are the top product innovation challenges?

The bulk of understand needs lies in discerning whether customer needs are: - Unmet needs or latent needs - Validated or invalidated needs

Understanding explicit customer needs is vital for successful product innovation, but it's just the tip of the iceberg. Let's not forget that some groundbreaking innovations stemmed from latent needs that customers weren't even aware of—think iPhone before smartphones became ubiquitous. Moreover, technological feasibility is another colossal pillar. Innovators must be closely aligned with what is technically achievable now and soon. Lastly, let's acknowledge the gravitational force of internal company culture on innovation. A company that fears failure will stifle even the most customer-aligned ideas. So, yes, listen to your customers, but remember to also listen to the technology, the market rhythms, and the organizational heartbeat.

As an entrepreneur, I'm obsessed with deeply understanding customer needs. With our supplement brand, it exists because I sought to solve a problem I was personally experiencing. My co-founders and I spent over a year researching as we wanted to intimately grasp the myriad of challenges, goals and pain points often overlooked. Those insights directly shaped our innovative product line and purpose, and that's the sought of wisdom that drives innovation.

The focus on feasibility, desirability, and viability is a pragmatic approach to innovation, but let's not forget that innovation also thrives in environments where it is democratized rather than centralized. The risk with the outlined structured methods is that they might get "locked" into an innovation ivory tower, where only a select few get a say. Instead, the magic often happens when employees on the frontline feel empowered to propose new ideas and even prototype them. This calls for organizations to relinquish some control, a notion many find unsettling but necessary for distributed capability. You can't always "criteria your way" to a disruptive idea; sometimes, you must let the garden grow wildly and prune later.

Whatever you do, don't brainstorm together with your team with just using your brain. Use ideation techniques to assist you in ideation. - Thought triggers - Food for thoughts - Laws of behavior gamification - JTBD + triggers - Worst ideas

For our business we brainstormed and brainstormed and brainstormed, but instead of evaluating internally, we sought to test concepts through feedback. If you've not read it, check out The Mom Test by Rob Fitzpatrick. Seek candid thoughts on what truly excites people, prioritising the most desirable and viable ideas and insights based on real perspectives. It's invaluable.

10 WAYS TO VALIDATE-EXPERIMENT In my experience as innovation facilitator, experimentation is an iterative process, and it's crucial to be open-minded to customer feedback as you validate your innovative solution. Here are ten ways you can experiment to validate a new innovative solution: 1. Conduct surveys or questionnaires. 2. Organize focus groups. 3. Create pretotypes, prototypes or minimum viable products (MVPs). 4. Run A/B tests. 5. Conduct usability testing. 6. Set up pilot programs. 7. Engage in one-on-one interviews. 8. Implement feedback channels. 9. Monitor analytics and metrics: Track user engagement, usage patterns, and other relevant metrics to gain insights. 10. Seek early adopters and engage with them directly.

Validate, validate, validate! Testing is everything. Pilot multiple prototypes, build in public, test with research groups; this provides feedback on product-market-fit, benefits, pricing and more. Refine your prototypes based on data not hypothesis. You want to maximise appeal and efficacy? Prototyping prevents missteps and unlocks improvements, if you're open to them...

What if employees across the spectrum could become agents of change, not just designated 'innovators'? This democratization could unlock untapped reservoirs of creativity. The "citizen developer" approach is a game-changer, empowering even those without formal tech backgrounds to build simple prototypes. Imagine a customer service rep who comes up with an app idea to improve customer experience and can bring it to life without waiting for 'approval' from above. Rather than seeing prototyping as an exclusive task for an elite group, let’s make it an inclusive playground.

The key word here is "manage", not "solve". Launching products is daunting, but by mitigating risks through extensive testing, building in public and minimum viable products, helps. We've started our lastest business with a small product line to optimise manufacturing and processes before expanding because prioritising learning eases uncertainty. Of course, calculated risk-taking is inevitable with innovation, but wisdom comes from validating assumptions, so don't think you need to launch with a big "ta-da" moment. You don't, and that thinking is terribly old school.

I see a danger here. In the quest to manage every iota of risk, companies often build so many structures and checkpoints that they kill what they aim to foster. Why not adopt a more organic, flexible approach? Steering, not dictating, is critical. Consider internal communications as a powerful tool for this. Frequent dialogues about the company's risk tolerance, celebrating 'honorable failures,' and real-time learning can do wonders. This opens the door to an adaptive approach that capitalizes on the collective intelligence within an organization.

To collaborate and communicate effectively, co-create with internal stakeholders (x-function x-levels) and external stakeholders (customers, partners, govt). When you co-create, you will get alignment and buy-in for those who are involved.

Companies can benefit immensely from creating an 'innovation network' within their organizational structure, with focal points in each department or even smaller team units. These focal points could act as conduits between the grassroots innovators and the decision-makers, offering a pathway for even the quietest voices to be heard. For global companies, the unfortunate reality is that innovation often becomes centralized in headquarters, leaving satellite offices and remote teams on the fringes. This is more than just a logistical oversight; it's a failure to tap into the wealth of diverse thoughts and perspectives that come from different geographies and cultures.

Cross-functional collaboration is integral. Our team of founders, scientists, designers, strategists and consumers worked in unison toward a shared vision through constant communication. Diverse viewpoints elevate end products, because innovation requires blending varied expertise, and a spirit of collaboration yields the best ideas and opportunities. You don't need to have all the answers or be the smartest person in the room, you simply need to be openminded.

Launching and scaling are 2 different things. Decouple them. 1. Launch ASAP to see what works and what doesn't. 2. Then scale what works!

We were eager to launch DS, even with a copycat brand launching, but we knew scaling prematurely could compromise quality and reputation. We laid meticulous operational groundwork pre-launch to ensure excellent customer experiences from day one. Every innovation should balance urgency with thoughtfulness when expanding reach. Get the fundamentals right, then grow wisely!

Don't let the pursuit of perfection stall your progress. While it's tempting to wait until a product is flawlessly conceived, hesitating can give competitors the chance to seize the market first. Instead, embrace rapid and cost-effective experimentation to validate your ideas. Take calculated risks and learn as you go. Remember, delaying your product launch only postpones the valuable insights you'll inevitably gain. It's better to learn sooner—while you still have the resources to refine and enhance your product into something even more compelling.

The top product innovation challenges for product innovators are just 2: 1. Finding validated problems worth solving. 2. Solving it differently.