Creating Solutions That Stick

Have you ever asked yourself, “Why couldn’t I think of that?”? I have this thought regularly when I order Post-it Notes.? It’s a simple 3x3 piece of paper with a weak adhesive on the back, now on every desk across America.?Why couldn’t I think of that!?

The interesting story behind the invention of the Post-it Note is how it began as a technology searching for a problem. No one set out to invent re-stickable notepads; instead, Art Fry, a rookie product developer at 3M, was looking for a simple way to make a bookmark stick in his church hymnal (NIHF, 2023).? He remembered a talk given by a senior colleague, Spencer Silver, about his discovery of sticky acrylic microspheres, for which Silver had no marketable ideas at the time (NIHF, 2023).? Through rough prototyping, they began using these adhesive notes to share messages in the lab (NIHF, 2023).? The product did not take off until after convincing executives to let them test it in a few small markets; after several failed versions, they developed the final product and rebranded it as “Post-it Notes” (NIHF, 2023).? Today, the 3M Company does not reveal revenue for the brand, but its consumer products division, of which Post-it belongs, generates close to $5.3 billion in annual sales (3M Company, 2022).?????????????

We can learn four important lessons about ideation and problem-solving from the story of the Post-it Note.?

1.??Ideas Take Collaboration

We often think of great ideas being formed in the minds of isolated creative geniuses who guard their ideas closely.? However, this is rarely the case, as in the story of the Post-it Note, a presentation helped connect the technological discovery to other researchers willing to explore its use. Yes, it was an internal presentation that protected intellectual property, but if Spencer Silver had not shared that discovery, the Post-it note would likely never have come to be. We gain new insights and useful feedback through collaboration, often leading to breakthroughs. ??????????? ??

2.?Your First Product Will Most Likely Fail

One product Silver and Fry invented that you've probably never heard of is the original “Post-it Bulletin Board” (Newman, 2010).? Prior to the Post-it Note, they first introduced a bulletin board coated with adhesive, on which people could stick paper (Newman, 2010).? The idea failed miserably, which could have been the end of the story for Silver and Fry.? However, they persisted with testing and prototyping new versions.? Clayton Christensen, in his book, “The Innovator’s Dilemma,” warns managers not to “bet the farm on their first idea” (Christensen, 2000, p.228).? When trying to innovate, Christensen encourages managers to “leave room to try, fail, learn quickly, and try again” (Christensen, 2000, p.228).?? You will likely give up on your efforts if you are unprepared to face failure. However, it's in these failures that the greatest lessons can be learned. ? ?????

3.? Prototyping Is Not Simply for Function but for Consumer Interest

The interesting thing to note about Silver and Fry's experimentation was that it primarily tested consumer interest, not the technology.? The ability to attach adhesive to a bookmark, bulletin board, and small pieces of paper was not their primary problem.? The question was, how could it serve people’s needs?? In the case of the Post-it Note, Silver and Fry began with a technology and looked for a problem to solve.? We can also reverse the order, begin with a problem, and look for technology to solve it.? One tool used in design thinking is the solutions matrix, a table used for ideation comprised of solutions organized by technology and people (LUMA, 2012, p.62).? The goal is to ideate solutions based on a specific technology platform to serve the right group of people.? The process is all about matching technological solutions to people's needs. In the case of Post-it Notes, it turns out the church choir was not the primary audience served.? It’s possible we have a great idea, but the real task is to find the group of people it serves.????

4.??Curiosity is Foundational for Ideation

If Fry, fumbling through his hymnal, were not curious enough or motivated enough to connect Silver’s adhesive discovery to his problem, there would be no Post-it Note.? Curiosity is the emotional energy that fuels innovation.? Without it, we will lack the motivation to work on a problem or discover an opportunity.?????

Connecting Solutions to People

Some might argue that the Post-it Note would have eventually been invented by someone else if Fry and Silver had given up, but I hesitate to believe it.? The magic of their idea was how it connected a technological discovery to the needs of people. This connection is the foundation of innovation. Had Fry lacked the curiosity to explore potential uses or Silver given up after the first market flop, it would simply be unused intellectual property.? It reminds us all to be curious, collaborative, and unafraid to fail.? After all, if you do, It might just lead you to the next billion-dollar idea that leaves everyone saying, “Why didn’t I think of that?”?????????????????

References:?

3M Company (2022) Form 10-K, Securities and Exchange Commission. Retrieved November 7, 2023 from: https://investors.3m.com/financials/sec-filings/content/0000066740-23-000014/0000066740-23-000014.pdf

Christensen, C. M. (2000). The Innovator's Dilemma. Harvard Business Review Press.

LUMA, n.d. (2012) Innovating for people. LUMA Institute.

(NIHF) National Inventors Hall of Fame (n.d.). The Invention of the Post-it? Note. Invent.org. Retrieved November 7, 2023, from https://www.invent.org/blog/trends-stem/who-invented-post-it-notes

Newman, A. A. (2010, July 2). Turning 30, an Office Product Works at Home. NYtimes.com. Retrieved November 7, 2023, from https://www.nytimes.com/2010/07/28/business/media/28adco.html