Customer Discovery: The Key to Successful Innovation

So, you have a killer idea—a vision you want to bring into the world. But how do you turn that vision into reality? To succeed, you need people to create, adopt, and use your innovation, whether it’s a product, service, or technology.

But how can you be sure you're solving a real problem for someone?

This is where customer discovery comes in. Drawing insights from Talking to Humans by Giff Constable, here are key pointers to help guide you and give your idea a fighting chance. As the book rightly emphasizes, true success starts with a deep understanding of your customer.

Step 1: Starting the Customer Discovery Process

Begin by identifying the key risks and assumptions tied to your innovation, then validate these with your target audience.

Some common assumptions might include:

• I believe my target customer is X.
• I believe my target customer values X.
• I believe my target customer is willing to pay a premium for X.
• I believe I can raise enough capital to cover the costs of X and Y.

This exercise will help you identify the right customers to interview. Choose accessible individuals who can offer relevant and unbiased feedback. Additionally, seek out experts with industry experience in the domain of your innovation for further valuable insights.

Step 2: Unearth Valuable Insights from Your Interviewees

Once you've secured interviewees, your goal is to uncover the critical insights they hold—insights that can make or break your innovation. Focus on key themes during your interviews, such as:

• What solution would address my customer’s need?
• Why can’t my customer solve this problem today?
• What measurable outcome is my customer aiming to achieve?
• Who will be my earliest adopters? How will I acquire them?
• How will I generate revenue and the risks to doing so ?
• Who are my primary competitors and my competitive edge?

While these questions are essential, avoid asking them directly, as the interview should feel like a natural conversation, not a formal questionnaire. Instead, weave these themes into your questions. The book gives a great example of this.

Example: Interview for a New Veterinary Clinic

• Warm up: Briefly introduce the purpose of the conversation ask basic questions about the person and their pet (name, age, etc.).
• Who is your current vet, and how did you choose them?
• Can you describe your last visit to the vet for a checkup?
• What was the process like for scheduling the visit?
• What aspects of that experience were frustrating/ great ?

Ask open-ended questions to encourage diverse feedback. Focus on specific moments that give context to their responses, avoiding speculation in favor of factual insights. Additionally, it's helpful to bring a partner to the interview to take clear notes and capture direct quotes from your interviewees.

Step 3: Analyze Feedback and Identify Patterns

After gathering feedback, take the time to analyze it carefully, looking for recurring themes and patterns. These insights will shape your decision-making process and help refine your strategy moving forward.

Always remember: never stop asking the tough questions about your innovation. Constantly challenging your assumptions is key to staying on the path to success.

I hope this helps your innovation process. I am rooting for you ??