Product/Service Management LAP 11 Techniques for Generating Product Ideas

Objectives: Describe techniques used to identify product ideas. Explain the nature of product ideation.

 Everything starts with an idea.  You can be creative, too.  Look for opportunities.  Think “outside the box.”  Generate marketable ideas for products.

The market’s needs and wants change constantly. Businesses need to stay ahead of the competition. Products’ life cycles are becoming shorter. New Product Ideas Are Key

Sources of Inspiration  Trends  Customers

Sources of Inspiration  How can you make problem products better?  Are there ways to improve even your best selling products?  What complementary products could be offered? Existing products  What are substitutes for existing products?

Channel your strengths into successful new products. Do What You Do Best

Pitfalls of Ideation Pitfalls of Ideation Lack of creativity

Concern about the unknown Pitfalls of Ideation

Fear of criticism

Describe techniques used to identify product ideas.

Think “ outside the box. ” Think Creatively Think in different ways. Focus your mind on unrelated things.

Lateral Thinking  Use illogical methods to develop new ideas.  Approach an issue from new illogical directions.

 Don’t judge the quality of ideas that are shared.  Identify as many ideas as possible during a certain time frame. Lateral Thinking Methods Brainstorming

 Multiple individuals  Competing teams  Teammates responding in a certain order  No assistance from others  Multiple individuals  Competing teams  Teammates responding in a certain order  No assistance from others Relay brainstorming Ways to Brainstorm

 Respond quickly. Round robin brainstorming Ways to Brainstorm  Take turns.

Starbursting Starbursting Ways to Brainstorm Draw a six-pointed star. Write product opportunity in center. Write Who? What? Why? Where? When? and How? at the points. Ask and answer questions starting with these words. Draw a six-pointed star. Write product opportunity in center. Write Who? What? Why? Where? When? and How? at the points. Ask and answer questions starting with these words. Who? What ? Why? Where? When? How? Product Opportunity

Mind Mapping Ways to Brainstorm Seasonal? Cost? Apple Organic Artificial Paw Paw Banana & Pear Chocolate: Dark or White Apple spices Apple Pie flavor New ice cream flavor  Write product opportunity in center of a piece of paper.  Draw line to other words/ phrases related to main idea.  From these words, draw other lines to more related words.  Expand your thinking.  Get many ideas down on paper in short period of time.

Ways to Brainstorm  Take turns randomly sketching and doodling on a piece of paper.  Build on others’ drawings until page is covered.  Study the doodles.  Try to identify shapes that you see.  Find ways to relate shapes to product opportunity. Braindrawing

Lateral Thinking Methods Name the first thing that comes to mind. Record your train of thought. Make connections between your thoughts and your product opportunity. Free association

Use basic question starters. Develop original questions about your product opportunity. Forced questioning Lateral Thinking Methods

Synectics Forced relations  Connect unrelated ideas or items to find new practical combinations and products.  Forced associations make a direct connection between random words and the issue at hand.  Forced analogies use metaphors and similes to create connections where none exists. Lateral Thinking Methods

Programmed Thinking  Organized  Logical  Analytical  Organized  Logical  Analytical

Programmed Thinking Methods List a product’s characteristics. Focus on finding ways to improve the product’s existing attributes. List a product’s characteristics. Focus on finding ways to improve the product’s existing attributes. Attribute listing

Morphological analysis Programmed Thinking Methods List a product’s attributes. Combine some or all of the product’s attributes in different ways to create new products.

How do they generate new ideas? What creative-thinking techniques do they use? Where do they get inspiration for new products?  New product ideas are essential for success.  Think about your place of employment or SBE. What recommendations would you make to improve their ideation processes?

 Carter Bryant created the popular Bratz doll line while working for Mattel.  Mattel claims that, as Bryant’s employer at the time, it owns the rights to Bryant’s idea.  But, Bryant worked on his idea for Bratz in his spare time—not on the clock.

Should he have given his idea to Mattel? Was it okay for him to sell his idea to a competitor? What would you have done?  He sold his idea to MGA Entertainment, a competing toy company.  Did Bryant behave ethically?

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