1. Lead-user Research Can Lead to Breakthrough Products
Incremental innovation is tempting, but it’s not enough for long-term growth.
Stretch goals can stimulate search for breakthrough products, e.g., 30% new products in 5 years
Lead-users are a major source of breakthrough products in many high technology markets

2. Difference Between Lead Users and Early Adopters

3. How to Find and Tap Knowledge of Lead-users
They’re not at the center of the target market
Typical paradigm is to discover user needs and then develop solutions for them.
Lead users already found solutions at the extremes of the market distribution or a market in which a similar problem is faced in extreme form (see exhibit 5).
How do we find these people? Through networking and more networking (see exhibit, p.6).
Medical imaging team example

4. Need for a Breakthrough Product
Margins are shrinking
U.S. market is saturated, and products are prohibitively expensive for developing countries
Insurers won’t pay for surgical drapes in the U.S.
Don’t know how to create breakthrough products

5. Lead User Process Steps
Lay the foundation (markets to target, desired innovation level)
Determine the trends (emerging technologies, leading-edge applications)
Identify lead users (networking, gather information, identify promising concepts, assess business potential)
Develop breakthroughs (in workshops)
Present recommendations to senior management