&Thinking Differently Thinking Together

What can&do for

Can deliver not only a new way of thinking,but also a new way of getting the whole organisation thinking together= use your own brain and the whole organizationbrain Most companies use a linear/logical process to guide the steps from an idea to its launch. But when it comes to idea generation....

The Problem with most innovation initiatives: we pick the wrong ideasNot practicalTry too hard to be creative, under pressure and fixedness, and lose focus of the real issues – solving customer’s problemsToo many ideasEnd up with too many ideas / directions that are not well thought through, and clog up the evaluation and feasibility resourcesNot part of ‘the way we think’ becomes exclusive domain of marketing / R&D favours the extroverts / loudest voices and the rest of the organisation becomes disillusioned

becomes exclusive domain of marketing / R&D

favours the extroverts / loudest voices

and the rest of the organisation becomes disillusioned

The SolutionPROBLEM-LEDSolving the right customer and business problemswith the right ideas to drive the business forward instead, of wasting resources chasing too many poorly conceived ideasSYSTEMATIC PROBLEM SOLVINGUnfix the organisation’s thinking, and get the whole organisation not only thinking differently, but thinking togetherWHOLE ORGANIZATION THINKINGFocus the whole organisation on the key innovation drivers solving relevant customer problems with unique solutionsChange the innovation conversations inside the business

Delivered through:Team / Project Workshops3 Day project-based workshops which include: - Problem of the Customer Immersion - Graphic design Organisation-wide awarenessWhen the whole organisation begins to speak the problem-led language the innovation culture will change from adhoc / disconnected thinking to an integrated innovation approach In-house Facilitator TrainingTrained internal resources able to deliver workshops using the KN3W IDEAS tools and templates will enable a sustainable culture of problem-led innovation

Combined with online “live” spirit & collaborative toolspowered by To change the innovation conversationsbothinside the business and outside, with customers.. .. and create a sustainable innovation culture

Background and Theory

Law of EvolutionAll systems (products, services.. people) are in a constant state of evolution towards an ideal state. ideality

Unique innovative thinking process based on TRIZ (Theory of Inventive Problem Solving) Identify the right problems to solveWhen you really understand the problem, the solution will become easier to see Thinking not limited by fixednessIdea Fixedness: A psychological inertia that inadvertently prevents us from being able to easily see ideas and solutions beyond our experiences, knowledge and beliefs Using the whole organisation‘s brainWhen the people who understand the problems of the business really understand the problems of the customer, unique new ideas will flourish.

Identify the right problems to solve

Thinking not limited by fixedness

Using the whole organisation‘s brain

“While innovation appears to be comprised of a set of haphazard steps, in the long run it follows repeatable patterns. When you understand what drives these patterns you will be able to anticipate the conditions and actions needed to create the next evolution”GenrickAltshuler (1926 – 1998)The Theory of Inventive Problem-solvingТеория решения изобретательских задач (TeoriyaResheniyaIzobretatelskikhZadatch) TRIZ

Innovation Success RateThe rate of innovation is directly related tolevel and relevance of the deficiency or problempresent in the systemThe success of innovation – adoption and life cycle - is dependent on the degree of uniqueness in which that deficiency is solved.

Confirmed by a study of nearly 3000 ideas 2003 - 2005Relevant UniquenessIdeas with above average uniqueness AND above average relevance Scored consistently in the top quartile of purchase intentIdeas with above average relevance BUT below average uniqueness About half scored in the top quartile of purchase intent.Ideas with above average uniqueness BUT below average relevance Consistently fall outside the top quartile of purchase intentCommoditySo What Uniqueness/Niche

The PROBLEM“The formulation of a problem is often more essential than its solution” (A. Einstein)Ideas fail when the problems they are trying to solve are wrong in the first place. To deeply understand what makes them tick you have to get into your customers’ head, immerse yourself in their world.

Innovation Success RateHighUnique and differentLowHighLowLevel and Relevance of Deficiency / Problem

Apple solved a relevant customer problem and they solved it in a unique wayUnique SolutionRelevant Problem

Repeatable Pattern?More portableRecordableMotorisedStereoMore storageMore practicalMore compact / self containedMore portableIncreasingly compact / more portableImproved qualityCamera, PedometerRecordable RadioMulti-functionalVideoBuilt in storage and convenience

Solving a relevant customer problem in a unique wayHow was Apple able to do thisand not Sony?

Fixedness“If you keep doing what you’ve always done, you’ll keep getting what you’ve always got”A psychological inertia that inadvertently prevents us from being able to easily see ideas and solutions beyond our experiences, knowledge and beliefs

George de MestrelInventor of VelcroCockleburArctiumlappa

But what did George do for fun?

If you are focused on the problem you will see solutionsnot just another irritating cocklebur

In the late 90’s Sony’s cocklebur was MPMandeveloped by Sae Han Industries in South Korea.Sony had a fixed view on the way the electronics business workedMachineMediaApple saw the cocklebur+=Sony could only see the same old solution=+

The typical brainstorming“Coupled with fixedness, brainstorming greatly compounds the chances of picking the wrong ideas”Quantity not quality, wild ideas, suspend judgement: yes, it’s fun...But the biggest issue is the idea that we can simply come up with ideas without spending time understanding the real problems or looking at them through the eyes of those affected

open your mind to see the cocklebursFocuses on relevant problemsUn-fixes thinkingPromotes teamwork and collaboration, while still allowing individuals to work theough their own thought processes

Promotes teamwork and collaboration, while providing individuals with the space to thinkEasy to use, less confronting than brainstorming and less subject to he-who-shouts-the-loudest influencesUses team judgement rather than group thinking

John Gerrie, the founder of KN3W IDEAS® is not your typical innovation guru. He has lived with the real challenges of managing major global brands and businesses, with board or management committee responsibilities across 4 continents. He understands how innovation can drive a company’s success, and he also understands how often businesses can get bogged down and waste valuable resources picking the wrong ideas to work on. Most recently John was the head ‘ideas-guy’ at Reckitt Benckiser plc, a global consumer goods company with dominant market positions in over 60 countries with global brands like Dettol®, Nurofen®, Mortein®, Lysol®, Harpic®, Vanish®, Airwick®, Woolite® Finish®, Gaviscon®, Lemsip® and many more. Reckitt have been the star performer in their sector, with double digit earning growth for the last 10 years driven by an innovation program that delivers close to 40% of its net revenue from products launched in the past 3 years.John was the architect of the Reckitt Benckiser front-end of innovation process, and led an ideas team that delivered over £750m in new product ideas annually.Contact:john.gerrie@kn3w-ideas.comPicture courtesy of Reckitt Benckiser plc, www.reckittbenckiser.com

Conversational Marketing & InnovationProjects

Social Media: a lastingRevolution“ Right now, yourcustomers are writingaboutyourproducts on blogs and recuttingyourcommercials on YouTube. They’re definingyou on Wikipedia and ganging up on you in social networkingsiteslikeFacebook. These are allelementsof a social phenomenon — the groundswell — thathascreated a permanent, long-lastingshift in the way the world works. Mostcompaniesseeitas a threat.You can seeitasanopportunity.”

Our beliefIfmarket are conversations,It’s timetospeakout.

Whatis the TalkingVillage? Itis aspontaneous community online (bloggersand other active people in the Web), thatwant togenerate, promoteand implementConversational Projects, based on real interactions and collaboration between brands and people.Aiming at:Reducing the distance between (people in the) companies and (people in the) web PromotingConsumer Empowerment

Reducing the distance between (people in the) companies and (people in the) web

PromotingConsumer Empowerment

The TalkingVillage ManifestoWebelievethat the Web is the idealgroundto generate a valuableconversationbetweenbrands and consumers. The playersof the conversationshouldbehonest, transparent, respectful, self-aware, competent.Onlywhenplayersunderstandeachother’s needs, is the dialoguetrulyauthentic.Contents create value in the Web. Brands and users can collaborate to produce high-valuecontents.Throughcommunication, brands propose cultural models. Wewouldliketocontributeasmuchaspossibleto the creationofsustainablemodels.The web useridentityis best expressedby the contentsthey generate and share – notbytheirsocio-demographicprofile.Empathyis key forproductiveconversations, ie the abilitytobe in eachother’s shoes. Usersshouldthinkofthemselversasbrands, brandsshouldthinkofthemselvesasconsumers.

The TalkingVillageValuesEthicsDialogueOpenness/transparencyRespectSelf awarenessKnowledgeEmpathyFree choiceCoherence

34One mission: from different languages to common visionsOur role is about:Facilitating conversationsDecoding true feelings and insightsInterpreting company languages and consumer languages, fostering mutual collaborationUnderstanding people and their problemsIncreasing the emotional intelligenceof the brands

Facilitating conversations

Decoding true feelings and insights

Interpreting company languages and consumer languages, fostering mutual collaboration

Concept/product test, focus groups… What’s new here?Everything!We don’t work on pre-cooked solutions......We team up from early stages of a process (be it a new product, a name, a new/improved process, a communication or promotion idea)... We can transform a basic concept in a true, authentic story telling ... We achieve high quality of both inputs and outputs of the conversations: Villagers in our network are high-end innovators, creative minds, bloggers& storytellers, highly self-aware regarding consumption choicesModerators are professionals and Villagers at the same time 3535

Depending on objectives, our social/interactive tools can produce different outputs according to a growing level of mutual engagement : from insights gathering to emotional storytelling, from product placement to co-innovation pipelines4. Co-creativityCollaborative problem solving and idea generation3. SupportBrand stimulating and participating into community life2. ConversationGathering insights, needs, feelings, stories, reviews information gaps1. Listening 36

Some of the things we can do together:Insights gathering, through monitoring of existing conversations online,Participation to workshopsConversations about products in dedicated web areas, through product placement, diaries/reviews and other interactive toolsCollective storytelling around your key selected themes/issuesPrivate interactive platforms for idea generation and incubation, matching expert consumers with company brains….

38Conversational marketing leads to:Better mutual understanding Get the true feelings - unlock the key consumers insights and bring them to life Unprecedented level of depth of such conversations On the other hand, consumers understand the brand strategyBetter relationship Brands who are open to conversation can create a unique and lasting relationship which drives awareness and reputation with a qualified pool of trend setters and influencersBetter communication Develop Personal, relevant, authentic, engaging stories that consumers will spread for you

Get the true feelings - unlock the key consumers insights and bring them to life

Unprecedented level of depth of such conversations

On the other hand, consumers understand the brand strategy

Brands who are open to conversation can create a unique and lasting relationship which drives awareness and reputation with a qualified pool of trend setters and influencers

Develop Personal, relevant, authentic, engaging stories that consumers will spread for you

Success cases: MulinoBiancoBloggers and consumers used the product and held a 5 weeks diary on MB website, stimulated by a weekly “task”:Before starting, they met with MB marketing team and interacted with themTheir creativity was seeked and appreciated by a big brandParticipants felt like a real Project Team

Bloggers and consumers used the product and held a 5 weeks diary on MB website, stimulated by a weekly “task”:

Before starting, they met with MB marketing team and interacted with them

Their creativity was seeked and appreciated by a big brand

Participants felt like a real Project Team

Another success story: BoppyBoppy is a breastfeeding pillow: 15 italian bloggers (all of them actually breastfeeding) were invited to join a conversation area on VereMamme.it (the website temporarily hosting The Talking Village) + posted spontaneous insights about their product experience on their own blogsThey used constructive criticism, proposed alternative uses, personalized the product, posted ironic stories...These are not BUZZ marketing operations, but authentic storytelling by people, true & honest conversations

Boppy is a breastfeeding pillow: 15 italian bloggers (all of them actually breastfeeding) were invited to join a conversation area on VereMamme.it (the website temporarily hosting The Talking Village) + posted spontaneous insights about their product experience on their own blogs

They used constructive criticism, proposed alternative uses, personalized the product, posted ironic stories...

These are not BUZZ marketing operations, but authentic storytelling by people, true & honest conversations

ContactsFlavia RubinoBased in Rome, Flavia (…..)flavia.rubino@gmail.com +39 347 8309746Giuliana LauritaBased in Milan, Flavia (…..)giulianalaurita@gmail.com +39 347 2775028

Thinking differently; thinking togetherto solve the right problems with the right ideas

Appendice…E In azione….

44Ipotesidi conversazione su TASK e raccoltadi feedbacks/insightsSu un argomentospecificoEg, executional evaluationOppuresuun’areapiùampiaEg, new concept explorationDurata: 2 settimaneSimile a Focus groups o intervistein-depthDurata: 4-5 settimaneSimile a ricercaetnograficaModuli con feedbacks real-timeEg, discussion forum, chat, idea posting, Q&Amodules a-sincroni con feedbacks + profondiEg, video-diario, multtmedia blogoppure

45Ipotesidiconversazionion-going The Talking Village puòospitare un dialogocontinuativo con una community, alimentandouna“pipeline diinsights”: egconcept & copy developmentma anchecommunity interne, per coinvolgereidipendenti in unacomunitàaziendalecheforniscastimoli e proposteOppure community miste, cheincludonocliente, consumatori, esperti e professionistiDurata: 3, 6, 12 mesi per progetti/argomentispecifici

46Un ciclodiideazionecompleto, flessibileedintegrato con i workshops Kn3w Ideasfoundational insight IncubationModulichecombinano real time edaltreinterazioniEg, concept discussion forum, quickfire Q&A, questionnaires IdeationModulichesupportanocompitidiideazioneEg, chat, quickfire Q&A, an idea posting space, multi-media blogsModulidi feedback in tempo realeEg, chat, quickfire Q&A, an idea posting space, stimulus debateModuliasincroniEg, video diary, multi-media blogs based on specific tasks, stimulus response1-2 assignments / settimanaClient teamCustomers

47Validazionee finetuningqualitativoProcess RepeatsTop ConceptsNuovi concetti in evoluzione su input / randomScreening deiconcettipreferitiInput inizialisudiversiconcettiValutazione Monadica

48Il livelloavanzato: High-end innovation partneringThomas1Utilizzauna community numerosadi stakeholders, esperti, consumatori “opinion leaders”, per un periodoesteso.Mantenerel’accesso a questa community potrebbecostituireunafantasticafontedi challenge e stimoli per iltuo team, unavera e propria pipeline di insights. Puoiaprire un dialogocontinuativo con loro per 3, 6, 12 mesi o oltre… Non unametodologiadiricerca, ma unanuovaculturaper co-generareidee breakthrough, edinstaurareun dialogocontinuativosulmiglioramentodiprodotti e servizi.Nuoviterritori per un brand esistente…EPD’s, NPD’sWhite Space innovation…Brand stretch, White space, nuovi brandsCo-creativity48

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