With all the enthusiasm and openness of working with a fresh idea,  charting the new course can be a most inspiring task.  We can follow what we know works, or we can dig in to innovate.  Successful new products rarely emerge as a serendipitous discovery.  We work hard to prepare for those breakthroughs, but we can leverage some of the tried and true methods to cultivate work that stands out from the crowd.

Solve your own problem.
While this may be one of the most traveled paths to launch new products, there’s no denying some value when the solution clearly solves a problem from the start. In this case, the product plans come easily, while the market development requires patience and perseverance.

Research.
Both market research and design research clarify much of the nebulous territory in new product development. Make a list of all your questions, and let those inquiries guide you to interesting places and even more interesting people.

Cross pollinate.
Competitive analysis is a fun part of our research. It enables us to rapidly identify and understand hard-won insights about work that resonates with our people. However, with this information being accessible to every contender showing up to win part of the market share, how can we ensure that our plans are distinctive? Take a step further to look for similar solutions that have worked in other industries.

And most importantly, enjoy the journey!

“In the beginner’s mind there are many possibilities, but in the expert’s there are few.”
–Shunryu Suzuki