The Four Lenses of Innovation: A Power Tool for Creative Thinking

Understanding

particular customer groups

One of the most powerful strategies is to ask yourself “What’s wrong with it?” from the perspective of a particular customer segment or demographic. For example, we learned in Part Two that the women-only fitness chain Curves was founded on the insight that most gyms were not very female-friendly. Many companies today—from banks to appliance manufacturers to DIY retailers—are now trying to redesign their products or services to make them more tailored to women’s needs and tastes.

Take something like the medical thermometer—a device that has been around for hundreds of years, and which seems perfectly designed for its purpose. Start thinking about specific types of patients for whom it may in fact be difficult or impractical to use. For example, what’s wrong with a thermometer when trying to take a crying baby’s temperature? What if the baby is in a high degree of distress, and won’t lie still long enough for a thermometer reading, either orally, rectally, in the armpit, or in the ear? One company—Summer Infant—has come up with the ideal solution: a pacifier thermometer. Pop it in the infant’s mouth and it works just like a regular pacifier, but on the outside is a small digital screen that clearly displays the baby’s body temperature. This simple innovation allows parents to comfort their baby while simultaneously taking its temperature. ...