Disruption by method
In the 1970s, Kodak was reluctant to push the shift to digital photography. In the early 2000, it paid the price by losing its position as market lead. According to the Disruptive innovation theory, such market dominators are often replaced because of their inability to use technological innovations to better met their customers' needs. A phenomenon to be made a method.
Task
Develop a methodical approach to identify and satisfy unmet user needs
Client:
Thesis
Target group:
Academic community
Year:
2014 – 2015
Methods
Product strategy
- Design Thinking
- Disruptive innovation
- Job-to-be-done
Abstract
Developing products for unmet customer needs enables young companies to become successful against strong competition. My Bachelor's Thesis dealt with developing a systematic approach to identify and address those yet unsatisfied needs.
Harvard Business School professor Clayton M. Christensen postulated that customers primarily buy products to complete certain tasks. Products from the same industry do not necessarily compete with each other, but rather those that perform the same task. Building upon Christensen's theory, startup advisor Paul Paetz developed a methodical approach to identify tasks, so-called Jobs-To-Be-Done with a potential for disruption.
Comparison of sustaining and disruptive innovation
Innovation types and their relations to customer needs, according to Clayton M. Christensen
Disruptive Jobs-To-Be-Done often pose difficult problems that require unusual solutions. Design Thinking is an established process model that is used to solve such difficult problems. Several different, small-scale variants of this process model have been created. What they all have in common is the iterative and open-ended approach in multidisciplinary teams that make decisions with the help of empirical research.
Design Thinking Model for innovation
Process and phases according to Hasso Plattner
Having analyzed both methods, I managed to develop a composite process model called Iterative Disruption that joined together aspects of Paul Paetz's Disruptive Design, Design Thinking, and Lean Product Development. While all three phases have different levels of strategic, conceptual, and implementational focus, research-based iteration is the common motor, driving the model.
The hypthetical process model, was then tested in a practical innovation project ideate a smartwatch applications.
Process artefacts
Iterative Disruption model
Composite process model of Disruptive Design, Design Thinking and Lean Development
Thesis as printed book
Theoretical research and documentation of the project, validating the draft of the process model
Tools
Adobe InDesign
