NPD Force-fit tool

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Question - How do I generate a list of potential product / service developments from known customer issues?

Answer - Use constraints theory to force-fit known ideas to provoke new possibilities

Key action points

Creative problem solving idea generation techniques tend to come in two modes - brainstorming and force-fit.

Brainstorming is when you are in let-it-all-hang-out mode.

Force-fit is based on constraint theory. Constraint provokes creativity; necessity is the mother of invention etc..

In this force-fit model, we ask you to list 25 things your target customers want from your product or service category, then we crash them against each other to see what other ideas this exercise provokes in you.

We then suggest you nominate a market which is similar, but not identical, to your own (i.e. analogous), and nominate 10 needs which you have not covered yet. These are then crashed against your 25 known needs, hopefully to yet further creative effect.

Finally, you take all these ideas (and there could be 1,650 of them, if you complete every box), and prioritise them.

This tool can be bought separately here.

It also makes up part of our broader “Innovation” training e-package which comprises an e-booklet and nine of our new product / service development tools. To find out more, please click here.

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