Before explaining “what is product innovation”, it is necessary to disassemble “what is product” and “what is innovation”. In my understanding, I define a product like this: a product is used to solve a user’s problem, so that can solve a user’s problem, it can be called a product; I understand innovation this way: innovation is a creative problem solving The first is that no one has ever solved the same problem in this way, and the second is that there has never been such a way to solve the same problem.
Definition of product innovation
We need to disassemble “what is product” and “what is innovation”.
In my understanding, I define a product like this: the product is used to solve the user’s problem, so that can solve the user’s problem, it can be called a product, but the product has a variety of forms, which can be physical products A software product can be a service or a package solution.
I understand innovation this way: innovation is a creative method of solving problems. First, no one has solved the same problem in this way. Second, there has never been such a way to solve the same problem. The former refers to human thinking. For example, new ideas and new perspectives come from the human brain. The latter refers to methodologies that have been verified by practice and come from human practice. Based on this, I define innovation as follows: Anything that can creatively solve problems and has been tested in practice can be called innovation. It can be a new idea, a new process, a new product, or It is a new model, it can be a new system.
The value of product innovation
Through the above definition, we basically know that the value of product innovation lies in creatively solving users’ problems, while taking into account both user value and commercial value. It not only meets the needs of users, creates user value, but also achieves the company’s business goals, Created commercial value.
Ways of product innovation
Ask yourself two questions first: 1. How is product innovation reflected? 2. How to judge such a manifestation as innovation?
1. How is product innovation reflected?
Firstly, it is reflected in the idea, whether this idea has never appeared before, and secondly in the way of behavior, that is, in the method, is this method has never been tried before, you are the first to eat crabs, you are the first, and finally Reflected in the result, whether the implementation of the new idea through the new method has achieved the same effect or amazing results.
2. How to judge such a manifestation as innovation?
This question seems very simple: as long as it is different, isn’t it innovative? In fact, it is far from that simple. Looking at and thinking from different dimensions, there will be different interpretations. It is difficult to describe. Let’s look at a few key words: cross-border, integration; downgrading theory, dimensionality reduction; disruptive innovation, disruptive innovation, micro-innovation; blue ocean, red ocean; rural surrounding cities, channel sinking…
In my understanding, the ways of product innovation are:
1) Practicing new thinking : at first it was seller thinking, I made me push you to buy, then market thinking, what 4P marketing theory, and then upgraded to 4C, now it is user thinking, everything starts from user needs, user customization, and personalization Service, C2B… In fact, in essence, they are all interpretations of scarcity thinking.
2) Discover unique segmented user groups : from Gu’s post-70s, to the beat generation post-80s, and then to my own post-90s, just like each generation has its own unique label, the target user group of the product They also have their own labels. For example, QQ users tend to be younger and more entertaining, while WeChat users tend to be heavy and business-oriented. Mi mobile phone users tend to be practical and concerned about cost performance, while Hammer mobile phone users tend to be perceptual, literary, and caring about quality of life. And taste.
3) Exploring potential needs : No product is irreplaceable, because user needs are constantly changing, and satisfying the basic needs of users is just the beginning. It is also necessary to tap the potential needs of users to meet the expectations and excitement of users Type demand, and even create new demand.
4) Find a blank market : gold mines are piled up there, depending on whether you can find them at the right time and at the right place. The so-called blue ocean will always evolve into the red ocean as the market matures and competition intensifies, so new blue oceans need to be continuously explored. Differentiated strategies, cross-border, integration, and dimensionality reduction are all practical tactics.
5) Micro-innovation : small changes, gradual optimization, continuous accumulation, achieving extraordinary user experience; starting from the details, from subtle improvements, and continuously meeting the changes in user needs, quantitative change is such a step by step to achieve qualitative change of.
6) Disruptive innovation : In the history of business, there are many great companies who dare not die because of their own paintings. For example, Kodak died of digital cameras. Disruptive innovation is often referred to as a spoiler because it breaks the existing rules of the industry, changes the market structure, and reshapes the industry and distributes benefits from different dimensions, such as the strategic and tactical innovation layout (Su Qin, the Great Qin Empire/ Zhang Yi’s integration, vertical, horizontal, and close attacks are in reality all kinds of cloths, investments, and mergers and acquisitions), innovations in business models (zero profit for hardware, software and service charges), and breakthroughs in product business forms (WeChat public account vs. WeChat Boda V’s official WeChat bottom-hunting, WeChat Pay and Xiaodian’s attacks on Alipay and Taobao, Momo’s geographic location-based social groups, message boards, and Dadiantong)…
7) Do subtraction : Less is more. Reasonable deletion, timely hiding, and clever addition. Behind the simplicity means complex technical realization.
8) Achieve the ultimate : find the user’s pain point, make a single breakthrough, focus on the core demand, and achieve the ultimate at this point. Follow this point, do a deep and thorough vertical, and then expand horizontally. Li Shanchang of the Ming Dynasty used to know Zhu Yuanzhang’s pulse: building walls (building a moat), collecting grain (accumulating users), and slowly becoming king (creating an ecosystem).
The practice path of product innovation
1. Desktop research : at the macro level, study the industry prospects, market trends, competitive product tracking and design trends of the product, and at the micro level, grasp the interaction design, information architecture and user experience. Outputs: industry research reports, market research reports, competitive product analysis reports, design specifications, user experience metrics.
2. User research : qualitative analysis combined with quantitative analysis; face-to-face interview combined with questionnaire survey; create user role model. Output: user research report.
3. Brainstorming : diverging thinking, collecting sparks, and screening needs.
4. Agile development : parallel thinking, lean process; gray release, user participation, usability testing.
5. MVP : The minimum viable product, allowing trial and error, and rapid iteration.
How does X company practice product innovation?
1. Process optimization:
Simplify the product design and development process, combine product design and development into one, eliminate the original benefit partition, the process becomes smoother, the product goals are consistent, everyone works together, and the efficiency is higher; it is helpful for demand planning and progress follow-up Progress and project management and control.
2. Flat organization:
Considering the status quo of each department, new departments should not be added, and it is recommended to split departments: According to the business process and product design and development process, it is recommended that the space production and operation of Department X be assigned to the space promotion service department, and the product design and UI Relevant data are assigned to the data research and development department, which can be defined as the product research and development department. The benefits of such integration are:
1) Good distribution of benefits: Two divisions are better than three or four divisions;
2) The division of labor is clearer: the product research and development department is responsible for manufacturing weapons, and the promotion department is responsible for marketing; in the future, the company’s innovative products will come out of the product research and development department, which requires the product research and development department to establish a product manager responsibility system that divides the business by product line and governs The design and development of the requirements of each product line; each product line goes smoothly, it can be divided to establish a branch, instead of the current situation: if there are no products, just engage in a branch. Therefore, when the product R&D department incubates potential, promising and feasible product projects, then push the branch, this risk is minimal.
3) Flattening the process: During the early market research and user research, coordinate with the promotion department; subsequent processes including demand analysis, product design, UI design, development, and testing are all carried out in the product research and development department.
4) Reduced costs: reduced personnel costs, R&D costs, communication costs, coordination costs, financial accounting costs, etc.
3. Focus on business and control costs:
The product research and development department focuses on traditional projects and new product research and development (including product planning, product design, product operation, development and testing), and the promotion service department focuses on marketing, sales and services; this division reduces labor costs and management costs, and avoids The personnel shock caused by the new department again, the cost of forming a new team, and market risks. Do addition to increase costs and disperse energy; do subtraction to focus on the core and reduce costs.
4. Product business form:
From the very beginning, it is necessary to think clearly about the business form of the product. In the vernacular, it is the product landing, whether the target user of the product is clear, whether the product is used frequently, whether the user experience is extreme, and whether the revenue model is feasible. When establishing a project, it is necessary to clarify the business form of the product: What problem does the product solve for the user? How to dig money from the service?
5. Environment for product innovation:
Stimulate innovation mechanism, practice learning organization, sharing spirit, user thinking, create user value and commercial value, create an atmosphere of product innovation, and corresponding system supporting, corporate culture and soft and hard environment.
A long time must be divided, and a long time must be combined. Traditional software companies have to go through this kind of pain when they want to transform into Internet products. Sooner or later they have to take this step. Why not earlier?
