Sometimes its not good enough to know what your customers and suppliers are thinking. Yes, its important to talk to them and understand them as intimately as possible about the needs and wants they are aware of; however, they only know what they know. Ask a client what he wants and the response will usually be limited to getting a souped up version of what he already has. Better features, better price in a competitive environment only leads the vendors into a spiralling commodity trap where margins get squeezed. Something more is needed, badly.
What goes on deep inside at an unconscious emotional level and in a intuitive gut hunch sort of way is what entrepreneurs and innovators need to discover. From such insight, products and services can be developed, so that when offered there is an immediate “Yes!” in the customers heart. The innovation resonates and the user thinks (emotionally) “this is exactly what I have been looking for”.
This insight into the deep down desires of the common man, the hope, the simplicity, the beauty, this is what Apple’s Steven Jobs was so very good at understanding. He demanded the best of himself and his worker bees to do what couldn’t be done. It was his driving belief that he could make life so much better for the average man and woman that led to the most fabulous innovation – - services and products that could not be imagined in advance. Innovation is all about what we can do to make some one’s life so much better, so much more harmonious, so much more understandable and straight forward: we can bring a sense of elegance when we get it right.
Steven Jobs’ passing at such a young age is a tragedy. Just think what he could have done with another decade. He will be as sorely missed as anyone.
Steven Jobs has made us believe our world can be a delightful place.