Spreenkler: Idea Networking on Creativity and Innovation

Simply Simplify

I was scanning my Google Reader inbox a few moments ago and noticed a number of the Fast Company posts about their 6th annual Fast 50. I pulled up the Nintendo case and started to read... no surprises in content, as they are the new poster child for innovative case studies, taking over where the cliche Apple ipod story left off.

What did start to cross my mind was a fairly familiar and concise concept, PRODUCT SIMPLIFICATION.

As a product and/or service market heats up, organizations seemingly race to add attributes and convolute their offering. Their products lose key focus, and as research feeds a multitude of demographic profiles across product manager desktops, an alienated please everyone mentality emerges. Customers start to judge the products/services across so many attribute categories that the decision process turns into the precursor for a migraine.

This is when a winner usually comes forward and re-writes the game... innovation is born.

Nintendo simplified their product in many ways. An easy-to-use logical controller, simplified consumer friendly games, focus on fun. This separated them from the competitive pack and opened their target consumer beyond the hard core gamer, which happens to be a much larger and less picky market.

Simplification is everywhere when you look for it... Just a few examples.

• Google kills Yahoo in the search engine race. Take a look at both home pages... which is simpler?
• Easy to use integrated music system (ipod/itunes) vs. everything else.
• Ikea focuses on cheap and stylish, furniture industry domination

Simplification isn't a new idea or always the correct approach, but as marketers it is something that should always cross our minds. Don't always think about what you might add to your product/service, but instead think about what you could take away. Would you rather be great at a few things or mediocre at everything.

Spreenkler Blog Author: Eric Persha

Get In, Let's Go. (Where?!)

Today I started thinking about how many people I know who avoid strategic planning. Almost as if it’s homework, cleaning the bathroom, taking out the garbage or dieting. The funny thing is, most don’t realize their avoiding the issue. Instead, they perceive being busy and getting things done as the most critical function of their day. Rather than talking about things (i.e. developing the strategy), they are doing things (i.e. creating action and results).

It can be hard to spot this. Especially if success is achieved in the absence of strategy.

A fast method I’ve found helpful for evaluating the situation is first asking yourself: “What am I doing?” Then ask, “Why am I doing it?”

I’m not trying to be a smart ass. The point is not to questions whether what you’re doing is important. It’s to force reflection on what activities are taking up your time and why. In this equation, the why is what should be leading you, your department or your company forward. The why is the manifestation of the plan you’ve developed to get you where you want to go.

My friend Joe sums it up like this. Let’s say you want to go on a vacation. Would you get in the car and drive? Or would you first set a budget; choose your destination; determine the best method of travel; pack your clothes; select activities; and let your family know where you’re going, for how long and when you’ll be back?

If you’d just get in the car and take off, how would you ever know when you got to where you wanted to go? How would anyone else in the car be able to plan for what they needed to take along? If you ran out of money after 300 miles how would you know how much more you’d need?

Strategic planning is a tedious, difficult, time-consuming, yet critically valuable process. So I understand why you’d avoid it. Even more, you can be successful without being strategic. But I assure you, only for a matter of time. I’ve seen people and organizations last five years or more without a plan. I’ve also seen them last only 5 months.

Without a strategic plan you will get somewhere, though you may not like that place when you get there.

Spreenkler Blog Author: Steve Glynn