Observer le monde à travers nos yeux d’enfants

Observation is a very important skill for innovators. Before explaining the skill I want to make sure you all understand the different between seeing and observing. If you are reading this thinking it is stupid because you already know the difference, good for you, but there are many people who don’t know the difference and that is the element at the basis of innovators’skill. Seeing just means that a panel of form, colors and movements that come to you without you searching for it. You are passive when you see. Observing on the other hand, is actively examining, exploring and looking for things. Observing is not necessarily through your eyes, you can use the entire range of your senses… And you are most welcome to use all your sense since they will give you larger insights on things or job to do.

You might know how important it is for a chef to use every sense when he cook as well make his clients use all their senses when eating. Well it is the same kind of experience that innovators go through every time of every day in their life: the wide range of their senses enhances their observation capabilities.

Obersvation enable innovators :

·         see daily life problems : like Mr Tata’s observation of the unsafety use of scooter to transport a 4 person family under the rain in India gave him the idea of a cheap safe car for Indian middle class

·         comprehend the process of the customer : Tata had to provide financial and insurance services as well as a driving school on the spot if they wanted clients to buy the Tata Nano

·         meet solutions adapted to different issues that can be used : Mr Cook’s observation of the ease of use of interface that look like real life

·         Understand better the customer needs : The MET school focus on the social needs of its students to better develop their skills and increase their learning’s.

I can imagine your disappointment right now since I had the same feeling after reading the chapter 4 of “The Innovator’s DNA”: There is no way for me to become that good at observing. Happily, for me and for you, I didn’t stop my reading in the middle of the chapter but read it until the end… where the authors give us tips to develop our observing skills.

Schedule regular observation excursions.

Observe real people in real-life situations.

Understand what people like and hate.

Search for things that make life easier or not.

Treat companies like a case, what do they do and how.

Change environment (country, museum, activity…)

Fix 10min/day to observe something intensively.

Take notes about your key observations on a notepad, and review them later.

Now, let’s try all that and come back!
Claire-Marine