When businesses want to develop innovative products, they tend to look towards the experts. After all, someone who has spent a long time in a specific field ought to know it well enough to understand what works and what doesn’t. Thomas Edison only found a successful filament for the light bulb after attempting 700 other options first. He started as an amateur, became an expert, and then found what would work. Expertise is the answer then, right? Well…maybe.
Just as one could argue that Edison’s expertise allowed him to find the right filament (it was tungsten, by the way), one could argue that it was familiarity with the research that kept him from discovering the answer sooner. Likely as not, he spent lots of time pursuing options which fit into his already established notions. Sometimes, it takes a pair of fresh eyes to look at things in a truly innovative way.
A new perspective
Have you ever gone crazy looking for your keys? After you’ve spent ten minutes searching, you know with certainty 100 places where they aren’t. They are not on the counter, not in your jacket pockets, not in the fridge—and then it happens. Someone else walks in the room and immediately spots them.
Somehow, all of your efforts proved fruitless. The solution was to solicit the help of someone else. Maybe they’re taller than you and could see where you couldn’t. Maybe their experience taught them that keys generally hide under the mail. How they did it matters little. What does matter is that they had fresh eyes, and fresh eyes are the answer.
Why do fresh eyes help so much?
Once you’ve been in your industry for a while, you develop expectations about your products, your market and how your products fit into that market. It can be difficult to overcome those biases and identify gaps or unfilled niches in the market with which you’re otherwise familiar. You become grounded and blind to change.
That is not to say that expertise is without benefits. Understanding the ins and outs of products, equipment, and processes creates serious advantages. Unfortunately, it can also create harmful pride. Once you know all the details, it’s easy to think your way is the best way. Someone who hasn’t been prejudiced by years in the industry, however, is less likely to be affected by the rules of tradition and can see through the veil to new opportunities.
How do I find “fresh eyes”?
If you’re looking to benefit from the innovative advantages of a new perspective, you’ve got to find people with a fresh perspective! Talk to people outside of your industry and when you do, listen closely. When they ask questions, listen even closer. Sometimes simple questions that seem obvious to the in-group can reveal glaring holes in your operation. Questions like, “why do you do it that way” and “what if you tried this” are especially good.
If your network is comprised heavily of people within your industry, or those new perspectives aren’t clearing the path for any innovative ideas, it may be time to bring in the professionals. At Alphidia, innovative, remarkable products are our game. We’d be happy to help you create the product that sets you apart, but no matter how you decide to improve upon your business, remember that fresh eyes matter.