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Since the time that I wrote the ‘Can We Innovate’ article I’ve been overwhelmed by the feedback and response that’s flooded my mailbox. In addition, we have received several calls at our front desk from folks who have ideas and want to know how to take them forward. This prompted me to write this piece on what to do when you have an idea.  So let’s dive right into how one can take an idea forward. Somehow the Myths and Truths framework seems appropriate here too. I reproduce Myth #1 from my “Can We Innovate” article since it’s equally relevant here.

 

Myth #1 – You need to be technically qualified or a whiz kid to innovate. Wrong!! This couldn’t be farther from the truth. It’s all about common sense. Don’t underestimate the power of common sense. Once you’ve an idea, you now need to reach out to those who understand the different elements of your idea and can help you to build on the idea.

 

Myth #2 – You need management support to innovate. Wrong!! It’s not about management. It’s about your self drive and motivation. It’s about individual enterprise. History is replete with anecdotes of management not supporting employee initiatives initially. That did not stop a 3M employee working on masking tape which turned out to be one of 3M’s most celebrated products.

 

Myth #3 – You need a Big Budget to Innovate. Wrong!! Many people have written to me citing budgetary constraints as stumbling blocks. There’s no guarantee that a ten million dollar innovation kitty will produce a winner. Constraints including monetary constraints often produce the best innovations. You’ve to look at budgetary constraints as just another hurdle to overcome. It is possible to be creative, ingenious in the way you rig up/build a prototype to demonstrate the idea. Great inventors/innovators of our time worked with monetary constraints. But you have to be prepared to invest some of your money and time to demonstrate an idea. People want to see something tangible before they talk business with you.

 

Truth #1 - Originality and Benefit are key- You have to know that in today’s world, chances are there are at-least 5 other people working on the same idea or a variant. What’ll set your idea apart is a demonstrated unique benefit to the consumer that the other products don’t provide. This means you need to do some background work. Googling is one way of finding out about similar ideas but not the definitive way. A better way is to carry out a patent search and compare what you claim your idea has with what’s out there. A patent attorney can do that for you but it’ll cost you some money. It’ll cost you about 5000 rupees. If you are unable to cross that hurdle as yet, then ‘googling’ is the first step.

 

Truth #2 -Avoid Ad-hoc Disclosures – If you’re really serious about pursuing your idea, resist the temptation to talk it up with everyone that you meet, see or call. You’re sounding the death knell on the idea. I know a lot of people who think up good ideas but never cross the chasm because they’re too busy talking about the idea. Besides, you may end up sharing it with someone who sees value in the idea but not in involving you.

 

If you think there’s value in talking to someone about the idea, get a lawyer friend to draft a very simple one pager that can serve as a non-disclosure agreement. You might question the relevance of this early on but when you’re onto your second or third idea, you’ll see its value and so will the person you disclose to. If you are seeking the help of investors to fund the idea or are exploring working with a Design firm to take your idea forward make sure you have a non-disclosure in place before you discuss your idea.

 

Truth #3 – Dirty your hands! –Try to build a crude experiment or a prototype to test/demonstrate the idea. So you’ve never built a prototype before. That makes two of us. This is just another hurdle you need to cross. If you don’t have the knowledge or technical skills, reach out to friends, family, advisors to get inputs. The local fabrication shop or the radio fixer upper in your locality (if you’ve electronic elements) can probably help you out. You may have to invest some of your own money and resources to fund the effort. This is the true test of your conviction. If you can’t bring yourself to spend some money on testing your idea then maybe you’re not ready to be an innovator. Prototypes need not be expensive. You can be creative with wood, cardboard, electronic components pulled out of toys, radios, appliances etc. Our office is full of such discards. But these are so critical to us that we maintain an inventory of them. If all else fails go to a junk yard. You won’t be disappointed. Above all, remember, the vision is yours. You’ve to own the process and drive the design.

 

Truth #4 - Have an Open mind, Embrace Failure - If your product does what it’s supposed to do in the first instance, then you’re downright lucky. Nice out of ten times, the first round of prototypes will test your conviction and question the very basis of your idea. But if you want it to work, reach out to your well wishers. Show them the product – Invite dispassionate inputs. Ask them to test it and give feedback. Note everything down. You may have missed some simple things when conceiving the product. Go back to the drawing board and incorporate the feedback. Build more prototypes and go back for a second, third or fourth round of testing. Resist the temptation to leapfrog. Take baby steps. Remember, insights are the key. So observe how people respond to your product and keep an open mind.

 

Truth #5 - Trust your intuition - All your insights and observations cannot substitute for that proverbial light bulb that might go off in your head!! That inner sense or gut feeling that you’ve got it right. Often your intuition might be at odds with your insights or what others around you say. History is full of stories of inventors who went against established belief.

 

Truth #6 - Document and Patent – You already know this is important. It’s key to document all the things you’re doing including drawings and sketches. You also have to plan for a patent or design registration when you’re ready with your design. Once you’ve a working prototype and have filed at least a provisional patent registration (a patent lawyer can tell you what a provisional patent registration is), you’re ready to go out and talk to people.

 

Truth #7 – Simplicity and Ease of Use are key – History is replete with great ideas which did not fly simply because the product was too complicated to use and lacked simplicity. Consumers have a simple unwritten rule with such products. They just don’t buy them.

 

Truth #8 – Not all Ideas need to be Breakthrough in nature – Most people think that innovation needs to be ground up and breakthrough. You only need to read about Thomas Edison to know that innovation is also about taking an old idea and improving it and making it more practical and beneficial. In today’s world, Innovation is often about incremental changes that improve the user experience.

 

Truth #9 - Your first product may not transform the world – It’s natural for an inventor to believe that his idea is the next best thing to rocket science. That makes you one of the millions who believe so. You have to accept that your first idea may not transform the world. Like everything else, innovation is an evolving process.

 

Truth #10 – Get out there – Once you have a working design and prototype, you need to put on your entrepreneur hat. You need get out there and find believers who can help you open doors. You will have to park your ego and do what’s right for the product. This could include selling/licensing the idea to someone who has the market reach or finding investors who believe in your idea and will help fund the initiative. In either scenario, you may have to give up some control on the vision and direction for the product.  But you’ll feel better knowing it was well worth the effort.

 

Taking an idea forward calls for self belief and certain amount of bull headedness. It’s that proverbial fire in the belly that everyone talks about but takes a lot of guts to summon up when you need it. Above all innovation is about working with and overcoming constraints. It’s a bandwagon most people take time to jump on, but once on board don’t ever want to jump off. Happy Innovating!!