Technology is never the 1st step in disruptive design processes – It’s # 3
- Aspiration/Problem
- Solution/Idea
- Implementation/Technology
Start by knowing what’s the aspiration to achieve or the problem to solve. Look at the world around you and listen to where people want to go, what people need, or where they have a hard time.
Consider possible solutions to get there.
Design an implementation or technology to make it all happen.
It all sounds so simple, right?
If you start with a technology first, it’ll be a lot harder to find a real problem where it applies – and that problem may not be as significant to the rest of the world as it is to you. There are times where a foundational technology is the key strategic enabler for much more – but be thoughtful about whether it’s technology for the sake of technology.
When it comes to experimentation and gaining experience with new things, sometimes it is about the technology. In these cases, consider reframing your innovative idea around the technology or specific solution of interest. Work backwards and understand how that innovation can be used to solve problems. Then think hard about the broader problem or aspiration and consider it at a more abstract level. Then you can build a stronger innovation idea by working down the tiers. You may find there are other possible solutions and technologies to consider and it may lead you to making a stronger case.
As an example, let’s say I want to experiment with Docker. Docker is in a more abstract classification of “containerization” technologies. And there are many problems/needs that could be solved via containerization e.g. dynamic, on-demand resource scaling – or managing modern DevOps. But in our case, we’re not really challenged with resource scaling, maybe it’s more about modernizing DevOps. And that’s where we can reframe our initial idea for innovation into a strong business case (advancing DevOps) while still experimenting with a useful new technology.