Something Really New
Book

Something Really New

Three Simple Steps to Creating Truly Innovative Products

Denis J. Hauptly
AMACOM, 2007
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Editorial Rating

6

Qualities

  • Applicable
  • Inspiring

Recommendation

Too many books on innovation get bogged down in theory or assume that coming up with new ideas is both the point of innovation and its most important step. In contrast, Denis J. Hauptly cuts through the nonsense with a focus on the customer. Originality, in and of itself, isn’t enough, Hauptly says. He encourages innovation that results in useful, beautiful, interesting and profitable products, providing ideas and procedures you can use right away. He also provides “innovation workouts” that ask you to come up with products that solve common problems, and a list of readings. His book could be better organized, but getAbstract recommends it to product developers, for whom it will provide useful tools, and marketers, who must deal with a culture intoxicated by the next big thing.

Summary

Ask the Questions

Few businesses can survive simply by producing a commodity cheaply and efficiently. Instead, they must find a way to distinguish their gadget from everyone else’s and to carve out a market niche that is theirs alone. Differentiating yourself in the market creates a “halo effect” that benefits the entire company. For example, when Apple introduced the iPod, its previously stagnant computer sales rose. A reputation for innovation spreads throughout the market, coloring consumers’ expectations about the entire company.

To innovate early and often, ask three questions:

  1. “What task is the product really used for?” – Throw out your assumptions about the purpose of your product – they limit your perceptions. Instead, observe how customers actually use it. For example, if you were in the plumbing supply business, you’d watch customers use your faucets. These devices don’t simply deliver water. They fill the bathtub, wash the pots and hook up to the garden hose. You’d realize that faucets cannot be generic; for true efficiency, different tasks require different designs.
  2. “When I know what task a...

About the Author

Denis J. Hauptly is vice president for technology strategy with a Swiss-based company and has held product-development positions with several companies.

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