Never start with an idea.
I regularly get pitched with new and unique ideas from aspiring entrepreneurs and my team mates.
In the majority of the cases, the idea is the wrong place to start with. Thinking why?
Idea = Solution.
Where is the problem?
Ideas are exciting, as it is linked with innovation and creation. And therefore they excite us and give us a lot of positive energy.
Problems are dark and boring. By default, we want to avoid talking about it. It has a negative emotion attached to it. It needs empathy.
But, you cannot put the cart ahead of the horse!
One must identify, validate and evaluate the problem first. Only then the idea (or solution) matters. Not the other way around.
At times, optimism of entrepreneurship pushes us to retro-fit a problem to an idea (or solution). At times we fall in love with the idea, and start “discovering” problems, creating confirmation bias.
So how do you go about idea generation?
1) Observe empathetically to identify problems (there are thousands around you!)
2) Evaluate them to see which one is a BIG problem, i.e. the solution to that problem can create BIG value to the entity exposed to the problem. And a BIG number of people are facing this problem.
3) Validate the problem by talking with empathy with the stakeholders. Do not put words into people’s mouths. This in itself is an art (to create non biased validation).
4) Identify the segment where the pain (due to this problem) is highest, and who might be ready to adopt an alternative way of doing things.
5) Brainstorm with this segment with your insights to understand the constraints of the environment where the solution will be applied. Be aware of biases and resistance to change from stakeholders.
6) Use design thinking principals, connect the dots to find a better way to solve the problem at hand.
7) Validate the solution and idea with the stakeholders, and understand their apprehensions.
8) Ideas may not be unique. It may be simple innovation, twist in the process, or just a better way of communication. But if it gets the problem solved, you can create value for stakeholders, and capture value for yourself.
Now you have an idea worth talking about.
Ideas are not created on paper, but from the field where people continue to struggle with problems, considering them part and parcel of their life or business.
This is why, never start with an idea, but start with the problem. Ideas will come.