Some people say, Give the customers what they want. But that's not my approach. Our job is to figure out what they're going to want before they do. I think Henry Ford once said, If I'd asked customers what they wanted, they would have told me, 'A faster horse!' People don't know what they want until you show it to them. That's why I never rely on market research. Our task is to read things that are not yet on the page.
In the realm of innovation, the common belief is to cater to customer desires. However, the approach I prefer is proactive; it focuses on anticipating what customers will need before they even realize it themselves. This perspective echoes Henry Ford’s sentiment that if he had consulted his customers directly, they would have merely requested a quicker version of transportation they already knew, rather than envisioning something entirely new. This illustrates a fundamental truth about consumer behavior and innovation.
It suggests that people's understanding of their needs is often limited to their current experiences, and that true innovation comes from envisioning possibilities that are not yet evident. Thus, I dismiss traditional market research as it tends to reflect past expectations rather than future needs. Our objective is to uncover ideas and solutions that are beyond the current scope, enabling us to innovate rather than just replicate what is familiar.
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All the things you can talk about in anyone's work are the things that are least important.
Race of Cain, ascend to heaven, And cast God down upon the earth!
