Twitter - innov8tor3 (c) Blue Oyster Business Growth 2014 1

External Influenceson the Ideation Process

Marketplace Solutions for Real World Issues

Presented By

Peter JonesOf

Blue Oyster Business Growth

For Startups & Product Developers& For Suppliers to Startup Product Owners

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Understanding Market Places

● We need to solve many real world problems

– These are often called “gaps” in our market places

● We are best to solve problems “uniquely”

● How can we re-invent cost components?

– (1) Financial (2) Time (3) Resources

● How can we improve performance?

– (1) Speed (2) Experience & Perception (3) Results

● How can we improve continuity?

● Solutions need to be both real & sustainable

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Determining Idea Uniqueness

● Can we produce unique ideas?

– “There's no such thing as an original idea” - unknown

– “Thesis, antithesis, synthesis” - Hegel, 1770-1831

● Some “unique” ideas – Doh!

– The wheel, the car, light bulbs, the internet, mobile phones

– The light bulb “moment”? Took 1,000 experiments!

● Creativity is actually a “slow thought” process

● Bloom's “Knowledge” Taxonomy

– Knowledge, Understanding, Application Analysis, Evaluation, Synthesis

And … 1,000 !!!

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Automation Reduces Costs

Start Ups

Reliability & Reach – Easy &

Affordable

Good designersensure fun & access

OUT - High Cost“Consultancy”

IN - Low Cost SaaS

OPERATIONS

“Historic”

“Recent”

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Saving Customer ResourcesCustomer Simulation Workshop

Founder presents, “audience” marks out of ten, then averages

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Improving Market Performance

● On a market by market basis:

– What works too slowly?

– What works painfully and laboriously?

– What still works very expensively?

● Are there Apps that deliver comparably?

– Do SaaS Apps work quickly, slickly and cheaply?

– Previously, we asked who might deliver consultancy services?

● If no Apps, what is the pain caused, the “opportunity cost”?

– Would the market pay to alleviate the pain?

– Automate existing gap, or find something brand new?

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“Competitors”Competitor Discussion Workshop (3 + 3 + 3)

Product Competitors Local Eye Churn

USP Growth

Global Copies None Unique Continuing

Global Copies, Pinterest,

Instagram etc

Many First, Biggest Audience

Stagnating

Zoho Market Leader Cheaper GettingRecommended

Product A / 10 / 10 / 10 / 10

Product B / 10 / 10 / 10 / 10

Product C / 10 / 10 / 10 / 10

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“Competitor” CharacteristicsWhat do we like & miss? An example...

Opportunityeg CompetitveNiche Segment

“Unique”Competitor A

Cost Competitive

“Unique” Competitor B

Niche Customer Segment

NicheCustomerFeature Cost

ReductionFeature(s)

Team A

Owner AOwner B

Team B

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Market Influence on Execution & Operation

IdeationDevelopment &

LaunchService Delivery & Operation

ThoroughMarket Research

RiskManagement

New EntrantsNew ProductsOther Markets

CEO “Lean Foundation” ResponsibilityTo Bring Deep Knowledge / High Reputation Resources

Business Development

ProjectLive

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Solving Real World Problems

● UK 2014 – Public Sector Cost Cutting

– Health – bureaucratic, disconnected, disjointed

– Education – overwhelmed, undervalued

● There are real tech opportunities here

Issues

Commercial Opportunity

Opportunity Value

Opportunity Cost

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Improving UK Startup PerformanceSome Key 2014 Opportunities

● Startup market – disjointed

– “Poor ideas” - Hackers & Hustlers

– “No tech companies” - Hipsters

– “Venal 10% investors” - Hipsters

● Startup events – for “Busy Fools” ?

– Chaotic & random – not improving CEO skill levels

– Focused on doing, not structured, applied learning

● Right product, right place, right words, right time?

– Must CEOs be “lucky” to persuade partners to collaborate?

● Only “10% success” levels – some succeed, many don't

– 30% startups fail within 3 years – Alex Pollizzi, BBC

– But many startups never reach the “measurable” stage

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Useful Network Resources

CEO 4 Hire / TroubleshooterLending £1m-£20M

Investor Search & SelectionStartup Funding

Harnessing the Cloud

Team Assessment & MotivationProject Management eg TrelloLean Collaboration Software

Entrepreneurial Success Cultures

IdeationCustomer Discovery

PrototypingTech Solutions

Creative, Innovative Cultures

Social MarketingGuerrilla MarketingDigital MarketingSocial Sales

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Peter JonesInnovator, Opportunity Creator

● 20 year UK corporate career, FTSE & blue chip

● Tech dev, process design, project management

● Owns and runs own small business

● 5 years working with small and startup businesses

● 10 years networking with small businesses

● A UK “market opportunist” - strong hunches where the gaps are

● Ideally positioned to advise & guide young UK tech startups

● Own 10 step startup process - “The Innovation Toolkit”

– For startups and corporate product managers

● Planning to build own App to support hardworking startups