Is it necessary to be creative when trying to identify new opportunities? Of course. If you want the best possibilities, you need to work that creative muscle to find—especially during the front end of innovation.
Industry leaders take their time and invest resources into identifying areas of emerging opportunity. To stay on top, you must be proactive, not reactive, and there are many ways to go about the process.
Real life time pressures and a lack of creative problem-solving skills often lead people to jump to solutions. But there are clear benefits of taking your time to identify the right opportunities in the right markets.
When it comes to innovation, the Opportunity Exploration phase is all about mystery and the art of speculation. Instead of rushing to solutions, VP of Innovation Adam Hansen encourages asking questions, making hypotheses that aren't fully formed, and exploring 'What all could that mean?'