IDEATION 02: Surprise as a Tool for Product Innovation

Understanding human needs is fundamental to creating any impactful product. The essence of any product lies in its ability to address and solve real problems that people face. Therefore, any information that serves as a foundation for generating fresh ideas must inherently bring new knowledge about those needs.

Imagine, for example, that you speak with 15 representatives of your target audience to learn about their challenges and needs. How can you sift through these insights to pinpoint the most valuable, fresh knowledge?

Claude Shannon, the father of information theory, once noted: “The amount of information in a message is proportional to how surprising it is.” This offers a unique perspective on identifying new knowledge.

Let’s consider a simple analogy to illustrate Shannon’s insight: Imagine you have never encountered a duck before. One day, you meet a duck, and to your surprise, it says “quack.” This sound is surprising and, therefore, informative: you’ve just learned something new about ducks — they quack!

However, as you continue talking to this duck, it only ever says “quack.” The initial surprise fades, and each additional “quack” adds no new information. In other words, the duck has exhausted its role as an information source. What a ducking shame!

This analogy highlights how, in communication, surprise drives insight. The moments of genuine surprise signify when we are receiving new and valuable information that can lead to novel ideas.

To develop innovative products, it is crucial to communicate with the people whose needs you aim to meet. While colleagues, friends, and acquaintances can contribute to brainstorming, their knowledge is often limited in comparison to the fresh perspectives your target audience can offer. Over time, your familiarity with the insights they offer grows, and the element of surprise lessens.

To sustain a flow of new ideas, consistently engage with your target audience. During these conversations, be attuned to insights that catch you off guard or challenge your assumptions. This “surprise factor” signals that you’re discovering something new, a potential wellspring of fresh ideas.

For a product manager, access to the target audience should be as convenient and routine as grabbing a snack in a Google office. Often, however, initiating qualitative research becomes a lengthy, resource-intensive process, limiting the frequency of interactions. Consequently, fewer good ideas emerge, while more underdeveloped ideas progress into implementation, decreasing the overall efficiency of the development cycle.

In summary, surprise is a powerful indicator of insight. By staying connected with your audience, you not only address their current needs but open the door to discovering new ones, sparking fresh ideas that drive successful innovation.