How To Breed An Innovative Business Idea — #14 of 31 Proven Skills [Research]
Skill #14: Vary a Resource to Do Something Different From What It Normally Does
The third skill for releasing innovative value from an Initiating Resource varies an attribute of the resource so that it easily replaces what was there previously. A different innovative result is achieved effortlessly because the Initiating Resource itself essentially remains intact, playing its part without having to be reconstructed in any way
Moving from having a lucky, innovative idea to creating one intentionally is not as dubious a notion as it might sound. As with most human competencies, the acquisition of relevant skills is key. From studies of thousands of innovative business ideas, my research has enabled me to isolate 31 distinct skills that a person can employ to find a novel, successful solution to a problem they face.
Following on from two skills that modify an Initiating Resource to do more of what it normally does and then do something in addition to what it normally does, we come to a skill where we alter the resource to do something different from what it normally does.
Skill #14: Vary an Input to Do Something Different From What It Normally Does modifies what we have termed an “Initiating Resource” by varying one of its attributes or properties. Unlike the other two skills, where modification of the Initiating Resource builds on what is already being done, here with Skill #14 a new result is achieved. The strategy of variation replaces what the Initiating Resource was previously accomplishing with something different.
Crucially, we can achieve the innovative outcome effortlessly. This occurs automatically because although an attribute has been varied to deliver an innovative solution, the kernel of the selected Initiating Resource that hosts the attribute does not need to be recreated.
A straightforward illustration of Skill #14: Vary an Input to Do Something Different From What It Normally Does is appropriate at this point.
A scenic town, whose appeal to many tourists lies in its natural, unspoiled state, especially its historic walls, faces a continuous problem of weeds defacing the walls and marring their appearance. The town managers decide to exploit the weeds as their Initiating Resource and trim the largest and most prominent batch of them into the shape of a swan. They maintain that visage thereafter. The role of the weeds is varied so that they become part of the attraction of the historic walls rather than a blight on them. Their future ‘deportment’ is quite different from what was normal previously.
Other Examples of Varying an Initiating Resource Innovate Differently*
A building operator is receiving many complaints from occupants of a large office building about the slowness of the elevators. Adding additional elevator capacity is impractical and prohibitively costly. By taking the standard elevator-calling mechanism as an Initiating Resource, the operator implements a simple software change that requires people to request the floor they wish to travel to instead of just requesting the next available elevator. A smart algorithm then optimizes the operation of the elevators to ensure minimum wait times.
Modifying the operation of existing software is a good illustration of varying an Initiating Resource so that it performs differently from what was intended originally.
Consider a confectionary manufacturer facing a regular production problem where the hot, runny filling melts the chocolate casing into which it is being inserted, obviously disrupting output. When the manufacturer treats the production process as an Initiating Resource and focuses on the infusion part of it, they come up with a very effective remedial plan. Instead of injecting the hot filling into the chocolate casing, they vary the admixture stage so that the filling ingredient is frozen and dipped in hot, melted chocolate instead. Following a strategy of varying an aspect of the manufacturing method results in a different but dramatic improvement — permanent elimination of a recurrent disruption.
Employing Skill #14: Vary an Input to Do Something Different From What It Normally Does to modify the primary purpose of an Initiating Resource by means of one of its attributes produces an innovative solution that is very efficacious. Even though the Initiating Resource is imbued with a different purpose, the skill of variation delivers true innovative value because it simply ‘tweaks’ a part of the selected Initiating Resource which remains essentially intact, not needing to be established again.
Takeaway
*More than 1 million categorized, innovative business ideas can be searched at Sebir.com
