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Problem- vs. Solution-based Innovation
An idea is a match between a problem and a solution. The better the match between the problem and the solution, the more likely the idea is to have an impact. In some cases the problem comes first, and sometimes, especially in research settings like at MIT, the solution comes first. In an innovation ecosystem, both problem- and solution-based innovations can occur.
Find out more from the Faculty Directors in the MIT Sloan School of Management Corporate Innovation: Strategies for Leveraging Ecosystems online short course.
Transcript
So, Fiona, I set out the MIT definition of innovation. The idea of a process, taking an idea from inception to impact. We talked about impact and talked about process. I wonder if we could double click on the “idea” word. What does that mean?
So, I think it’s useful to consider that an idea is a match between a problem and a solution. The better the match between the problem and solution, the more likely that idea is to have impact in the world. Obviously, at the beginning of an innovation journey, we have an idea that’s really an imagined problem and an imagined solution. We’re not sure how good that match is, and a lot of the innovation journey is about really refining that match and identifying the exact nature of the problem that you want to solve, and the really precise nature of the solution that really is the best match.
Interesting. So, if innovation is the match between a problem and a solution, does the innovation start with the problem or the solution?
So, people have actually debated whether or not problem-driven or solution-driven innovation is a more or less effective process. We actually see both and, at the end of the day, a really good innovation process is one that enables those two things to actually come together. It’s often the case that customers are going to generate interesting and important problems. And so, some innovations really start by listening to a customer and understanding the problem that you want to solve. On the other hand, places, particularly like universities, will be generating all sorts of interesting solutions. I sometimes think of them as solutions looking for a home. So, we have a lot of solutions that are then looking for problems that they might be able to solve. So, you can really start at either place. As long as you bring the problem-solution match together, during that innovation journey, that your chances of success go up substantially.
So, some of our colleagues here at MIT have developed quantum dots. A quantum dot is a really interesting solution, but the question is what kind of problem might that quantum dot solve? It turns out that quantum dots can be tremendously powerful in solving the problem of resolution and brightness for flat-panel displays. Quantum dots might also be very helpful in medical devices or in medical imaging. So, that’s a place where we started with a solution and then we’re thinking about the kinds of problems that might be relevant.