Creating deeper value & meaning

For an innovation to be successful, it has to satisfy one key requirement. That is the value and meaning it brings to the end-user of the innovation. This is the most arduous task faced by any innovator. It is arduous because an innovator has to understand what the user needs, what are his wants, expectations and desires, what motivates him to use the innovation in the first pace, and what drives him to continue using the innovation beyond the initial hype and hoopla. Most importantly, the innovator has to understand what value does the user attach to the innovation, and what meaning does the user derive from using the innovation.

Getting the value and meaning right can make all the difference between success or failure for an innovation. We can classify the value & meaning that an innovation can bring to the user into the following dimensions:

1. Functional dimension
2. Intrinsic Quality dimension
3. Emotional dimension
4. Psychological dimension
5. Spiritual dimension

Functional dimension deals with how the innovation satisfies the functional need of the user. That is, the innovation has to address a need or a challenge, solve a problem, etc. without which the user derives no value in using the product.

Intrinsic Quality dimension deals with how well an innovation addresses the user's need, challenge or problem. It corresponds to the user's usability and experience in using the product, its durability, robustness, performance, reliability, cost, and other factors.

Emotional dimension deals with how well the innovation satisfies the emotional needs of a user such as fear, anxiety, frustration, lack of security on the one side, and contentment, happiness, excitement, exhilaration, etc. on the other side of the spectrum. It basically provides emotional gratification to the user in using the innovation.

Psychological dimension deals with how well the innovation addresses the psychological needs of a user such as pleasure, enjoyment, pride, prestige, power, ownership, social status and personal growth. It basically provides mental gratification to the user in using the innovation.

Spiritual dimension deals with how a user experiences an innovation at a deeper level and feels a sense of connectedness with it. It deals with feelings of freedom, liberation, joy, ecstasy, wellness, love, oneness, peace, transcendence, etc. It can also spur imagination and creative faculties in the user.

All commercially successful products meet the functional dimension, and the intrinsic quality dimension to a significant extent. Otherwise, they would not be in the market.

Some products go beyond and address the emotional needs of the users. For example insurance products harp on people's fears on future uncertainty, while holiday tours and travel companies focus on addressing people's need for enjoyment and relaxation.

Similarly, other products aim to address the psychological needs of people. For e.g., most premium brands including jewellery, cars, watches, homes, etc. harp on the social status, pride and prestige that their products bring to their users.

However, fewer number of products can claim to address the spiritual dimension. For e.g., Yoga and other holistic wellness related products & services offer deeper meaning and overall sense of well-being amongst it's users. Some drugs, though they are banned, apparently offer a sense of high and bliss to those who consume them.

Each of the above dimensions connect with the user at a deeper level than the previous one. The greater the value and meaning that an innovation provides to its users, the greater will be the chances for it to succeed since it helps users connect with the innovation at a deeper level, and users get naturally drawn towards it.

For e.g., Apple products not only address the functional dimension through basic and needed feature set, but also offer better intrinsic quality through superior design and finish than several competing products in the market. Beyond these two dimensions, Apple products appeal to the emotions of people by spurring excitement and exhilaration of owing a premium product. It also provides psychological gratification to its users by lending a sense of higher perceived social status, prestige, pride, etc. Beyond the four dimensions, Apple products appeal to users at a deeper level through their beauty and finesse. The users magically feel a special connectedness and an extension of themselves in using Apple products. Ultimately, Apple products invariably bring joy to its loyal users, somewhat in a mystical way. This is why Apple products are much sought after by users across the world.

Product designers often do not adequately think ahead of time on how their product or service offering needs to be positioned in the market; how will it be marketed and sold; how it will be perceived by end-users, how it impacts its users; and what kind of transformative effect it can have on its loyal customer base. If they make an effort to understand these aspects adequately, several aspects of the emotional, psychological and spiritual dimensions can be infused directly into the product or a service through superior design. With most of the thinking done ahead and incorporated in the offering, the marketing guys have a simpler job at hand when the product / service goes to the market. When this is not the case, the marketing guys are forced to put a band-aid over the offering in order to make it marketable. Unfortunately, this approach does not make the offering shine brightly and deeply with its intrinsic value and meaning. It requires a lot of forceful marketing push to sell the product or service. In summary, we end up hard selling things, rather than the offering selling on its own merit.