We have heard on so many occasions the phrase "renew or die" that it has become cliche. Words get worn out with use, just as holes are made to our favorite shoes from putting them on. But, we want to continue wearing that old pajamas, that cushion luido, that space to which we are so accustomed, that method that brought us such good results. The warmth of the confort area embraces us and although we want something new and know we need it, we refuse to take the step of leaving the old to experiment. Also, we run into many who talk and talk about innovation and never get going to make things happen.

Making things happen is one of the hardest quests that most individuals can face. If we think about it, there are a lot of persons that can have splendid ideas, beautiful plans, super clear perspectives, and yet, they do not prompt into actions. Why so? It is difficult to spark up and to set hands in the task.

Fortunately, there are tools that can serve us and that come to our aid. The methodology of innovative thinking has become in recent years a very useful tool for companies. It helps large conglomerates and small entrepreneurship projects. It has proven to be useful, mainly because it focuses on stoking the generation of greater value in the products and services offered. However, there is one frustrating element: there is not always a propeller to make things happen.

It is difficult to detach from our old ways, there is no doubt about it. Although people say they go after innovation, it is not always true. It takes a lot of work to convince ourselves and even more to convince that the innovation proposal will be beneficial. We all know that in these times of transformation there are changes in every way: digital leap, high competitiveness and demands of users or customers, businesses depend on following that path. How to help entrepreneurs and entrepreneurs apply innovative thinking and make things happen?

Innovative thinking is not an occurrence nor is it a passing fad. It is a methodology that considers the relevance of analysis and reasoning for problem solving. It's not about being silly and crazy, it's about using innovation to our advantage. Of course, this methodology revolves around the user experience. Their app generates solutions that otherwise could not have been implemented, allowing developers to put themselves in the shoes of their own customers or users. Of course, part of the reflection of the strategic plan in which everything is put in accordance to serve our consumers, the mission, the vision, our values, our goal, our objectives are aligned to deliver something valuable to the client.

Unlike the traditional process, in which the product was used to define the experience, it is now the other way around. Customer satisfaction is sought. To make this analysis, multidisciplinary teams are integrated, which generate as many ideas as possible that go around the client. The goal of this process is to learn from the reactions of users when interacting with the product. There are those who think that the first step to consider in the methodology is to fail and I do not agree. No one should plan anything with failure in their sights. The goal is to succeed, but if you have to have alternatives in case things do not go as planned in the first instance.

According to Tina Seelig, a professor at Stanford University, there are 5 steps to this methodology.

Empathize

It is the first station and is considered the essential phase of this methodology that deals with the discovery and understanding of the main needs of the consumer. We start with the approach that leads to deeply analyze the client, understanding their true motivations and making them their own. That is, it is not enough to observe the users, you have to understand them and for this, it is necessary to interact with them.

Define

The second station starts after having known the different needs in the previous stage, which are the main ones are defined. She conducts a thorough study of the variety of problems previously detected. In identifying key needs, it is feasible to propose measures to reach a final solution.

Devise

In this study, the work team makes use of creativist thinking and launches more than one idea to solve those specific problems that it identified in the previous phase. The beauty of this stage is that this divergent thought process is allowed to be wrong. In addition, to carry it out in the best way, techniques can be used to stimulate creativity and free thinking.

Prototyping

The fourth station and very important. Many are those who reach the third stage and there they stay. The saying of much ado about nothing becomes effective. Here it is about materializing the selected ideas. Sometimes, the prototype can be digital or physical, it doesn't matter. The relevant thing is to have a product that can be appreciated. In general, there are those who say that these prototypes should be made with low-cost materials, such as paper, cardboard or plasticine. It is the least, the important thing is to do them. And, of course, this will depend on the budget you have.

Evaluate

Finally, at this station, customers get into the game: they test and evaluate previously developed prototypes. Thus, in accordance with consumer criticism, the work team will be able to make corrections to the prototypes. This empirical stage of validation is crucial to discover errors and successes.

At its core, the process for using innovative thinking and making things happen goes beyond being iterative, flexible, and focused on collaboration between designers and users. It's about emphasizing making ideas a reality based on how real users think, feel, and behave. It is about dreaming yes, but taking the next step. It allows you to gain new insights, develop new ways of looking at the product and its potential uses, and gain a much deeper understanding of users and the issues they face. It is, to put it simply, about making dreams come true.