Written by AGILE! SPRINT! LEAN START-UP! SCRAPPY!
We are in an age where many paradigms are shifting quickly. Brand equity isn’t functioning the way it used to. Consumers are demanding more transparency and authenticity from companies than ever before. Start-ups are taking on big companies and winning more than ever. Non-traditional success stories are becoming more of the norm for innovation as consumers are getting better at blocking out the expected.
As this challenging and rapidly evolving environment puts more pressure on successful new product launches, companies are adjusting their approach and timing. Some have adopted more formalized approaches—like innovation sprints or other agile frameworks—while others are doing what they can to innovate faster and cheaper than they have in the past.
We love this new emphasis and its results. Brand teams are engaged around understanding real needs and solving problems. They are less likely to get bogged down in the weeds too early or miss fatal flaws until it’s too late. Consumer interactions are happening earlier in the process. These are all good things.
The process is good, but as research and psychology nerds, we also know that not all research is good research, and that scrappy can sometimes mean crappy. Some of the common pitfalls are:
- The method, although fast and cheap, isn’t right for the question
- The method is right, but you aren’t talking with the right people
- There isn’t enough objectivity or expertise present in the execution
REAL Insight has developed a new toolkit we call REAL Agility to support teams in this new faster/cheaper world. Our methods are scrappy, but because of our objective expertise and contextualized methods, we can help your team avoid the crappy pitfalls.
There is a point, often closer to launch, where a scrappy approach isn’t able to provide the answers you seek. In those moments, REAL Insight can provide more robust (yet timely) solutions—like a REAL World Assessment or REAL Optimization—to help you launch with confidence.
Innovation teams, stay agile. We love what you are doing and are excited to continue helping you on the journey.