Shortly after Steve Jobs showed off the IPad tablet last year, he was asked what consumer and market research guided its creation. His response was telling:
--None. It isn't the consumer's job to know what they want.
Although that may seem an arrogant response, I take a different orientation to it. In many cases it's very appropriate. One of my long term clients, 3M Corporation, usually operates out of the same model. The famous and highly profitable Post-Its came into being on that basis. To a significant degree, many, perhaps most of their products are developed by their research people with little input from their clients. And, as most know, they've been highly profitable. Still, even though it sounds like Jobs and 3M totally ignore the consumer, that's not at all the case. They are very familiar with the larger consumer context, but the consumer never "guides" the innovation. The innovation goes several beyond consumer knowledge and expectations.
As a management consultant, I've also found the same model highly useful. Here's how I go about it. When a client contacts me for work, typically they have an idea of what they need. I develop an in-depth understanding of their need, then come back and double-check to see whether I've understood their needs correctly. With their affirmation, I'm ready with a much more creative, more effective program. It's rare for them to reject my unique contribution. Furthermore, the quality of that innovation often means that I'll have return business.