Square Roots: Inside the Box at Southwest Airlines
Check out this clever interpretation of Inside the Box, now appearing in Spirit Magazine, the inflight magazine of Southwest Airlines.
Посты с тэгом: attribute dependency
Innovation Sighting: Attribute Dependency in Signage
Signs are perhaps the most ancient yet still relevant tools of marketing. According to the International Sign Association, signage is the least expensive but most effective form of advertising and can account for half of your customers.
Can sign makers use systematic methods of creativity? Absolutely.
Here is a classic example of Attribute Dependency in signage. Attribute Dependency is one of five techniques of the corporate innovation method called SIT (Systematic Inventive Thinking). It differs from the other techniques in that it uses attributes (variables) of the situation rather than components. Start with an attribute list, then construct a matrix of these, pairing each against the others. Each cell represents a potential dependency (or potential break in an existing dependency) that forms a Virtual Product. Using Function Follows Form, we work backwards and envision a potential benefit or problem that this hypothetical solution solves.
In this example, the sign’s message is dependent on the height (therefore, age) of the viewer. That is the hallmark of Attribute Dependency – as one thing changes, another thing changes. I always think of transition sunglasses as an example.
For an interesting history of signs, visit the American Sign Museum located here in Cincinnati. Special thanks to my co-author, Dr. Jacob Goldenberg, for sharing this with me.
Innovation Sighting: The Attribute Dependency Technique in Pricing
The airline, Samoa Air, sparked outrage with a new pricing policy of charging passengers based on how much they weigh. Chris Langton, the airline’s CEO explained its controversial decision: “People have always traveled on the basis of their seat but as many airline operators, know airlines don’t run on seats – they run on weight,” he said. “We have worked out a figure per kilo. This is the fairest way of you travelling with your family or yourself. You can put your baggage on, there are no separate fees because of excess baggage – a kilo is a kilo is a kilo.” Rates start at $1 per kilo (about 2.2 pounds), which includes the weight
of both the passenger and his or her baggage. For longer routes, rates run
as high as $4.16 per kilo.
While not popular, it is a classic example of the Attribute Dependency technique. Attribute Dependency is one of five techniques of the innovation method called SIT (Systematic Inventive Thinking). It differs from the other techniques in that it uses attributes (variables) of the situation rather than components. Start with an attribute list, then construct a matrix of these, pairing each against the others. Each cell represents a potential dependency (or potential break in an existing dependency) that forms a Virtual Product. Using Function Follows Form, we work backwards and envision a potential benefit or problem that this hypothetical solution solves.
The essence of Attribute Dependency is “as one thing changes, another thing changes.” Setting prices for products and services is largely an exercise of using Attribute Dependency. The price of a product changes as its value changes. But value is not the only variable that you can link to changes in price. Consider these examples:
- Price changes as age of the customer changes: senior citizen discounts
- Price changes as quantity changes: quantity purchase discounts
- Price changes as risk changes: this is how insurance and warranty policies are priced
- Price changes as time changes: charging lower prices for drinks at a bar is typically called Happy Hour
- Price changes as gender changes: while it may seem discriminatory, men don’t complain when bars let women in for free
- Price changes as need changes: this one usually gets people mad because it takes unfair advantage of a situation. Charging more for bottled water on hot days is an example.
The beauty of Attribute Dependency is you can define the way two variables are correlated, either positively or negatively. Air Somoa, for example, might want to consider flipping the dependency to make it more acceptable. Everybody pays the same amount, but if you are under a certain weight, you accumlate “weight credits” that you can apply to later flights.
You can also break a dependency that already exists. Restaurants do this when they offer a buffet at one price. You can eat all you want for the same price. The typical link between price and quantity of food has been broken. Of course, if you eat too much, you’ll pay for it later if other airlines adopt the Samao Air approach.
Innovation Sighting: Apple’s Smart Shoe
A tell-tale sign of the Attribute Dependency Technique is the word “smart” in any product description. Apple’s new patent for ‘smart shoes’ is a case in point. As reported by PSFK:
Apple has patented ‘smart shoes’ that would come with embedded sensors
to track your activity and tell you when you needed a new pair. Instead
of wearing an additional sensor, people would just have to wear the
shoes, where the technology would be less visible and be a more seamless
part of your lifestyle than an external tracker.Apple’s shoe wear-out sensor would either feature as a thin built-in
layer or be located in the heel. It would include a processor configured
to measure the use of the shoes and determine whether they were worn
out, and an alarm that informed the wearer when they were no longer
providing adequate protection for their feet.
As first reported by AppleInsider, the patent described three main
components: a detector for sensing how worn-out the shoe becomes, a
processor to measure the shoe’s use, and an alarm to inform the owner
when the shoe’s time is up. The chosen sensor could be anything from an
accelerometer or pressure sensor to a pedometer or piezoelectric flexing
sensor.
Attribute Dependency is one of five techniques of the corporate innovation method called SIT (Systematic Inventive Thinking). It differs from the other techniques in that it uses attributes (variables) of the situation rather than components. Start with an attribute list, then construct a matrix of these, pairing each against the others. Each cell represents a potential dependency (or potential break in an existing dependency) that forms a Virtual Product. Using Function Follows Form, we work backwards and envision a potential benefit or problem that this hypothetical solution solves.
This isn’t Apple’s first (or last) use of this powerful technique. Apple earned a patent described as an “apparatus and methods for enforcement of policies upon a wireless device.” It reveals a way to change aspects of a mobile device based on certain events or surroundings. Given this pattern of using Attribute Dependency, it would appear Apple makes regular use of this technique and perhaps the full suite of SIT tools.
Innovation Sighting: Music That Morphs Using Attribute Dependency
The Attribute Dependency Technique tends to produce innovations that are smart. They seemingly know when to adjust or change in response to a change in something else. It is one of five techniques of the SIT innovation method, and it accounts for a majority of new product innovations. Attribute Dependency differs from the other techniques in that it uses attributes (variables) of the situation rather than components. Start with an attribute list, then construct a matrix of these, pairing each against the others. Each cell represents a potential dependency (or potential break in an existing dependency) that forms a Virtual Product. Using Function Follows Form, we work backwards and envision a potential benefit or problem that this hypothetical solution solves.
Consider this unique example of Attribute Dependency: music that changes in relation to another variable. As reported by Springwise:
Since the advent of digital music we’ve seen a number of artists trying to offer something different to their fans. UK musician Gwilym Gold’s Tender Metal is a downloadable piece that mutates each time the listener plays it. The album is being released solely for the iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch. When using the app, the components of the tracks of Tender Metal are seamlessly and subtly reconfigured each time they are played, meaning that each listening experience is different from the last. Users can choose to loop tracks in order to hear it constantly shift, or shake the phone to ‘regenerate’ the piece from its current permutation. The innovation allows for endless reinterpretations of the music without it being performed live, ultimately offering a more immersive experience for fans.
Smartphones and tablets have become an important platform for these types of innovations because of their ability to track two important variables: location and time. For example, the musical band, Bluebrain, created an album called National Mall that responds to the listener’s location as they journey down the Mall in Washington DC. “As users approach tagged locations, the audio content of the album will alter to interact with the environment, thus creating a unique listening experience every time the album is played en-route.” According to Springwise:
For Bluebrain, this album is simply the start, with plans to release similar location-aware works for Prospect Park in Brooklyn, New York in the summer, followed by an album to be experienced whilst journeying along California’s Highway 1. Location-based technology is increasingly incorporated into products and services far and wide. If you haven’t already, this is one to try for yourself!
The combinations of time-based or location-based linkages to a smartphone are endless. To get you started creating your own versions of these innovations, following the instructions located here.
Photo from http://www.lucreid.com
Innovation Sighting: Apple’s Use of Attribute Dependency in iPhones
“The Quiet TimeTM Universal System turns cell phones off automatically in designated areas such as theaters, hospitals, doctor’s offices, and business meeting rooms. Our patented technology converts your incoming calls to text messages and alerts the cell phone owner.”
This may sound like the latest gizmo you would see at the Consumer Electronics Show. It is actually an invention created by my students using Systematic Inventive Thinking…in 2007, the year the iPhone was first released. Five years later, Apple has been awarded a patent described as an “apparatus and methods for enforcement of policies upon a wireless device.” It reveals a way
to change aspects of a mobile device based on certain events or surroundings.
As reported by CNET:
“Imagine a mobile phone that automatically turns off its display and sounds when it senses that it’s in a movie theater. For example, the phone could disable its own noise and display if it knows it’s in a theatre. It could be prevented from communicating with other devices if it detects that it’s in a classroom. Or it could automatically go into sleep mode if entering a sensitive area where noises are taboo. In a typical scenario, the mobile device would communicate with a network access point that enforces a certain policy, such as putting the handset on mute. Users could have the option of accepting or rejecting a connection with the access point based on the policies. A single access point could also offer multiple policies.”
This is a classic example of the Attribute Dependency Technique, one of five in the SIT innovation method. You can spot Attribute Dependency concepts immediately when you see one aspect changing as another changes. In this new patent, Apple calls it “situational-awareness” technology.
Attribute Dependency differs from the templates in that it uses attributes (variables) of the situation rather than components. Start with an attribute list, then construct a matrix of these, pairing each against the others. Each cell represents a potential dependency (or potential break in an existing dependency) that forms a Virtual Product. Using Function Follows Form, we work backwards and envision a potential benefit or problem that this hypothetical solution solves.
Attribute Dependency is a versatile tool, and it explains the majority of new products as reported in the research by Dr. Jacob Goldenberg. I used it to create a lot of new concepts for the iPhone in my September 2008 blog posting. In each of these concepts, look for the telltale sign of Attribute Dependency: as one thing changes, so does another.
The LAB: Innovating Toilet Paper with Attribute Dependency (July 2012)
When Joseph Gayetty invented commercially available toilet paper in 1857, he called it “The greatest necessity of the age!” Of course, he wasn’t exaggerating. The use of paper for toileting dates back to the 6th century AD. Gayetty’s Medicated Paper was sold in packages of flat sheets, watermarked with the inventor’s name. Since then, many companies have tried to innovate this product. Many innovations are simple gag gifts while others are quite useful.
For this month’s LAB, let’s apply the corporate innovation method, S.I.T., to create new concepts for toilet paper. S.I.T. is a collection of thinking tools, principles, facilitation methods, and organizational structures to help companies innovate products, processes, and services. We will use the Attribute Dependency Technique, one of five in S.I.T..
Attribute Dependency differs from the templates in that it uses attributes (variables) of the situation rather than components. Start with an attribute list, then construct a matrix of these, pairing each against the others. Each cell represents a potential dependency (or potential break in an existing dependency) that forms a Virtual Product. Using Function Follows Form, we work backwards and envision a potential benefit or problem that this hypothetical solution solves.
We start with a list of attributes: internal (those related to the product) and external (those related to the environment immediately around the product – not within the manufacturer’s control).
Internal:
- number of plys
- coarseness of ply
- shape of ply
- size of ply
- number sheets per roll
- color
- temperature
- moisture content
External:
- age of user
- medical condition of user
- mood of user
- frequency of user
Here are some concepts that might emerge from these attributes.
Innovation Sighting: Clothing to Keep You Cooler
The Columbia Sportswear Company is launching a new line of clothing that keeps you…cooler. The Omni-Freeze® ZERO is a specialized fabric weave that increases the surface area of the fabric that contacts your bare skin. This transmits heat faster and feels cooler to the touch.
This is a great example of the Attribute Dependency Technique, one of five in the S.I.T. innovation method. Attribute Dependency differs from the other templates in that it uses attributes (variables) of the situation rather than components. Start with an attribute list, then construct a 2 x 2 matrix of these, pairing each against the others. Each cell represents a potential dependency that forms a Virtual Product. Using Function Follows Form, we work backwards and envision a potential benefit or problem that this hypothetical solution solves. In the case of Omni-Freeze® ZERO, the dependency is created between body temperature and layers of clothing.
What makes the Omni-Freeze® ZERO so special is the way the dependency was changed. Normally, we use the matrix to create a new dependency or break one that already exists. In this case, a dependency already existed between body temperature and layers of clothing – the more layers you have, the warmer you get. But with Omni-Freeze® ZERO, the dependency is reversed – the more layers you have, the cooler you get. Reversing a dependency is a powerful and provocative way to break fixedness and create new innovations.
Here is a short demonstration of the new product:
Innovation Sighting: Toyota’s Mood-Detecting Car
Toyota is designing a new technology that will react to the driver’s mood. It will adjust how the car behaves depending on whether the driver is sad, happy, angry or neutral. The technology uses a camera to identify facial emotions by taking readings from 238 points on the driver’s face.
A driver’s mood can affect performance on the road. Research has shown that people with negative (and sometimes positive) emotions are distracted even more than those using a cell phone while driving. Such emotions cause otherwise excellent drivers to:
- Experience dimmed or otherwise impaired observation and reaction times.
- Fail to recognize situations, such as an abrupt slowing of traffic or debris in the road.
- Get to the point that they are unable to predict or to determine what the other drivers around us are doing.
- Make risky maneuvers and risky changes, such as cutting across several lanes of traffic to take an off-ramp, suddenly change lanes, or even to drive on the freeway shoulder.
- Lose the ability to perform driving skills that require precise timing or other subtle skills.
- Make a driver feel as though he or she is detached from the other drivers, vehicles, and conditions on the road.
Toyota’s new technology will try to link to these emotions to prevent accidents.
Creating a dependency between the driver’s mood and how the car responds is a classic example of the Attribute Dependency Technique, one of five in Systematic Inventive Thinking. The modern automobile has many innovative solutions that use Attribute Dependency. Anything that customizes to the preferences of the driver could be considered an attribute dependency. Examples include automatic seats that adjust to the push of a button, radio channel presets, and dashboard information readouts. My favorite innovations are those that link an internal attribute of the car to an external attribute such as driving conditions. Examples include windshield wipers that change speed depending on the amount of rain falling, tires that tilt depending on the road curves, and anti-lock brakes that adjust stopping performance to the conditions of the road surface.
The LAB: Innovating a Membership Club with S.I.T. (April 2012)
How do you attract new customers while retaining current ones? For many categories, you attract new customers by showing high satisfaction with current customers. Put the current customer first and you will increase your appeal to new customers.
The challenge is when you have to change your product to meet the different demands of new customers at the risk of alienating existing customers. For example, imagine you owned a prestigious, members-only dinner club with a strong following of older, traditional patrons. They are fiercely loyal and attached to the various details such as the glassware and the color of the table cloths. Any changes are seen with suspicion. You want to bring in new members, but need to change the club to appeal to younger potential members. Too much change will drive away current members.
For this month’s LAB, we will apply Systematic Inventive Thinking to address this apparent conundrum.
To begin, we frame the problem as a contradiction:
As the club becomes more trendy, the appeal to younger members increases.
As the club becomes more trendy, the appeal to older members decreases.
The key is to innovate in a way that breaks the contradiction. Don’t settle for just a compromise solution. A compromise is a re-design of the club with just enough trendy features and just enough old features to appeal to both groups. Seeking a compromise is certainly possible, but it is more creative if you can break the contradiction entirely.
Consider these three techniques to do that: Division, Task Unification, and Attribute Dependency.