Innovation is not delivered by a genius working alone in a dimly lit room. Innovation can originate anywhere \u2013 and it\u2019s often not a magical unicorn, world-changing idea or one that requires a certain level of genius to create. As we often say at Intuit\u00ae, \u201cInnovation is everyone\u2019s job.” An innovative mindset can make a big difference for your clients and customers. Chances are, your business is ready for innovative change that you can achieve with a few quick steps.<\/p>\n
At Intuit, we have a unique Design for Delight (D4D) philosophy that prioritizes deep customer empathy and rapid experimentation. Here are the principles behind our D4D philosophy that you can use for your tax practice:<\/p>\n
Deep Customer Empathy <\/strong><\/p>\n Understand your customers\u2019 world as much as possible. Do whatever it takes to see through their eyes and feel through their hearts. Knowing what keeps your customers up at night will enable you to focus on what truly matters most. There are many ways to connect with, and learn from, your customers. Conversations are always a great first step. Taking the time to ask your customers questions about the struggles they are experiencing, problems they are actively trying to solve or the things that \u201ckeep them up at night\u201d gives you insight into the areas that matter most to them. The ability to listen and learn takes some practice. Push yourself to let go of what you believe or think you know, and focus on what your customers are telling you.<\/p>\n Go Broad to Narrow<\/strong><\/p>\n Many of us fall in love with our first idea and will fight to the end for its survival. Greatness never floats on the surface, simply waiting to be scooped up by any random passerby.<\/p>\n When brainstorming, get your initial ideas on paper as fast as possible. I mean every <\/em>idea you can think of. Grab a team member or two, a stack of sticky notes, pens, and a timer. For seven minutes, write down as many ideas as you can. Keep one idea per sticky note. You will quickly cover the surface in front of you with obvious ideas. Now, inspire yourself: begin to manipulate and evolve these initial ideas.<\/p>\n There is an infinite number of methods to help you stretch your ideas and thinking. One personal favorite is coming up with the worst idea possible to solve a problem. Go to the extreme. As humans, we are well-suited for identifying why things will not work, so start there. It lays a great foundation for an idea where the simple inverse of that \u201cworst idea ever\u201d becomes the best idea you would have never thought of.<\/p>\n With all those sticky notes, you will need to narrow your ideas down to one. I find one of the best ways to narrow is to map out a two-by-two grid and pick one criteria for each axis. The criteria should be important to your decision making, such as \u201ceasy vs. difficult\u201d to build. Once each axis is labeled, begin assessing your ideas against the criteria. Your best idea will be in the top right corner.<\/p>\n Rapid Experimentation With Customers<\/strong><\/p>\n After you narrowed your ideas down to one, find a way to put it in the hands of your customers. The trick here is speed. The faster you receive feedback from your customers, the faster you can grow your idea.<\/p>\n Rapid experimentation is the toughest part of innovation for two main reasons:<\/p>\n