As I was sitting in the smallest room of my Tokyo hotel (you can figure out which room that was), I was thinking about what it was about Japan that made it such a kooky, dynamic marketplace and then it hit me like a blast of cold water from a high-pressure bidet! The Japanese take refinement of products to the Nth degree.
Constant improvement, or "Kaizen" in the manufacturing world, is truly a way of life for the Japanese.
Constant improvement, or "Kaizen" in the manufacturing world, is truly a way of life for the Japanese.
Finding inspiration in the most unlikely places!
The Japanese are Ichiban (#1) at taking an existing technology and tweaking the hell out of it to make it better, smarter, more intuitive, benefit-rich and super user-friendly. Even the most mundane items get the treatment. Check this out - a remote controlled Toilet Seat! Seriously?!
This baby does everything a toilet should do - it washes, it blow dries, it warms, it cools...thankfully it doesn't slice or dice like the Ginsu Knife but it does just about everything else. And these puppies are everywhere in Japan, meaning it certainly meets a need that we have overlooked for years - who doesn't hate sitting on a cold toilet seat in the middle of winter? - and that some cat made A LOT of money coming up with this solution.
What are you sitting on (literally and figuratively) that can be improved, enhanced, refined in a way that creates a great new business! Don't overlook the little things because little things can add up to something big! And if you do you'll be sitting prettier...and warmer!
Do you have any thoughts on innovation? Does it have to be the next iPAD-type home run or should companies find ways to refine average products in ways that are meaningful to consumers? Leave a comment and let me know! Thank you.
The Japanese are Ichiban (#1) at taking an existing technology and tweaking the hell out of it to make it better, smarter, more intuitive, benefit-rich and super user-friendly. Even the most mundane items get the treatment. Check this out - a remote controlled Toilet Seat! Seriously?!
This baby does everything a toilet should do - it washes, it blow dries, it warms, it cools...thankfully it doesn't slice or dice like the Ginsu Knife but it does just about everything else. And these puppies are everywhere in Japan, meaning it certainly meets a need that we have overlooked for years - who doesn't hate sitting on a cold toilet seat in the middle of winter? - and that some cat made A LOT of money coming up with this solution.
What are you sitting on (literally and figuratively) that can be improved, enhanced, refined in a way that creates a great new business! Don't overlook the little things because little things can add up to something big! And if you do you'll be sitting prettier...and warmer!
Do you have any thoughts on innovation? Does it have to be the next iPAD-type home run or should companies find ways to refine average products in ways that are meaningful to consumers? Leave a comment and let me know! Thank you.