How to predict the future success of new products? – Board of Innovation

At the center of this graph, we start with FEEL SMARTER. We would rate this at 2/5. People feel some sort of superpower with this device in their house. Always on, always available to give you instant knowledge or control of other appliances. Although people value the current use cases, there is a lot of potential left to do more on this axis.

Next, the Value Pair linked to CREATES STATUS. At this moment, the novelty of a smart speaker gives the owner some early-adopter karma. It’s present today but will wear off soon. We will get back to this later.

What about the Value Pair “Creates Delight — Creates Frustration”? Yes, these devices are fun to use and will amaze people with certain capabilities. But in this same spectrum, people regularly bump into the current limitations. Certain queries can’t be asked, wrong answers are given, etc. This will also create frustration. This is definitely a mixed signal and always difficult to forecast.

At the edges, you will put the least important value drivers. People will be able to save time, although limited (Talking versus typing on their smartphone). One of the downsides looks at the impact of privacy concerns and the stress or anxiety that it triggers for certain people.