Divergence

I came across this interesting article in AdAge about product development and innovative marketing initiatives. It is all about divergent thinking: "What can we do without?" and "what can we add to serve our customers better?"

The article highlights my favorite company and most prominent and innovative one out there, Apple as well as other brands' revolutionary developments. It discusses how Apple's products (iPad, iPhone, et. all) have been so advanced and successful. The answer is because the marketers  think "what can we do without" and develop divergence products, as opposed to convergence products (ie: Microsoft Tablet Computer -- similar to iPad, introduced years before the iPad, but yet has not seen the same success).

I find this all so interesting because in order to succeed, it is important to "think outside the box," "whichever way everyone else is going - go the other way," or "find that window of opportunity -- find where there is a problem with no solution..." But thinking "what can we do without?" and "What can we add to serve our customers better?" are different ways to think of things and I believe it is one to be noted.


"The emerging idea of our time is divergence. It is the governing metaphor of the next decade. It is the reason why the world has witnessed an array of new categories and new brands: Google, Facebook, YouTube, Twitter, Amazon, iPod, iTunes, iPhone, iPad, BlackBerry, Red Box, Netflix, AOL, Yahoo, eBay, Zappos, Wikipedia, LinkedIn, Flickr, Craigslist, PayPay, Groupon, Zynga. With many more to come."