Ability to see data points in the world around you ≈ Ability to innovate
/By Duncan Anderson. To see all blogs click here.
Reading time: 6 mins
One sentence summary: the first step of innovation is seeing data points (information); the better you are at seeing data points in the world, the greater your ability to innovate.
Innovation Vs Figuring Out The Problem To Solve Vs Problem Solving Vs Rote Learning
Jingle: I used to think that everyone saw the same ‘information’, but now I realise the information people need is the knowledge that they can grow their ability to see information… so information => information!
The best way I know to build one's ability to see information / data points is to write a blog each week on the area you want to see more data points in. To write a blog you need to find something to write about AKA you need to start seeing data points. I’ve found the discipline of writing a blog a week slowly but systematically increases my ability to see data points / information in the given field!
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Deductive vs Inductive Reasoning
I like this representation of deductive vs inductive reasoning.
Here is my adaptation.
The above model is also a rearticulation of the ‘build, measure, learn’ loop from The Lean Startup.
In many respects ‘observation = information’.
My articulation of: ‘information’ = data points you can pick up from the world (oftentimes through observation).
For example, if you are doing user testing of your product what information (data points) can you pick up from the users, what do you see them doing or better yet, not doing?
For example, if you are analysing a product what information (data points) can you pick up from what the product is doing?
Either all components of this model are equal… or they are not all equal.
I’m going to posit the most upstream component of innovation is one’s ability to see ‘information’. As such the ability to see information is the most important component?
Innovation Vs Figuring Out Problem To Solve Vs Problem Solving Vs Rote Learning
Innovation = 1. Can see information (data points) * 2. Can figure out problem to solve * 3. Can solve the problem
Innovation = 1. Can see information (data points) => Information * 2. Can figure out problem to solve => Pattern / Hypothesis * 3. Can solve the problem => Theory
Types of information / data points to see
Areas: people and non people
People = you are speaking to a customer, what information can you see?
Non people = you are analysing a product, what information can you see?
Finding information levels from user testing
L0 = Known problem, known solution => gimme as users tells you the problem and the solution. Things are normally not this easy!
L1 = Known problem, unknown solution => intermediate. Users says something is not right but not what to do to fix it.
L2 = Unknown problem and therefore unknown solution => hard. User doesn’t know of the problem / Job To Be Done.
Comment
When speaking to a customer rarely do they tell you what the problem is and what the solution is. Sometimes you will just see a confused look on their face, and then you try and zero in on this ‘problem’ and then propose some possible solutions.
Questioning is key in trying to zero in on the problem, phrasing questions to ask the user what was confusing, why it was confusing, what would have made it less confusing all give you information. (data points)
Other times they don’t even know there is a totally different approach.
Another articulation of what people can see
Someone good at seeing data points will be able to see all 4 levels, someone bad can see only 1 level.
I’ve found one can cultivate your ability to see data points / information more.
Another articulation of what people can see
I don’t know much about footy. If I’m watching a game of footy I just see people running around passing the ball.
However the coach likely sees multiple levels of team strategy happening on both sides, but also how different individuals are reading the play and hopefully ‘skating to where the puck is going’ etc.
So while both I and the coach are watching the same thing, the footy coach is likely seeing 10x+ the number of data points / information I am.
Something I wrote in the past: Treasure Taxonomy
Finding ‘information / data points’ in one articulation is how good you are at finding ‘treasure’.
The taxonomy (see below for full details):
Level 1: summary - verbatim = just writing down what happened
Level 2: summary - key points = being able to extract the key points and articulate them in a significantly shorter manner.
Level 3: synthesis - key point push back = you will disagree with part of a problem space solution / article / conversation AND have a reason why. No reason no disagreement!
Level 4: synthesis - internal joining = you can take two components of the problem space / article / conversation and join them together to create something new.
Level 5: synthesis - external ingredient = join an ingredient from the problem space / article with an external component to create new knowledge
Level 6: create a model - internal joining = join pieces together into a new meta story
Level 7: create a model - external ingredients = joining what is in the problem space / article with external ingredients into a cohesive structure/ recipe
Level 8: Heston Blumenthal - joining multiple recipes (models) together into epic scrumptiousness!
Comment
I can ask two people to do the same 1 hour user testing session and one person will come back with 3x the quantity of information found and also normally 3x the quality. So from the exact same 1 hour, one person is literally getting ~10x the value (quantity * quality) of information.
I can ask two people to analyse a product for 2 hours, one will come back with a product schematic (recipe), equations to explain quality and how to level the product up (aka the full existing picture with pieces and how to make a new better picture). The other will come back with a few random pieces of the existing picture and no ability to join them together.
In short there can be massive differences in people’s ability to see information / data points. And that this can be cultivated massively!
How do you get better at seeing data points / finding information?
Like most mental pursuits, I think one starts at Level 0 in ability to see information, but that one can level up.
Building ability for people data points
Learning from others
Watch using testing sessions on YouTube
Listening to counselling sessions for people at work, in relationships, etc from podcasts.
Finding key resources that explain how people you are trying to help operate. Eg if you are trying to help teachers, read books where teachers talk about their experiences.
Learning from yourself
Do user testing sessions with another and then compare what you both came up with at the end of it.
Replay events of the week from each person’s perspective.
Write a blog about ‘people’ each week. When I know I have to write a blog about people I slowly get better at looking for data points of what to write about. I’ve found that slowly my ‘eyes open’ and the number of data points I see increases. I’ve gone from ‘I have nothing to write about’ to ‘I see things to write about many times a day’.
Writing summaries from experiences in your day. Having to create One Sentence Summaries with nested dot points helps to centralize your thoughts into one sentence. This makes you explore the data you have observed and synthesize them into one thought, to say more with less is quite a skill!
Building ability for non people data points
Build pictures, not find pieces when looking at products.
Analyse products and then compare what you did vs others.
Write a blog about ‘product’ each week. When I know I have to write a blog about product I slowly get better at looking for data points of what to write about. I’ve found that slowly my ‘eyes open’ and the number of data points I see increases. I’ve gone from ‘I have nothing to write about’ to ‘I see things to write about many times a day’.
Comment
I didn’t realise this, but in some respects I’m looking for data points at all hours at work.
The best method I’m aware of for building the ability to see data points is writing a blog each week on whatever area you want to increase your ability to see data points / information in. Just because one might be good at seeing information in one area doesn’t mean they’ll be good in all areas.
If you only take away one thing
When you are born you can’t talk. Information / data points actualise into words. Why would you be born good at seeing data points / information?
I believe I was ~Level 0 at seeing data points when I was 22. As I was able to learn to talk, I think I’ve been able to systematically level up my ability to see information / data points.
Doing this effectively makes the world more ‘colourful’ and increases your ability to impact the world (ie the world is more fun).