March 08, 2025 • By KWD

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These are some of the questions every product manager struggles with. Why are only some people successful? Why are only some products successful? Why are only a few services successful?

The answers to these questions are on contrary to the popular opinion, quite simple.

Every once in a while, a new technology, an old problem, and a big idea turn into an innovation. - Dean Kamen

True success is mostly innovation. For innovation to take place, there are few aspects one needs to consider.

Does it meet a need or solve a problem?
Is it creative?
It is reasonable or relatable?
Is it unique?
Is it easy to use?

1. Does it meet a need or solve a problem?

This is the primary driving force for innovation. Anything which is a hit either meets a need which people have and/or solves a problem.

For e.g. Facebook is a hit, why? Because at the core of its offering, it meets the need of humans to connect with each other and stay in touch regularly.

Similarly, mobile phones do also serve our need to connect anytime with anyone with no delay.

In fact, any product or service which meets the needs (of people) which are not addressed, is destined to succeed.

2. Is it creative?

This aspect covers creativity in design and technology.

Design includes material, craftsmanship, aesthetic appeal, functionality, economic or socio-political aspects of the product or service.

Technology enables function. It should rather be empowering than limiting. Most of the technology can be a hindrance, as time passes. It has to evolve naturally.

Example: Google: It meets the need of humans to search for information (addresses human curiosity).

Its design and technology take into consideration various aspects of human behavior.

They gather all sorts of personal data, such as your searches, locations, preferences, choices, and mix and match with other factors, using algorithms to serve content/products/services to users, who find the served content quite useful and relatable.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is doing a good job at that these days.

Creativity is putting your imagination to work, and it's produced the most extraordinary results in human culture. - Ken Robinson

3. Is it reasonable or relatable?

We subscribe/buy products and services which are reasonable, and relatable to ourselves.

Humans are empathetic beings. Empathy is the ability to relate to others from their reference and our surroundings.

Reasonable being in terms of logic and relatable being how the product or services relate to ourselves.

Similar to the example above about Google serving relatable and useful content, Facebook does something similar too.

4. Is it unique?

Humans get bored very easily. They desire uniqueness. This innate need of humans to seek new things and be different is the driving force for this quality to be considered in the innovation process.

If it is unlike other, people explore it and some differentiate themselves with such association.

For e.g. Apple differentiates itself from others. It's very slogan is "Think Different"

Many associate with that idea of being and thinking differently. Hence, that association is inherent in their products.