Killer Questions
Slides For “Predicting The Future: Answers Versus Questions” Speech
Last week, I gave a keynote speech at Edelman’s Leadership event in Chicago. The company brings together the top ~100 executives from around the world once a year. Richard Edelman asked me to present a talk at lunch about the “future of technology”. I took some liberty with the topic and focused on
Help Create The 12 Killer Questions To Innovate US Education
I’ve been asked (more like challenged) to create a dozen or so killer questions that could be used by teachers, schools, districts, state education agencies, federal agencies, etc. to help innovate the educational system in the US. I took up the challenge as a “pay it forward” project to help the
There Really is a Killer Question Card Deck ….
As a result of the twitter feed of killer questions, I’ve received a number of emails asking about the background on the killer questions. Since it seems like of a topic of interest, I thought I would give you some insight into how they came about …
Killer Question #38
Killer Question #38: What makes my product hard to use? Have you ever wondered what life was like before battery powered power tools? Killer Question #38: What makes my product hard to use?
Killer Question #7
When things get tough, the common reaction is to scale back and standardize the processes. The objective is to take costs out of the business. What would happened if you went the opposite direction? Rather than standardize, why not customize?
What are the unshakable beliefs in my industry about what customers want? What if the opposite where true?
Its easy when we are being successful to stick our heads in the sand and believe our own PR. We can easily brush off minor threats with the argument that the customer wouldn’t go for whatever was being offered. We hold on to the belief that we know best what trade-offs they are not willing to make.
Could you standardize a custom product?
Target’s (TGT ) focus on value brough unique products to the average consumer with their design-for-the-masses housewares by big names such as Philippe Starck and Cynthia Rowley. So how did Target transform what has been highly customized products for the rich and famous and bring it to the masses?
Killer Question #27
It all started with an idea and a passion. In 1901, William S. Harley, age 21, took an idea and created a blueprint drawing of an engine designed to fit into a bicycle. Over the next few years, its the passion and determination of William Harley and Arthur Davidson that turn the blueprint into a wor
What is inconvenient about assembling your product?
When you think of “ease of assembly”, you normally don’t think of furniture. The first challenge in trying to figure out how to get the pieces home before you can event start. Then you have to decipher the instructions only to end up with something that doesn’t look like what you saw in the store an
Could I offer my product at 5 times the cost? FedEx Did!
Killer Question #17: Could I offer my product at 5 times the cost if it had greater feature/function?
