Innovation at 3m Corporation Case Study

CASE STUDY SUMMARY - INNOVATION AT 3M CORPORATION

Rita Shor is a senior product specialist, focusing on Medical-Services Markets within the Health Care Unit of 3M. She has been charged by senior management to develop 'a breakthrough product within the existing business strategy.' Understanding the unit has only had one successful product launch in the past ten years, Shor knows she needs to approach things differently: rather than the traditional outsourced market research, Shor takes this opportunity to pilot lead user research within 3M.

At the end of the lead user research journey, her team has three solid ideas for new product recommendations. The team has also identified a potential fourth revolution, which involves rewriting the division's business strategy statement, which they feel is a fairly dramatic recommendation for the organization. The team is unsure whether to raise this recommendation with senior management.

I'd suggest they include the fourth idea in the team's presentation. Although Shor's direct manager is not a supporter of the lead user approach, this is an opportunity for Shor to highlight the power of a new way of thinking (more focused on customers needs). Suggesting something as apparently 'out there' as changing a strategy statement helps illustrate just how powerful the new approach could be.

Given the lead user research approach has some support at a high level within 3M, this could be the opportunity to get wider buy-in across the organization using a real application. And if 3M doesn't begin to shift their thinking in more disruptive ways, it's likely that smaller organizations will quickly encroach on 3M's territory, launching new products that render theirs obsolete.