I had the opportunity to provide a ten-minute presentation on strategic thinking at FutureForum 2010, which was moderated by Michael Arndt, editor of BusinessWeek’s innovation and design coverage. I was joined by several other authors on the panel, including Scott Davis, author of The Shift and Bridget Brennan, author of Why She Buys.
Scott and Bridget both brought some excellent marketing perspectives to current and future business issues. The common thread between all three presentations was “insight.” Each of us talked about how important insights are to business success.
An insight is when we’re able to wade through all of the information and raw data, pick out a few pieces, and combine them in a unique way to come up with a new idea or new approach to the business. In my research, I’ve found four solid ways to generate insights: Context; Questions; Customers; and Models.
How are you generating insights for your business?