Working on the diffusion of innovations and marketing emerging technologies presents known challenges:

• fast evolving contexts
• shifting environments
• market timing and uncertain speed of adoption
• technical trade-offs leading to open dilemmas
• high signal-to-noise ratio often cluttered by chatter, hype and vaporware
• legacy systems’ last gasps given improvements and existing economies of scale
  

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In this context, it is worth considering the following:

A – Thinking clearly and mastering clarity:

1. Depicting and differentiating between what’s “state of the art” and readily available vs. concepts and future opportunities belonging to the “art of the possible.”
2. Spelling out “incremental innovation” based on performance (technical, operational, financial) improvements when compared to today’s environment.
3. Spelling out “disruptive innovation” exposing new unique capabilities which cannot be achieved with conventional and alternative solutions.

B – Thinking differently and mastering the element of surprise:

1. “Abstracting out complexity” by striking a balance between Albert Einstein’s (above) and Arthur C. Clark’s (below) statements on simplicity and sophistication.
2. Delivering the “wow factor” based on elegant know-how, technical prowess and by appealing to unequivocal easy to follow logic.
3. Delivering the “cool factor” based on engaging simplicity and memorable experiences creating positive emotions.

C – Thinking about your audience and mastering the conversation: 

1. Understanding their journey, business, haves/have-nots, pain-points, behaviors, motivations, aspirations and decision making.
2. Recognizing what belongs to “need to know” versus “good to know,” what’s core vs. added value to stay away from self-defeating information overload.
3. Designing best of “breed solutions” in the context of the lifecycle of “end-to-end” systems.

This is not a comprehensive list, but a quick effort to synthesize a handful of guiding principles proven to work in past projects. As usual, I will welcome your emails to continue the discussion. In the meantime, I hope that some of the above are of interest.   

Source pictures:Albert Einstein, Arthur C. Clark.