Step 3: List Current Solutions for the Core Tasks

When you have a complete list of core tasks for your device, system, or web page, you need to identify and evaluate the current solutions you offer for each. You can do this by creating a simple list with all the solutions that you already provide for each of the identified core tasks (e.g., on a whiteboard or similar).

Figure 6-4 shows the current solutions for a few of the core tasks identified for the low-cost mobile device.

You may have core tasks for which your product does not yet provide solutions. Retain those core tasks on the list. If you can find solutions for these core tasks, you might be able to easily create a successful innovation. For other core tasks, there may not yet be any suitable solutions available—but they may become feasible someday. Referring to your list of unsolved core tasks from time to time will keep you in a frame of mind to spot new possibilities as they arise.

Figure 6-4. Listing current solutions for a few of the mobile device core tasks