One such technique is called motivational interviewing. Essentially, the patient is asked leading questions that get them to state their own health goals and concerns. Apparently we are better at persuading ourselves than being persuaded by others.”

considering—it may be in your financial interest not to muck up your innovation with distracting add-ons that could lower the perceived value of what you’re offering.

“In most people’s vocabularies, design means veneer,” said Steve Jobs. “Nothing could be further from the meaning of design. Design is the fundamental soul of a man-made creation. Design needs to be a fundamental part of the value proposition, not just a beautifying thing.”

What happens if we bundle this asset with others inside the company? Outside it?

This activity is transient, because “you need your frontal lobes later to push ideas forward in hypothesis tests. But transient hypofrontality appears to be conducive for extrapolating out and analogizing and looking at metaphor to pull different concepts that you have in your toolbox and put them together,” he explained.

The Web arose as an answer to an open challenge, through the swirling together of influences, ideas and realizations from many sides until by the wonders of the human mind, a new concept jelled. It was a process of accretion, not the linear solving of one problem after another.

What value does the new product have compared with the old, as determined by the potential consumer? Perceived advantage is built on factors such as greater prestige, more convenience, or better value for the money.

I think sustainability is more than just non-depletion of resources. For me, sustainability is about creating profitable businesses that not only have positive outcomes for their employees, investors, and nearby communities, but also are able to reach out and help others become more self-sustaining.

Give respondents permission and space to tell their stories, but don’t take everything they say at face value—you should be as skeptical of their statements (and as appreciative of them) as of any other data. Phrase your questions concretely, and ask for examples. Consumers can’t give you honest, meaningful information not because they are lying on