by David Quimby | at Minnebar 17 | 3:45 – 4:30 in Florida | View Schedule
Developing a compelling value proposition for customer engagement and competitive advantage
Your value proposition is the beating heart of your business opportunity -- it connects your unique capabilities with the unique needs of your customers.
Identifying and resolving opposing forces is a uniquely powerful method for developing a compelling value proposition that engages your customers and defeats your competitors. Opposing forces act as a "crucible" to deliver previously un-seen value and solve previously un-met needs. The most elusive aspect of solving the creative tension between a set of opposing forces isn't actually solving the contradiction -- it is identifying and defining the opposing forces. Many contradictions are "hidden in plain sight" -- because they are too subtle to be seen or, more frequently, because we have become conditioned to accepting the creative tension.
We will explore some contradictions that have been solved for significant business advantage; we will also explore some contradictions that remain un-solved. We will briefly consider practical methods for identifying opposing forces.
I am a principal at Innovation Radiation, where I practice systematic innovation, experimental design, and technology forecasting. I solved a contradiction early in the 21st century. I am a patented inventor in Web architecture. I collaborated with Doug Engelbart, the inventor of the graphical user interface (GUI), at Stanford Research Institute. I have assimilated into organizational life in realms such as Deloitte Consulting, Best Buy, and Bank of America; while I appreciate the benefits of organizational alignment, I've found that I flourish beyond the constraints of conventional organizational boundaries.
I am a co-founder of Minnesota Change Management Network. I earned a master’s degree in organizational behavior and socio-technical systems at UC / Berkeley and a bachelor’s degree in mathematical economics and developmental economics at UCLA. I've climbed Mt. Whitney; I've done trekking in Thailand, a photographic safari in Kenya, and sea kayaking in Alaska; I've traversed the U.S. and Canada by motorcycle. I've also expanded my cultural horizons with extensive travel in Europe, South America, and Australia.
