Ideality: a useful tool while creating ideas

🎯 One of the most powerful concepts I have crossed in innovation is the Ideal Final Result (IFR) which is highly applied during the creation of new solutions. I think its power relies on its simplicity and capacity to challenge everyone in the room to imagine what should the best solution in any field should look like. 

😉 IFR concept was introduced in the 1950’s by soviet engineer, writer and inventor Genrikh Altshuller (in the picture) as part of his “theory of inventive problem solving”, also known as TRIZ. 

Genrikh Altshuller

💡 Altshuller, after researching thousands of inventions, identified patterns of solutions and problems these inventions have overcome and defined IFR as the ultimate solution of a problem when the desired result is achieved by itself. 

🛠️ IFR and TRIZ have been applied over years in several industries and companies such as IBM, Rolls-Royce, Samsung, Intel, Procter & Gamble, etc. mainly during the solution creation stage of the innovation process.

Ideal Final Result concept

📈 IFR  “metric” is called Ideality, which basically calls for maximising all the benefits and minimising all the costs and harms of a solution and measures the progress towards the IFR. 

🔎 The Ideality “formula” could inspire your team in different ways while generating ideas and might be very powerful if you apply it to the design of functional and emotional dimensions of new solutions.

Ideality formula

⭐ The functional dimension of a solution is mainly what you use and what you expect it will deliver, either if its a physical or non physical solution. It includes the formula, the shape, the packaging, the activities performed in any service or app, etc. Any team involved in the innovation process will have to make decisions that will affect the functions of their solution and they could use Ideality to benchmark against other offers in the market and push to improve the functionality in all or in a particular part of the solution. “We will differentiate from others by giving a functional advantage in XYZ”.

❤️ The emotional dimension involves everything you do to connect, engage, influence and maintain the loyalty of your users. It includes branding, communications style and channels, advertising, marketing experiences, events, activations, etc. Again, there will be a moment in the innovation process in which the team will need to decide the details of the emotional dimension of their solution and using Ideality could help them to shape their designs. “They will recognise, remember and be loyal to our solution due to our bold and energised communication style”.

🔥 While creating ideas in your innovation process try to consider the IFR concept to sparkle conversations about where are you now and what’s the best way to go forward. Ask yourselves these questions: What is the actual IFR in our category and where do we see more potential to innovate? Should we focus in a solution that delivers functional or emotional benefits? or both? 

Good luck!!!