Quiz Entry - updated: 2026.07.14
What are the two wrong approaches to innovation in requirements, and how should you force innovation instead?
Neither "give customers exactly what they ask for" nor "we know best" works — you force innovation with guided creativity (future scenarios, removing constraints, metaphors).
| Approach | Why it fails |
|---|---|
| "Give customers exactly what they wish" | Customers describe solutions, not problems — you get incremental, not innovative |
| "We know what's best for the customer" | You miss real needs, build features nobody wants |
How to force innovation:
- Propose innovative solutions to stakeholders
- Animate creativity:
- Future scenarios — create and play through
- Remove all constraints — no limitations for once
- Metaphors — search and explore analogies
Tip: Henry Ford's famous (apocryphal) quote captures this: "If I had asked people what they wanted, they would have said faster horses." The RE's job is to understand the underlying need (get there faster), not just the stated solution (faster horse).