“If I had asked my customers what they wanted, they’d have said a faster horse.” -Henry Ford

It seems like to today I am tackling a number of pet peeves I have been seeing spouted out in the twitterspehere. This one is a quote I repeatedly see posted by people. I believe they are trying to make the often made point that people don't know what they want. Often this is true, but people are misinterpreting this statement to believe that Innovation should not consider customers opinions. I agree customers don't know what they want. Not surprising. It's not their job. They don't spend 24/7 thinking about how to delight themselves on this specific issue. That's the innovator's job.

What customers do know is what their problems are.

Your customer may say "I want a faster horse". As an product manager should you take that a face value and give them it? Not if you want to keep your job. That statement leads into the natural question "Why do you need a faster horse?" and that is the true insight. By digging into this area you may discover that they really do not have a need for a faster anything; or you may discover that there is a genuine need to go faster. The key is that by asking those additional questions, you are truly understanding your customers wants and needs.

In the end, Henry Ford did listen to his customers. Their statement implied they wanted to go faster. A little digging probably revealed that they also liked the comfort of a wagon. "A faster wagon". Henry, knew it was near impossible to make faster horses to pull the wagon, so he needed to look for another way to solve their problem. Henry listened and the innovator in him found a remarkable solution. What are your customers problems.