In a recent Seek Note article
“How To Make Your Job Matter: An Open Letter To The Market Researcher” Seek made the bold statement that consumer-driven ideas are your currency and that research should not be submitted as facts only. As I was thinking about how to connect the research step to actionable ideas, I thought back to my past years at
FEI, Front End of Innovation conference.
Each year in May, around 700 of the world’s best front-end-of-innovation thinkers get together in Boston to share their newest concepts and build ideas together at FEI. While the first years of FEI attracted mainly “innovation” professionals (defined by me as anyone with innovation in their title), I have witnessed a significant number of market researchers and consumer insight professionals attending the last few years. A number of Seek's projects this past year came directly from conversations during FEI 2010 (including one project that recently yielded A ratings/ top 20% in BASES for all concepts tested). What made the projects successful… the direct connection of consumer insights to the idea generation process. Most market researchers understand the process needed to generate great consumer insights. Attending FEI will help you make the leap to determine how to take the insights a step further and create consumer-driven ideas.
Also this year, yours truly will be moderating the various “FireStarter” sessions to ensure things move along and remain high energy. For those new to the conference, the FireStarter sessions combine 3 energetic, corporate innovation professionals to present 10 minute stories based on one central topic. There is also a bit of time set aside for engaging Q/A.
I hope to see you there. If you are interested in registering, go to the
FEI website and enter in the code FEI2011SEEK for a 20% savings (I don't make a dime if you decide to register through the link, I just want to meet you in person).
