Customer Centred Creativity

Once upon a time there was a hawk with ferocious claws and piercing eyes.  No one knew he was kindly and actually liked to come up with ideas to help the other animals of the forest.  One day he was thinking about the squirrel gathering nuts all the time and invented a new breed of acorn that automatically beeped so a squirrel could easily find it when it fell to the ground.  It was a kind of ‘homing acorn’!  He thought the squirrels would love it.

He took his invention and put it in the clearing of the forest and waited on a tree top with a good view.  The acorn beeped away, and the squirrels were strangely attracted to it.  They would come into the clearing, clearly wanting the acorn, but then they would stop and run away.  Very frustrating.  The hawk couldn’t figure it out.

Over the next few weeks he made refinements as follows:

·       A more sonorous beep

·       Enhanced falling sensitivity

·       Squirrel pheromone release

·       New, improved brown colouring

·       Better taste and texture

Every day the hawk would watch carefully to see what changes would bring in the squirrels.  Nothing seemed to work, so finally the hawk just gave up and flew off.

The squirrels looked up and said, “Phew!   He’s finally gone, and I’m hungry.”