The big prize in the consumer dimension that you are after isn’t the gap itself, but the insight that drives the gap; the differences between observations, insights, unmet needs, ideas, experience design and customer journeys. If the insight is not known, the idea is merely a suggestion, with no understanding of what is driving the behaviour.

So in both observations – to understand the problem and in applying ideas to solve the problem – the key is to discover the insight, as it is the insight that allows you to take the correct path towards a breakthrough innovation.

Many people chase for breakthroughs without looking for new insights. Breakthroughs require you to have the mechanisms in place to spot the insights and uncover the underlying reasons customers behave the way they do; unseen problems customers have in performing their jobs. This allows you to focus on pain points rather than giving your customers additional benefits (which dilutes profitability without actually solving any of their problems). This approach is not only wasteful but is also imitable by your competitors, especially so for highly competitive industries.