Subtract

There’s a huge gap in our default approach to problem solving.

University of Virginia engineering professor Leidy Klotz is on a mission to help change-makers realize this important shortcoming: “When we consider how to change the world around us, we tend to think in terms of what we can add, even when subtracting would yield a better result.”

The good news is that, with practice, and reminders, we can improve both our instinct and our ability to subtract.

For entrepreneurs and innovators, there’s never been a better time to add subtraction to our creative toolkits. Addition has been the default bias throughout human history, so the world is rich with opportunities to subtract, at least for those willing to exert the effort to look.

It’s true: subtraction requires more effort. But that’s a great thing! Because most folks don’t think to subtract, and because subtraction requires more effort of those who do think of it, it’s a uniquely uncompetitive area of exploration!

The balance bike is a great example that Leidy references. By removing the pedals and drivetrain, Ryan McFarland effectively extended the addressable market for biking.

Here’s another: Huggies Pull-Ups diapers. By subtracting the expectations that a child has to go straight from diapers to underwear, Kimberly-Clark invented the fastest-growing, highest-margin diaper product in the world.

What might you remove from an existing product or service to make it better? Now that subtraction is added to your list of “ways to innovate,” what might you dream up?

It’s a tool that opens up the solution space significantly.

Related: Critical Reminders for Innovation

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