3 Steps to innovate with first principles

 

First principles is the philosophy and thinking that was first proposed by Aristotle, where you look at problems at their root or base without preconception and work toward the desired outcome from there. This requires you to throw out conventional wisdom and biases and be willing to come at solutions from new and innovative angles. First principles is a powerful way of thinking that allows a high level of innovation that can result in individuals and businesses quickly surpassing their peers in problem solving and performance. This philosophy is used either intentionally or unintentionally by some of the largest and most successful companies in the world.

Apple invented the iPhone as a touch screen only device when the rest of the industry laughed. They thought that improving the plastic keyboards and stylus pens for input were the key to the future. Apple started without biases and realized that finger input was the best method. 

Tesla joined a crowded marketplace and was told over and over that there’s no way to be successful as an upstart automaker. They persevered and developed products that other auto manufacturers thought were impossible. They built their own motors, batteries and lowered the cost of electric vehicles below competitors while increasing the performance. Even today, huge multinational automakers cannot match the product value to price proposition that is offered by Tesla. 

You can also use first principles to solve problems, innovate and surpass your peers in performance. It will be challenging at first, but with perseverance you can alter your thought process and become a master at using Aristotle's first principles to beat the competition. 

1. Identify Assumptions

To use first principles you must start by identifying assumptions. You must look for the things that you or your team say on a regular basis that define how you do your work. Look for assumptions your team makes that drive their future behaviors and actions. You will hear phrases like “We do it this way because”, “We’ve always done it this way” or “We’re building on what’s come before.”. These are signs that you or your team's thinking is grounded in conventional wisdom and that they are reasoning by analogy.

Reasoning by analogy is when you copy what others have done. You look at what problems have existed and how they were solved in the past and use that to iterate on the performance and solutions that already exist. This is a good way to slowly improve an existing process, but a poor way to find radical solutions that move an entire individual, team or industry forward.  This is the thinking that caused the smartphone industry to press ahead with the stylus and physical keyboards instead of seeing that touch input and on-screen keyboards were the path forward. 

2. Think like a scientist

Scientists use the scientific method when investigating problems and potential solutions. The scientific method questions everything. When something unexpected happens, scientists are happy because it means that they have learned something new. 

For you, you must not make assumptions and question everything.  Instead of saying we’ve always done it this way, say “Why have we always done it this way?”, “What other ways could we solve this that no one else is trying?” or “What is considered an impossible solution and how we can investigate it?”

3. Create new solutions

You’ve stopped thinking through analogy, you’re willing to throw out conventional wisdom and look for new solutions to problems.

This kind of thinking will allow you to see past the limitations of conventional wisdom and to approach problems like a scientist.  Willing to try new things and solutions and excited when those solutions fail, because you’ve learned something new. 

Instead of building a more fuel efficient gasoline engine to reduce emissions, Tesla said, “How can we build a vehicle that has no emissions?” Apple said “Instead of building a phone with a better physical keyboard how can we allow people to interact with their devices intuitively?” This kind of thinking led Tesla to be worth more than all other automakers combined and for Apple to become the most valuable company in the world. They solved problems in such radical ways that they lept years ahead of their competitors. There was simply no way any other company could compete with their innovation for many many years. 

First principles thinking is new and radical to the way that most people think. It will be a challenge to alter your thinking. Use these three steps to change the way that you approach problem solving and get better results than you’ve ever achieved before. How do you solve problems?  Tell us below!