Why is product ideation so hard?

One of the most popular methods for generating new product ideas is through the use of brainstorming exercises, such as ideation exercises or mind mapping techniques, which are used by designers, architects, and engineers who are stuck or have reached dead ends in their creative processes. These methods are very useful because they enable people from different fields to come together and share different perspectives.

However, this method has limitations in terms of generating truly novel commercial products, given its focus on imagination rather than on actual customer needs and desires.

Another technique that's used by many companies today involves including customers in ideation processes, via surveys or focus groups, where they share their opinions about what they want. While this approach can be better for incorporating customer feedback, it's also costly and time-consuming. Domain experts have to manually take notes, collate and...