| Your first round of business-model-improvement | | | | If you want to stay overnight at a |
| tests will show you a variety of ways that you | | | | limited-capacity campground, like at the bottom of |
| can create a positive momentum in creating | | | | the Grand Canyon, you may have to make |
| competitive advantage. Implementing the | | | | reservations months ahead of time. |
| successful results of those tests will impel you | | | | If airline travel is required, you will want to buy |
| forward like a rocket attached to a test sled. | | | | tickets well in advance to secure low fares. You'll |
| The best business-model improvements similarly | | | | also need to look into the best ways to ship the |
| create and direct such unstoppable progress | | | | hiking and camping gear to and from the hiking |
| towards a stronger industry position. You will be | | | | area. Airlines don't let you take very much |
| so busy once you are employing these | | | | baggage any more for free. |
| improvements that many important tasks may | | | | Many more steps have to be planned and |
| fall away from your attention. | | | | executed well in advance if you want to have the |
| How can you best use the relatively greater time | | | | best possible experience. Skip those steps or |
| and attention available to you while the tests are | | | | leave them to the last minute, and your hike will |
| occurring? Take the potential results of the value, | | | | be impaired in easily foreseeable ways. As a |
| price structure, and cost improvement tests and | | | | result, investigation into such details should begin |
| begin to build a powerfully improved business | | | | early. |
| model from those test ideas and other important | | | | By themselves, successful tests in the areas of |
| sources of information. | | | | benefits, price, and costs are usually not enough |
| By the time you are ready to apply this article, | | | | to create the vision to establish better business |
| you will have finished deciding what added | | | | models. Here are some reasons why the tests |
| benefits, improved price structures, and ways of | | | | are necessary, but not sufficient, to take you to |
| lowering costs to test. Some of the tests | | | | a powerful, new vision. |
| designed to provide increased benefits and a | | | | First, you may not have the right resources to |
| better price structure may already be in progress. | | | | implement all of your successful tests at the |
| The natural tendency of most people at this time | | | | same time. In that case, what is the right order in |
| will be to want to wait until the tests are | | | | which to proceed with implementation? |
| completed before starting to design your | | | | Second, varying combinations of successful tests |
| improved business model. That instinct, while | | | | will have remarkably different meanings for what |
| understandable, is misguided. The sooner you | | | | sort of new business models to create. You want |
| begin to imagine ways that successful test | | | | to select the most effective combination of |
| elements could be combined, the better. | | | | features to create a powerful new vector that |
| Consider as an example of getting a group of | | | | will have strong impetus for your organization for |
| people ready for an unusually long hike in a locale | | | | a long time to come. |
| remote from where everyone lives that will | | | | Third, successful tests may suggest combinations |
| involve camping out. | | | | that contain seeds of cross-purposes and harmful |
| Each person needs to be in physical condition to | | | | effects. How can that be understood before it is |
| do the hike. To prepare might mean having some | | | | experienced? |
| people start an exercise program, after first | | | | Fourth, some combinations of successful tests will |
| testing their fitness. | | | | stimulate new opportunities to locate still other |
| Depending on what sort of hiking is involved, | | | | business model improvements. In the long run, |
| special equipment may need to be purchased. | | | | those combinations reflecting new opportunities |
| Those who don't have proper hiking boots will | | | | will be the most valuable to your organization. |
| need to purchase them and break the boots in. | | | | How can these new opportunities improved |
| If the hike is to take place in an area where hiking | | | | combinations be identified? |
| is restricted, such as Yosemite, special permits | | | | Copyright 2008 Donald W. |
| may be needed. | | | | |