What I Wish I Knew When I Was 20

by Tina Seelig

The key to need finding is identifying and filling gaps—that is, gaps in the way people use products, gaps in the services available, and gaps in the stories they tell when interviewed about their behavior. I got a chance to talk with Michael Barry, an expert in need finding at Point Forward, and he told a terrific story about his work with Kimberly-Clark, the company that makes Kleenex®, Scott® paper towels, and Huggies® diapers. Essentially, Kimberly-Clark was disappointed with their diaper sales relative to diaper giants such as Procter & Gamble (makers of Pampers), and brought in Michael’s team to help figure out how they could improve their business. By making detailed observations on how diapers are sold, assessing the messaging on the diaper packages, and conducting interviews with parents, Michael realized that Kimberly-Clark was missing the point: they were selling diapers as though they were hazardous waste disposal devices. But parents don’t view them that way. To a parent, a diaper is a way to keep their children comfortable. Dealing with diapers is part of the nurturing process. A diaper is also viewed as a piece of clothing. These observations provided a great starting point for improving how Kimberly-Clark packaged and positioned Huggies. Then, upon closer scrutiny, Michael identified an even bigger opportunity. He noticed that parents become terribly embarrassed when asked if their child is “still in diapers.” Bingo! This was a huge pain point for parents a...