Definition
The creative approach to demand from users who are ahead of the market is one of five ways of generating creative ideas.
In detail
The Lead User method is a technique for gathering ideas from users whose needs are ahead of the market, and it is one of five idea generation methods. It addresses the issue of "how to find breakthrough innovations," as lead users often have already solved the problem themselves, and their needs foreshadow future markets. Unlike ordinary user research, lead users are not satisfied with existing products but have advanced needs. Typical outputs include lead user interview records, need insights, and idea directions.
Example in practice
A sports equipment company wanted to develop new training equipment. Instead of surveying general users, they sought out professional athletes and coaches, who had extremely high performance requirements and often modified equipment themselves. Through interviews, they discovered a need for real-time data feedback, leading to innovative concepts.