People ask all the time if Blue Ocean Strategy can work with simple problem solving in design and innovation. The answer is yes, if the cornerstone of Blue Ocean Strategy (value innovation) is followed. Simply put, a product or service must increase value and decrease cost simultaneously. Here’s a clever illustration where our intrepid innovator increases value (“more dominos”) and decreases costs (“labor savings of manually stacking the tiles”).

And, of course, the payoff is fantastic.