I would love to try your Value Graph Natella. Thank you for sharing. I fully agree with you that Marshmallow Pecan Pie Deluxe would be placed in the “Strategic” category on the graph. I’ll call Zotter and tell him we’ve created a winner!

You are welcome, Jason. I can share with you a Value Graph if you are interested in trying it out.

On a side note, I applaud your courage. You are seriously stepping out of your comfort zone here. Not everyone can do what you do. Marshmallow Pecan Pie Deluxe, how do you come up this stuff? Haven’t even seen this flavour at Zotter’s. 🙂

Thank you for sharing such interesting feedback Natella. I had never heard of the Value Graph until now and I agree that it does look like a very useful tool in the idea creation process. I wonder if Mr. Josef Zotter and his team use a Value Graph to categorize some of their more unique new chocolate flavor creations?…….It would be a fun and tasty job to sit in on one of their Chocolate Creation concept meetings. Aydan seems eager to try the Cornelian Cherry with Pig’s Blood…..I’ll be brave and try the Marshmallow Pecan Pie Deluxe.

Hi Jason, thank you for sharing about our experience. It’s great to have an environment where the creativity is not stifled and everyone feels free to present what they think of. Good luck to your team! Sounds to me like what you guys went through last week could be documented using a Value Graph, a tool from Lean Methodology. Not sure if you ever used this tool but it’s actually cool. The graph consists of 4 quadrants and as the team brainstorms to generate ideas – each of the ideas is evaluated and placed on the graph where the team decides it belongs. The four quadrants represent the following categories: Quick Fixes, Gems, Strategic, and lastly, Rethink. The last and least category is made of the ideas that are not worth pursuing. And with the Idea Cemetery concept in place, they can get buried with no hurt feelings so that the team can move forward.

Hi, Aydan, I do hope you get to visit this place – it’s absolutely worth it! And thank you, I am so glad to hear that with my writing I was able to bring the images alive for you.

You are most welcome dear. I hope you do visit the factory – you will be delighted and pleasantly surprised in so many ways!