After three months of applying this creative research methodology, we had a lot of unexpected insights. The biggest change was focusing on the quality of information rather than the quantity.

For example, when we were looking for ways to improve our delivery service, we stumbled across a research paper on emergency medical systems that borrowed the concept of 'golden time' and gave us an idea for a completely new delivery algorithm. Two areas that would never have been connected through conventional research, but through our creative approach, an innovative solution was born.

Another interesting discovery was 'failure analysis': everyone tries to benchmark only success stories, but analyzing the patterns of failed services revealed a real need in the market. Digging into the question "why did this service fail despite being a good idea?" revealed hidden opportunities that would have been impossible to find with a traditional approach.

When I presented the results of the project six months later, my teammates were amazed and said, "How did you come up with that perspective?"

If you're working on a project that requires creative thinking, why not get creative with how you gather information? After all, if you fish in the same ocean, you're bound to catch the same fish!