Disruptive Component Analysis: Zeroing In On The Problem

This post illustrates in detail the concept of Disruptive Component Analysis (DCA) introduced in “Houston, we have a problem”.

Identifying potential disruptions is best done through an approach I like to call DCA or Disruption Component Analysis. DCA of a process is simple – write down each step of the process and then all the things that could go wrong i.e. pain-points at each step. Below each pain-point write down why that pain-point exists in the first place. Do this in first person i.e. put yourself in the feet of the consumer – usually works out better!

Let me illustrate this by digging deep into the “getting food at home” problem.

DCA for “Getting food at home”

Now, this process has 3 parts – knowing what all you can eat i.e. Discovery, choosing what you want i.e. Decisioning and finally getting what I want i.e. Fulfillment. Now let’s follow DCA:

Discovery:

• I don’t have enough options
  • What specific meal do I lack options for? Is this my everyday lunch or my occasional gourmet dinner
  • Are you creating a new option or expanding the availability of a new option?
• I don’t know what options I have
  • Are you creating new information or is it present but unavailable to me?
  • Are you presenting existing information in a easier to consume way?
  • Decisioning

• I don’t have all the information I need to decide
  • What extra information are you providing me which enables easier decisioning?
  • Are you creating this information (eg ratings) or are you communicating an existing information (eg price)?
• I don’t want to spend time deciding and want someone to do it for me
  • What data are you using to decide my food choice for me?
  • Are you creating or recording this data?
  • Fulfilment

• I don’t have a good platform to communicate with the restaurant
  • Does the restaurant not have an easy mobile app/website to order?
  • Do the restaurant’s delivery partners not have an app/device to communicate effectively with the consumer?
• The restaurant lacks the infrastructure to fulfil my order post communication
  • Does the restaurant lack a POS terminal capable of handling deliveries?
  • Does the restaurant not have enough delivery boys?
• The delivery happens through the restaurant but the experience isn’t the best
  • Are the deliveries late?
  • Is the packaging not appropriate?
  • Does the delivery boy keep calling me to ask my exact location?
  • Do I want a cash-less transaction?

Now, as you can see each of the above leaf nodes is a potential disruption. This is by no means exhaustive but should be enough to give you a sense of the technique. Feel free to pick and choose your own favorite disruption(s).

[Disclaimer: The thoughts and opinions expressed herein belong to the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Bessemer Venture Partners or any of its affiliates (“Bessemer”) or any other organization the author may be linked with. Specifically, the material here is written on the author’s own time for his own reasons and Bessemer has not reviewed or approved the information herein. Any discussion of topics related to Bessemer or its investment activities should not be construed as an official comment of Bessemer.]

Note: We at Inc42 take our ethics very seriously. More information about it can be found here.