As I talk with various groups many tell me that they simply can’t see any White Space opportunities in their area.  I tell them the opportunity is always there, you just have to see it.  Their problem is too many people try to "think outside the box."  What they need to do is "Get outside the box, now think."

A great recent example comes to us from education.  For all our uproar about education in America, and expressions of concern, little has changed in the last 50 years.  Lock-in still dominates, and most of us see our children going through the same steps as we did.  Meanwhile, we know that other countries, India in particular, are finding ways to educate more people to higher levels faster and cheaper than we are.  But, when our education professionals get into meetings they mostly come up with minor improvements to the existing system.

Reuters reported today (see article here) that Americans can get tutoring now for as little as $2.50/hour.  By going on-line, and using a combination of web tools and internet phone service, our children can receive quality 1-on-1 tutoring, by professionals with master’s degrees in the subject area, every single day for only $100/month.  This is about what one hour of traditional face-to-face tutoring costs.  And those students who are using the resource are findng huge value.

Of course, these tutors are in India. 

Our education professionals are trying to solve problems by "thinking outside the box."  Their obvious problem is that when you’re in the box it’s really impossible to think outside.  At best, you can push on the sides a little and consider small improvements.  But everything about the box keeps you Locked-in to the old Success Formula. 

The founders of these offshore services used the approach of "Get outside the Box, now think!".  By going offshore, by viewing the capabilities of new technologies without focusing on limitations, and by omitting the concerns created by traditional Lock-in, they identified a new Success Formula.  And then, they didn’t try to launch this in the U.S, or with traditional education suppliers.  Instead, they developed their own approaches for marketing, distribution and sales.  Removed from the Lock-ins (removed from "the box") they were able to develop new solutions.

We all can benefit from getting outside the box.  Existing industry conferences and trade shows are primarily focused on Defending & Extending the existing Success Formula.  To see new ideas, to identify White Space opportunities, you need to move beyond those forums.  You have to find some new terrain for the conversation.  Take a trip to India, China or the Phillipines, and visit with companies that have a whole different approach to what you’ve done. And instead of looking for why it won’t work, see if you can create some White Space to try and make it work.

You won’t find White Space if you stay inside "the box."  Get outside the box, go to nontraditional sources, and then start thinking about how to make it work.  There’ll you find your opportunities for White Space.