The illusion of a "correct answer"

This year, I again taught the special management course "Innovation and Creativity" at Meiji Gakuin University during the first semester. As usual, the grade was based on 30% from quizzes given in every class, 30% from in-class participation, and 40% from the final exam. The enthusiasm of the approximately 60 students, including auditors, was higher than ever before, and attendance rates were at an all-time high. And here is the question from this exam.

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Marutoku Nori processes and sells roasted nori and flavored nori in Hiroshima. Recently, with nori sales struggling, they decided to develop a new product based on the vision: "We want more people to enjoy tasting nori."
So, what should they do?

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What kind of product (concept) ideas would you come up with?

The underlying message of this problem was: "There's no single right answer. But there are good solutions that make you think, 'Why didn't I think of that?' Let's roll up our sleeves and find them." Professor Takehiko Kariya of Oxford University, author of the bestseller "Intellectual Multifaceted Thinking," also commented on Japanese students, saying something along the lines of, "They seem to think there's a right answer somewhere. They need to train their ability to think for themselves." We wanted them to tackle problems similar to those they would face in the real world, even though most tests they'd taken before likely had a "correct answer."

Indeed, Marutoku Nori's challenges weren't easily solved. The entire industry was struggling due to changes in dietary habits and declining gift-giving demand. Even the yield of nori once harvested locally in Hiroshima Bay had plummeted, making production significantly more costly compared to overseas sources. While the company's artisans possessed exceptional skills, the opportunities to utilize them were dwindling year by year.

I explained this situation to them to some extent. Furthermore, with two weeks between the problem presentation and the test, they should have been able to gather various materials on their own. The methodology for creating concepts (ideas) had been taught over six months of lectures. As one grading criterion, I emphasized: "Wouldn't you be happy if your answer matched others' on a typical test? But this is a 'Why didn't I think of that?' challenge. Identical answers won't cut it. Don't aim for the 'correct' answer; swing for the fences with your thinking." The result?

Miu Shibuya created "Nori for Vegetables" – the idea that nori could be used as fertilizer. Her main arguments were: ① The rich mineral content benefits vegetable growth; ② The handling of hataki nori (discarded, discolored nori with no food value) is an industry challenge; ③ Research exists, but commercialization hasn't been achieved.

What was truly impressive was her attempt to overturn the common sense that "nori is something humans eat," an assumption almost everyone took for granted. If I had to be picky, I think it could have been even better with one more "why?" step, like "Why hasn't it been commercialized?" or "What kind of vegetables would gain added value from nori fertilizer?"

Similarly challenging the "food" convention was Mr. Tsunemi Honma. His proposal was "seaweed bath salts." The idea is that the minerals are good for the skin, and the bath becomes enveloped in a pleasant ocean scent. Honestly, "beauty/diet-related" answers were the most common, but among those, his was the idea that seemed to consume the most seaweed by far. It might clog the bath pipes, but well, that's just part of the charm.

Within the food category, Shiho Mochizuki broke through by asking, "Why is nori tamago considered 'furikake'?" Her approach was: What if we recreated that beloved flavor everyone loves, including kids, using fresh raw egg, the highest quality nori, and dashi soy sauce? Wouldn't it be even more delicious? She took a "reverse perspective" from products where furikake developers surely struggled to recreate the aroma of eggs and nori. I couldn't help but smile and think, "Ah, that makes sense."

Kousuke Minagawa felt that flavor alone wasn't enough to express the "joy" in the vision. Taking inspiration from "home gardens," he devised "nori you can grow." Others came up with ideas like turning it into sweets, lampshades, colorful designs, or pasta. Honestly, everyone thought quite freely, so grading was never boring. University lectures are demanding work, but they provide stimulation that more than makes up for it.

Introducing the students' concepts (ideas) has really raised the bar, but actually, this "problem" concerning Marutoku Nori was something I tackled in my practical work. Next month, we'll finally be able to launch the new product, so next time, I'll tentatively submit "my solution."

Students, go easy on me (lol). Because that's not the "correct answer"!!

Please, enjoy!