HIGHLIGHTS

• The priority of the innovation development process in a digital-driven world is placed on customer-centricity.
• Experiments and actions are at the heart of innovation development.
• A test-and-learn approach can ensure valuable outcome and mitigate business risk and large-scale production faults.
• Researcher’s adaptability has become crucial alongside constant search for innovations to find what truly serves customer’s needs.

The digital-driven world that revolves around us has given rise to innovations to better fulfill every day’s needs. Researchers or scientists are among professions that have to evolve with the ever-changing global trend. The innovation that serves human needs has markedly changed at speed.

With extensive experience for over a decade as a researcher, Dr. Watchara Anannarukan, Senior Researcher of SCG Packaging, has her hands in tons of innovation development projects. In this article, Dr. Watchara will give an inside look into the world of the researcher and innovation development process in a digital-driven world where customer-centricity is placed the top priority.

Dr. Watchara Anannarukan, Senior Researcher of SCG Packaging

Dr. Watchara noted that what drove her to become researcher is her love of learning and scientific reasoning to make sense of different phenomenon. Although she didn’t opt for a researcher’s path in the beginning, now, Dr. Watchara has been in it for 12 years.

As a corporate researcher, Dr. Watchara revealed that the key is to work to achieve business goals where customers are put at the heart. Researchers must keep up with trends and develop the products that are meaningful to customers while generating profitable returns. Dr. Watchara said being a researcher at SCG Packaging caters to her love of learning because the company allows her to explore and experiment new products. Working here is a happiness, she noted. Although the task must be in tuned with the brief, she isn’t put in a box in terms of working or delivery of solutions.

“What I like about being a researcher here is the freedom to think and experiment on the basis of possibility while being in tune with business direction.”

Aside from freeing from limitations and work constraints, the other joyful routine is spending time on the project she and her team initiate. Dr. Watchara said despite the project outcome can either be a success or a failure, she finds happiness along the journey. And once the project she and her team created meets a commercial success, that’s what the team describes ultimate happiness.

Dr. Watchara told us that a test-and-learn approach is key ingredient to the innovation development process. To bring about an innovation, she and her team have to go through many different experiments to make sure that the product can be scaled up for mass production without faults.

At SCG Packaging, the innovation development process reflects the company’s culture of planning and test-and-learn approach. To create a prototype, the team has to undertake a repetitive test run to make sure that the result isn’t a fluke. And before introducing it to the market, the product must be tested until it’s ready for large-scale production with no, or very least, faults. And importantly, if problems arise, they must be manageable.

“Testing can give us confidence that what we are delivering is fully thought out and isn’t a random come-up. It is to guarantee that our product has a high quality.”

The main challenge for innovation development is “fear of failure.” It is common for an experiment to yield either a success or failure. Dr. Watchara said fear usually kicks in before the test. We need to prepare alternative plans to counter failed results. The team has to explore potential failure scenarios and alternative strategies beforehand if the test result isn’t satisfactory. There should not be just one or two but three plans. Multiple plans will ensure the continuity of testing and prevent underperforming driven by fear.

The test-and-learn culture provides benefits to businesses and customers, as it can guarantee value, mitigate business risks, and reduce potential faults at large-scale production. Multiple mistakes in a test run are incomparable to a single unintended mistake in mass production. A thorough test run before introducing to the market allows researchers to identify potential pain points whereby recommended precautions, product conditions, or quality control are informed to customers for proper usage. Such practice can increase customer’s confidence in product quality from SCG Packaging.

The world is changing, and so are businesses. Researchers have to change too. Although the researcher’s main task primarily focuses on technical aspects regarding product development, working as a researcher at SCG Packaging allows the staff to work with a diverse group of people. Therefore, communication skills and empathy have become the necessary qualities of professional researchers today.

Dr. Watchara said that today’s practice doesn’t focus solely on product development or cost reduction, but also the embracement of differentiation to best serve customer needs. Thus, adaptability is vital.

“Existing competencies combined with the test-and-learn approach will bring about new competencies that help us to perform at speed and meet customer’s needs.”


Dr. Watchara said the must-have qualities of modern researchers are open-minded and learning mindset, on top of well-developed soft skills. “Business Scientist” — or the researcher who understands business dynamics — will gain an advantage because knowing marketing, business trends, and global trends will enable them to develop innovation that meets customer’s and consumer’s needs. Plus, this will help improve performance speed and communication with colleagues or customers.

“We have to understand our language and try to find common ground to have everyone speak the same language. This will secure a smooth and flowing conversation on top of a streamlined work process and better outcomes.”