Concepts consist of everything from very 'immature' initial 'notions' and preliminary ideas, to more mature, thought out and analyzed constructions. All are valid for consideration but one issue is, how to look at and compare them to one another. One useful way to organize and evaluate concepts is by their effects upon, and the way they are affected by, the innovation forces.

Often when new ideas, and even some well developed ones, are described, these forces are mixed and commingled so that it is unclear when a technology, an opportunity or a solution is being discussed. Greater clarity and precision can be achieved if a concept is broken down into these three components. Some concepts will have only one component, others will have all three.

Opportunities - Community Wants

An opportunity is a need or desire on the part of an individual or community (a market is a mature community). Community wants (needs and desires) are what create opportunities. Articulating the specific wants of a community is a great way to clarify what human imperative the concept is trying to satisfy.

Possibilities - Technology Effects

A technology concept is based on a discovery or invention that makes something possible. This is the most common form of concept, but often the most problematic. Just because something can be done, doesn't mean that anyone will value it. In describing the technology component of a concept, it is very useful to describe the effects of the technology rather than how it works..

Solutions - Outcomes and Experiences

Solutions are specific concepts that create an outcome or experience in specific opportunity space. An example of a solution concept could be ‘Image Mapping’ for IPTV. It is a solution that allows someone watching a television show on IPTV to click on any image on the screen during the broadcast and be able to receive specific information about that item – news information or even the opportunity to purchase that item.

Notice that in this solution concept description for 'Image Mapping' neither the opportunity (what need or desire is being satisfied) or the technology effects (item identification, item persistence) are mentioned.