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In: BUSINESS, TEAM, TECH, THEORY

It’s not uncommon for those who are less vocal or visible to remain in the background when there are more vocal extroverts in the organization. As today’s business world becomes more data driven and teams dispersed around the world where communicating virtually is more common, the introvert is playing and will play a much larger role in a company’s success. http://www.inc.com/geoffrey-james/introverts-will-soon-rule-the-business-world.html As you formally or informally create an innovation team goes without saying that you need to take personalities into account. As more and more research is showing the value of introverts in terms of innovation and success, the team consistency should be adjusted toRead More →

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In: DEFINITION, THEORY

Big I, little i. When does Innovation start? I would propose that Innovation starts when there is a recognizable discomfort with the ability for an item or situation to meet one’s needs or when a level of excitement presents itself organically related to something that would increase the experience delivered by the particular item. Yes I realize this is wordy, but sometimes when getting theoretical excess words tend to be used, especially when trying to define a term that has been overused and has numerous similar definitions. The upfront phases of innovation can be called many things, ideation, suggestions, feedback, input, all parts of earlyRead More →

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In: DEFINITION, PROCESS, THEORY

What does it mean to be truly innovative? And what is just the natural progression of product design and improvement?    I have read many articles on the topic and have had many conversations as well. I believe there is general acceptance on the basic meaning of innovation. The definition I use to describe true innovation is: Non-obvious information and activity related to a product or process that yields value Let’s explore the definition. “Non obvious”, if there is a generally accepted gap or well-known weakness, the fact that a company solves it is not innovative, it’s just common sense. If a company comes out with a newRead More →

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In: TECH, THEORY

3D printing is here to stay, and we’ve only begun to see the positive and negative benefits of this amazing low-cost technology.  Consider the remarkable benefits of a prosthetic limb that can be generated for pennies on the dollar compared to traditional techniques, it opens up a whole new world to those who may not of had the opportunity.    A feel-good story about a newer technology that we have not heard the last of Background: What is 3-D printingRead More →

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In: CULTURE, STRATEGY, THEORY

 As companies focus on their ability to navigate a constantly changing landscape, understanding how to tap into and manage the next generation of workers becomes increasingly important. In addition, disseminating the process, tools and techniques to senior and middle management who are leading an ultra connected, tech savvy generation focused more on self that success presents a challenge. Consider Ryo Mukumoto, a 22 year old into his third year making mock-ups at Honda’s research arm when he beat about 400 other entries in an in-house competition. Honda made him the youngest lead engineer in the company’s history and gave him a young team to helpRead More →

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In: PROCESS, THEORY

The DOI theory developed by E.M. Rogers in 1962 is just as much applicable today as it was in the 60’s. Diffusion of Innovation is concerned with the manner in which a new technology or invention idea grows from from idea to product to use. There are 5  adopter categories shown in the bell curve above. Innovators – People who want to be the first to try the innovation. These people are very willing to take risks and like to try new ideas. Little needs to be done to appeal to this population. Early Adopters – Opinion leaders who embrace change opportunities. They do notRead More →

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In: THEORY

“Necessity is the mother of invention.”  –Plato Innovation and necessity go hand in hand. A business needs innovation to keep the pipeline filled with products and services that the public demands, and the sense of urgency and approach you take to address this “need” is what separates you from your competitors. Plato was correct in his observation that the need drives the activity. But in today’s competitive business climate, activity is simply energy in motion without a result that brings value. A focus on ROI and the right level of management communication, leadership and a clear direction can turn a necessity into a game changer.Read More →