Innovation

=THINK INSIDE THE BOX

Think Outside the Box

Innovation

• Objective: Enable you to create ideas, projects, and proposals that truly stand out.

Innovation

• The ability to be innovative will help make your project or proposal stand out, but also it will give you a permanent edge in any undertaking.

Innovation and Creativity

• Innovation and Invention

• Invention = New• Innovation = ties ideas to customer

experience and results in increased customer value

Invention

• What ideas or products can you think of that were inventions?

Printing Press - 1439

Cotton Gin - 1792

Invention?• Telephone – Alexander Graham Bell• Radio – Marconi, Tesla…• Television• Light Bulb• Automobile• Computer• Desktop Publishing

24-hour Cable TV?

Nothing is New. Everything is Recycled

• Coffee:• 1800s: age of commodities – whole

beans• 1900-1950: age of goods – ground

coffee• 1960-1980: age of services – cup of

joe• 1990s: age of experiences – lattes• Now: age of authenticity – whole

beans

Innovation: Definitions (?)

• The ability to see relationships where others have not

• The process begins with figuring out a better way of doing something and ends with something new and useful.

• The process can take a few seconds or a few years.

Innovation and Creativity

• Creativity:• deviant from the norm• pertinent to the task at hand

• Innovation: • a practical application of creative efforts

designed to satisfy a need

Innovation is:

• a habit; it applies to everything you do.

• a process; the process can be learned.

• the ability to make connections, especially among disparate entities.

• not an absolute – operates on a scale• in business, it’s a team sport.• Nature vs. Nurture

The Innovation Quiz

• What famous product was considered a failure and abandoned - but became a success when one of the engineers took some discarded samples home, only to find that his teenage daughters used the product for setting their hair?

• a) styling gelb) Scotch tapec) Post-It notes

The Innovation Quiz

• What famous product was considered a failure and abandoned - but became a success when one of the engineers took some discarded samples home, only to find that his teenage daughters used the product for setting their hair?

• a) styling gelb) Scotch tapec) Post-It notes

The Innovation Quiz

• What famous inventor threw a paint-filled sponge at the wall and then looked to see what shapes he could find in the splatters of paint, then thought about connections between the image he saw and the problem he was working on?

• a) Alexander Graham Bellb) George Washington Carverc) Leonardo da Vinci

The Innovation Quiz

• What famous inventor threw a paint-filled sponge at the wall and then looked to see what shapes he could find in the splatters of paint, then thinking about connections between the image he saw and the problem he was working on?

• a) Alexander Graham Bellb) George Washington Carverc) Leonardo da Vinci

The Innovation Quiz• What famous inventor was standing

by a well when he saw a stone hit the water at the same time a bell rang. Watching the circular ripples in the water while at the same time listening to the ringing of the bell, he realized that sound travels in waves.

• a) Sir Isaac Newtonb) Leonardo da Vincic) Marconi

The Innovation Quiz• What famous inventor was standing

by a well when he saw a stone hit the water at the same time a bell rang. Watching the circular ripples in the water while at the same time listening to the ringing of the bell, he realized that sound travels in waves.

• a) Sir Isaac Newtonb) Leonardo da Vincic) Marconi

The Innovation Quiz

• Who solved a famous problem by imagining he was travelling on a beam of light?

• a) Thomas Edisonb) Albert Einsteinc) Benjamin Franklin

The Innovation Quiz

• Who solved a famous problem by imagining he was travelling on a beam of light?

• a) Thomas Edisonb) Albert Einsteinc) Benjamin Franklin

How can YOU become more innovative?

Becoming More Innovative

• The process of innovation

• How the brain works

• The application of the process

• Develop an Innovative Attitude

The Process of Innovation

• Preparation• Idea Formation• Incubation• Illumination• Evaluation

How the Brain Works• Left Brain:• uses logic• facts rule• words and

language• order/pattern

perception• reality based• forms strategies• practical• safe

• Right Brain:• uses feelings• big picture

orientation• symbols and

images• philosophy &

religion• appreciates• spatial

perception• fantasy based• impetuous• risk taking

Right Brain – Left Brain

Right Brain – Left Brain

Application of the Process • Practice the three Cs: Clothes, Color,

Count

• When getting dressed, look at the colors you are putting on. Quickly list as many alternative color names as you can.

• e.g: brown: warm brown, rust, young oak, toast, burnt sienna, burnt earth, squirrel, evening orange, café au lait, sun-kissed mahogany, rolling-in-the-mud Old Yeller.

Application of the Process

• Use other people as sounding blocks:

• e.g: At a group gathering, start a progressive story about anything. A wacky group somewhere else in the country or world who is also just gathering.

• Each person adds a few sentences to the story.

Application of the Process • Play the TV/movie game

• Study a character, and write down a dozen or so ways that he or she reminds you of yourself.

• Then, during the commercials, figure out a link between one of the traits and the product being advertised. Pick a different one for each commercial break.

• e.g: needs to go on a diet, is humorous, is a college grad, drives a red car…

Learn from the innovators

• Combine your personal and professional lives:• Be a Poet• Be a Thief• Throw a Fit• Hop About• Daydream• Push the Limits• Paint a Picture

Develop an Attitude for Innovation

• Learn to deal with failure

• Learn from discarded ideas

• Learn how to be silly

• Convince yourself that you are creative

Failure

• Failure is a learning tool

• Don’t fear being silly or being different

• Careful ideas aren’t the best ones

Let’s Try It!

• Take out a sheet of paper.

• List as many ways as you can that you think you can become more innovative.

• Turn to a person sitting next to you and share your ideas.

Working in Groups

Six Thinking Hats• White: covers facts, figures,

information needs• Red: covers intuition, feelings,

emotions• Black: covers negatives and

problems• Yellow: covers logical and positive

sides• Green: covers alternatives,

provocations, changes• Blue: covers overview, process• 6 Hats helps by considering a

decision from several viewpoints

Big Red Property Management Co.

• The directors are considering whether to build a new office building to rent out. The economy is doing well and vacant office space is decreasing.

Applying the 6 Thinking Hats

• Black (devil’s advocate):• Government projections may

be wrong• If building is ugly, renters will

go elsewhere• Maybe the money would be

better spent buying up existing property

• Blue (process):• Keeps members from

criticizing each other

Applying the 6 Thinking Hats

• White (facts):• Consider current/future vacant office

space trends • Consider government projections on

economic growth

• Red (emotions)• Some directors feel the building will

be cost-effective but will look ugly

• “He who innovates will have for his enemies all those who are well off under the existing order of things, and only lukewarm supporters in those who might be better off under the new.”

• - Niccolo Machiaveli,

• The Prince

Questions?

Brainstorming

• Turn it into a routine• daydream, draw, visualize, doodle…

• Do it while exercising, bathing, walking

• The subconscious is full of ideas• e.g: play Imagine with your idea or

product:• imagine if it spoke to you• imagine if it was a toy• imagine if it was a cartoon character

Mindmapping

Mindmapping