8 Step Process Perfects New Product Development
Every entrepreneur knows that productivity is one of the key ingredients for successful product development. One of the two key processes in Robert’s Rules of Innovation is the NEW PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT PROCESS. A formalized, NPD process – also referred to and best practice: the Stage Gate® Process – is a must, from simple to sophisticated. The New Product Development process is often referred to as The Stage-Gate innovation process, developed by Dr. Robert G. Cooper as a result of comprehensive... Read more »
Walking on the Edge with Innovation
Innovation thrives on a diet of news ideas. It needs new views, fresh thinking; a different perspective from across the organization, from the center to the edge. Walking on the edge According to John Hagel and John Seely Brown for the Aspen Institute Roundtable Discussion in 2012, the place where innovation is most likely to flourish is not at the core of an organization but at the edge “where the weight of inertia is less inhibiting and where disruptive initiatives are more likely to be tolerated”.... Read more »
Sustainable Innovation Meets Disruptive Innovation
Why is success so hard to sustain? In order to succeed, everybody should be involved and engaged in innovation. Innovation should be broad; from innovations in the product or offering, to innovations in the process, delivery, and/or finance. For many years, innovation was seen as the development of new products. However, creating new products is only one way to innovate. “Initially developed in 1998, the Ten Types of Innovation showed that companies that integrate multiple types of innovation... Read more »
The Hidden Value of an IP Portfolio – Just ask Dell
Value creation is the performance of actions that increase the worth of goods, services and businesses. It benefits customers, who receive improved products and services, as well as shareholders of the company who wish to see their stake appreciate over time. How does a company create and maintain value? Through innovation processes that build a portfolio of patented intellectual property. A company’s value is not only measured by its annual revenue, but also by the worth of its IP portfolio. In... Read more »
Interview with Jim Blasingame on The Small Business Advocate Show
Find interviews with Small Business experts on the Small Business Advocate show Listen to my interview with Jim Blasingame on The Small Business Advocate Show. Read More →
Net Result, Net Reward: Engineering Sustainability
“Engineering Innovation” from The Henry Samueli School of Engineering How does your company engineer sustainability? Do you track new product sales objectives? Is your NPD pipeline as robust as you’d like it to be? Do you reward people who contribute good ideas to your organization? Do you have a reward system in place for creativity? Do you recognize staff for creativity and accomplishments in your NPD? When all is said and done, innovation is about ROI derived from the transformation... Read more »
Innovation Leadership Re-invented.
Innovation is constantly taking place around us, from the mundane and simple, to the abstract and grand. Last night I was watching a video for Samsung’s newest screen prototype, the oled bendable plastic screen under the Youm brand name. This morning I am sitting in a coffee shop using webbeams – free Wi-Fi provided with coffee drinker’s in mind. I especially love the language used on webbeams website. “Serious Coffee, Serious Wi-Fi. You have things to do and coffee to drink. The last thing... Read more »
Sustainable Innovation Metrics
Of the 10 imperatives of Robert’s Rules of Innovation, Observe and Measure is one of the most vital. Innovation is ultimately about Return on Investment. A system of metrics will objectively show your progress and success each step of the way. It’s essential to follow a course of action that produces ongoing improvement, and sustainable and repeatable innovation. Innovation is meaningless without attaching measurable goals to an initiative. Read more on sustainable innovation... Read more »
Sustainable Innovation – Inspiration from a 7-year-old
Vision leads to the mission, from which is developed the strategy. Inject vibrant ideas, and stir in some climate and culture, process, and technology. The result: Sustainable Innovation About those vibrant ideas, where do they come from? In the earliest days of our childhood, we spent a great amount of time creating and thinking up new ideas. We were continually building, imagining, and creating things; pillow forts, Lego buildings, kitchen snacks, and whatever else we could dream up using household... Read more »
Innovation from a “Gemba” perspective
When was the last time you approached your business as a customer? Have you ever placed an order for your own product, and followed its path from start to finish? It may be time to start. It may be time for a Gemba Walk. Competitive business strategy requires effective planning, development and growth. It demands innovation in all aspects of performance and interaction. The ability to monitor, study, and track core elements; both human and material, can help to minimizing errors and... Read more »
The Lost Interviews…
“What ruined Apple was not growth … what ruined apple was values… They got very greedy … Instead of following the original trajectory of the original vision, which was to make the thing an appliance and get this out there to as many people as possible … they went for profits. They made outlandish profits for about four years. What this cost them was their future. What they should have been doing is making rational profits and going for market share.” These are Steve Jobs Words from a... Read more »
If ideas are the seeds of innovation…
“If ideas are the seeds of innovation, idea management is the formalization of the processes involved in gathering, sharing, analyzing and executing the ideas generated within an organization and its collaborative networks.” Whichever form your ideas take, how you manage them dictates the outcome of each endeavor. For great tips on idea management read the latest post, “If ideas are the seeds of innovation…” at the Robert’s Rules of Innovation Blog. http://www.robertsrulesofinnovation.com/blogs/ideas-seeds-innovation.html Read More →
Innovation Pessimism
“The idea that innovation and new technology have stopped driving growth is getting increasing attention. But it is not well founded. Has the Idea Machine broken Down?” This is a must read article recently featured on the Economist. It is an interesting take on innovation as it is happening today. According to Peter Thiel, a founder of PayPal, innovation in America is “somewhere between dire straits and dead”. Is this accurate? The pace of innovation may have slowed, but the... Read more »
2013 Innovation Resolution: Make Mistakes
At the beginning of every year, I pick one solid quote to live by for the year. This year, my quote comes from Neil Gaiman. Gaiman himself never graduated from college. He never even enrolled in college. Yet, today, he is one of the most celebrated and prolific writers working today. “I hope that in this year to come, you make mistakes. Because if you are making mistakes, then you are making new things, trying new things, learning, living, pushing yourself, changing yourself, changing... Read more »
Stay inspired this Holiday Season – The 12 Days of innovation
Robert’s Rules of Innovation wishes you and yours a wonderful Holiday Season. May you stay inspired in 2013! Tis’ the Season for harrowing crowds, spiked eggnog, and delicious holiday feasts. It’s also the time of year for distraction, procrastination, and a lull in business productivity. Many companies see a lag in productivity and innovation during the holidays. According to a study by the Institute for Corporate Productivity, 70% of organizations regard interruption of workflow... Read more »
What drives Innovation and who owns it?
Ownership is one of the key imperatives of Robert’s Rules of Innovation. Most would agree that innovation is everyone’s responsibility, but employees can’t innovate unless their leaders empower them to do so. Innovation needs a champion within the organization to push them to take calculated risks, and to step outside their own comfort zone. Without ownership, positive results are almost impossible to achieve. To find out if you are on track in your companies’ innovation ownership; ask yourself... Read more »
3 Strategies for Efficient and Effective Teamwork
You’ve just asked your employees to collaborate on an important group project. After taking time to photocopy a stack of handouts about the project, the group waits for a conference room to become available. Finally seated around the table, the group stares down at their paperwork until the meeting disperses, not to meet again for days or weeks. At its bare essentials, the group project appears to be tedious and inefficient. But, by making a few simple changes, you can promote a creative... Read more »
Innovations to be thankful for… & the importance of the NPD process
After sitting down to Thanksgiving dinner last week, it is hard not to think of all that we have to be thankful for. In the past year there have been some incredible new innovations revolutionizing the way people live their lives. After countless hours spent planning, researching, designing, and testing; what was once an idea, becomes a tangible reality. Implementing innovation depends on a disciplined strategy customized to the needs, size and culture of an organization. Innovation can be incremental,... Read more »
In a Marketing Rut? Get Innovative!
You’ve optimized your website keywords, populated your social profiles with content, and maximized your print advertisements and direct mail campaigns… but your traffic and revenue still hasn’t increased. If this sounds familiar, you may be stuck in a marketing rut. Rather than continuing your same old, same old marketing tactics, utilize a few innovative ideas to jump-start your campaigns and start increasing your revenue. Get Strategic with Email You’ve got a customer mailing list already,... Read more »
Innovation Balancing Act
r On June 15th of this year, Nik Wallenda became the first person ever to walk across the roaring Niagra Falls on a 2-inch wire. After battling wind swells, and thick mist, Wallenda completed his walk crossing from the United States into Canada. He was greeted by a Canadian customs agent who asked, “What is the purpose of your trip sir?” Wallenda’s response: “To inspire people around the world to follow their dreams and never give up”. There are many possible roads... Read more »
Innovation Evolution
