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

Cotton Gin

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 : age of goods – ground coffee : 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 gel b) Scotch tape c) 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 gel b) Scotch tape c) 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 Bell b) George Washington Carver c) 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 Bell b) George Washington Carver c) 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 Newton b) Leonardo da Vinci c) 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 Newton b) Leonardo da Vinci c) Marconi

The Innovation Quiz Who solved a famous problem by imagining he was travelling on a beam of light? a) Thomas Edison b) Albert Einstein c) Benjamin Franklin

The Innovation Quiz Who solved a famous problem by imagining he was travelling on a beam of light? a) Thomas Edison b) Albert Einstein c) 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

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