Wednesday, June 13, 2007

Innovation Tools, Systems and Structures

What are the various breakthrough tools, systems and structures that have been leveraged to maximize the innovation throughput in organisations? Is there a way to systematically learn and draw out systems and structures from other industries and sectors? What are the learnings (and guiding principles) around customizing Innovation tools and processes for individual organisations?

Some of the tools employed by successful innovators are:
  • Innovation enabling tools: Systematic innovation in organisations can be driven through focused exercises that encourage the practitioners to think outside the box and look for solutions in places they would not normally look for.

  • Knowledge management systems: New ideas and learnings developed in-house need to be captured, mapped and made available to everybody else who might benefit from this journey. Knowledge management systems include “learning reports”, technology chat groups, blogs, etc.

  • Technology mapping: A pre-requisite to driving new innovations is to understand the current state of technology, and also map new “white spaces” where new proprietary innovations are possible.

3 comments:

Unknown said...

Recent reports from 3M has indicated that they lost the innovative edge due to following six sigma methodology. Systematization of innovation may be undoing of innovation.Is it possible to address this issue as 3M is always quoted as the model for inculcating innovations in organizations.

Navneet Bhushan said...

Well, 3M and Innovation nurturing - looks like a myth. Please read the link below
http://www.firstmonday.org/issues/
issue6_3/doheny/index.html

(Intermittent Aberrations – Can Mature Companies Innovate?) - Appendix 2 gives you a story of 3M Post-it and struggle of its inventor. I think - since structure determines behavior as per Peter Singe (Fifth Discipline) - Large companies which hardwire more and more structure find it difficult to Innovate. However, they can buy Innovation of small companies as they have more money - its INNOVATION BAZAAR out there - as per Harvard Business Review June 2007 - article .
One can also look at http://innovationcrafting.blogspot.com

Unknown said...

Thank you navaneet. Sorry for late reply as i was not doing well. I will get back to you after a detailed study on the issue.
Is it possible to comment on how to include complexity in the innovation process?