|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Innovation Management: What Problem Is Being Solved?
Creativity can be defined as problem identification and idea generation whilst innovation can be defined as idea selection, development and commercialisation.
There are distinct processes that enhance problem identification and idea generation and, similarly, distinct processes that enhance idea selection, development and commercialisation. Whilst there is no sure fire route to commercial success, these processes improve the probability that good ideas will be generated and selected and that investment in developing and commercialising those ideas will not be wasted.
Franklin (2003) reported that many innovations fail due to a lack of focus. This sentiment is echoed by Doug Richards (Words of wisdom from the dragon's mouth, Financial Times, 7th May 2005) a venture capitalist who stated that what he really wants to know is what problem the product solves. This stresses the often overlooked but important part of the creativity and innovation process ? problem identification.
Ask twenty different people what the problem is and you will likely get twenty different answers. Each answer opens up a pathway that can be explored for ideas.
Taking time to identify problems exactly decreases misunderstandings, increases awareness of multiple dimensions, enhances interpersonal relationships and allows all opinions to be heard.
Developing and commercialising products addressed to specific problems reduces the occurrence of failure and the related cost. Further, it saves the cost of having to retrace steps and re-engineer.
These topics are covered in depth in the MBA dissertation on Managing Creativity & Innovation, which can be purchased (along with a Creativity and Innovation DIY Audit, Good Idea Generator Software and Power Point Presentation) from http://www.managing-creativity.com.
You can also receive a regular, free newsletter by entering your email address at this site.
You are free to reproduce this article as long as no changes are made and the author's name and site URL are retained.
Kal Bishop is a management consultant based in London, UK. He has consulted in the visual media and software industries and for clients such as Toshiba and Transport for London. He has led Improv, creativity and innovation workshops, exhibited artwork in San Francisco, Los Angeles and London and written a number of screenplays. He is a passionate traveller. He can be reached on http://www.managing-creativity.com
Wind Chimes and more... I have been working with leading Business Improvement guru, Tim... Read More I suspect all of you out there have someone that... Read More 'I heard it on the grapevine' the old song goes.... Read More Are you NICE or do you CARE? ... Read More One of the greatest obstacles to progress can often be... Read More SEXUAL HARASSMENT COMPLAINT INVESTIGATION PROCEDUREEvery complaint will be thoroughly investigated.... Read More The recent news about one of America's most powerful woman... Read More Outsourcing has become a controversial issue and a hot topic... Read More It's hard to believe the year will be half over... Read More My background is in retail management - yes, running stores,... Read More Although this performance discussion is an opportunity for you to... Read More Ah, the wretched pain of delegation. It comes easy to... Read More Q: I am an executive at a large company and... Read More This article begins with a tip of the hat to... Read More Key control, or more accurately the lack of key control... Read More People management and leadership has become a major topic of... Read More Rejection hurts. No one likes to give it or to... Read More Driving down the road our eyes frequently scan the vital... Read More How can you make the best use of your energy... Read More Geshe Michael Roach is a Princeton graduate and a Buddhist... Read More How do you select staff for international assignments? It's an... Read More When you know you need to shift up a gear,... Read More For many people, the terms "manager" and "leader" are synonymous.... Read More The digital divide is defined by the role computers play... Read More Wouldn't it be nice for business owners and executives to... Read More
Windchimes
for great gifts!
Organisational Culture for Continuous Improvement
Squeezing the Blood Out of that Old Turnip
Muggers in Our Midst - When Rumour and Gossip Pay You a Visit
Are you NICE or do you CARE?
Directed Introspection
Sexual Harassment Policy Guidelines Part II
Reflections in the Glass Ceiling
Outsourcing NOT Just for Big Business
Summertime Blues
Make a Difference - Sweat the Small Stuff First
Giving a Good Appraisal Interview
How To Delegate for Fun and Profit
Teaching Large Companies To Think Like The Little Guys
The Significance of the Mundane
Key Control ? Who Has the Keys to Your Kingdom?
How to Manage Your Most Valuable Assets - People?
How to Say No
Create Your Dashboard for Success
Increase Productivity: Five Powerful Actions
The Diamond Cutter
Assessing Managers for International Competence
Future Business Success - What Does Good Look Like?
Are You Managing to Lead?
Middle-Aged Managers, the Forgotten Digital Divide
How to Get Your Procedures Project Done
Ten Steps to Take the Work out of Work ? Replicate Yourself!
They say that management can be a lonely place. A... Read More
HRM: Contributing to Well-being or Ill-being at Work?
If you were to take the people out of an... Read More
Problem-Solving Success Tip: Measure the Right Things.
Measure the right things. It's not enough just to measure-you... Read More
Firing Someone Without Resentment
Firing, sacking, letting go or terminating people is unpleasant. There... Read More
Effective Multi Cultural International Business Meetings
Of the many areas in international business where cultural differences... Read More
Create Your Dashboard for Success
Driving down the road our eyes frequently scan the vital... Read More
Todays Employees and Their New Needs: What You Need to Know
Today's employees are not only interested in security or in... Read More
Motivation - You Get What You Reward
There's a programme currently running on BBC Television in the... Read More
The New Five Truths of Employee Motivation
Motivation is a term that is so widely used, yet... Read More
Knowledge Mapping
This module focuses on the basics of Knowledge Mapping, its... Read More
How to Delegate More Effectively
Do this simple excercise, and transform your life.First, Make a... Read More
Managing Yo-Yo Style
Does being managed by others smack more of "Survivor" than... Read More
Eight Key Steps to Building B2B Major Account Client Alliances
Audiences who saw the fabled Broadway musical, Chorus Line, marveled... Read More
Managing Employees Is A Little Like Herding Cats
Q: I started my small business about a year ago... Read More
The Power of ?Ask?
For Call Center managers, it is not a pipe dream... Read More
Build Rapport Fast! - Eight Easy Steps
Building rapport is all about creating a relationship, in the... Read More
Creativity and Innovation Management - Turning Ideas into Action
The phrase "turning ideas into action" is a Russian doll.Managing... Read More
Inspirational Power ( Part 1 )
The Fundamentals of Strategic Marketing, Some Key Traits for Greater... Read More
Your Company Without Training - Any Questions?
Okay, be honest!Are you guilty of sticking in a few... Read More
Office Politics
Office politics! It's just another way of saying: "The employees... Read More
Innovation Management ? IBM Opens Lid On Its Treasure Chest
IBM, which registered 3248 patents last year, has decided that... Read More
The ?Better Product? fallacy
Another fallacy ingrained in the minds of most marketing managers... Read More
Choices in Appointing International Managers
Globalization is requiring companies to make important choices about how... Read More
5 Ideas To Leverage The 3 Stages Of Career Development In Your Organization
In most industrialized nations, the average age a student graduates... Read More
Innovation Management ? Reducing Hierarchy
Creativity can be defined as problem identification and idea generation... Read More
Business Management |