17 :: 5 Non-Traditional Innovation Roles

CINO In The Making is a weekly newsletter about innovation, growth, and leadership, where I share my journey and the toolkit I'm building to (hopefully) become a Chief Innovation Officer. ?

It's not the usual suspects who spark the brightest ideas. Those on the other side of that table do. The side with the unconventional thinkers, the game-changers, the disruptors, and the visionaries who break molds and change norms. A side that not all organizations have seats at yet (even though they most likely will soon), despite the undeniable innovation power those seats hold. These 5 non-traditional innovation roles sit there:

1. Indie Hackers ??????

An Indie Hacker is an entrepreneur who builds and launches products independently, often leveraging technology and digital platforms. They bring an agile approach to innovation through a mindset of resourcefulness, rapid prototyping, and iteration, which can accelerate the development of new ideas and products within an organization. You can learn more about the concept in the world’s biggest indie hacking community.

2. Innovation Product Managers ??

An Innovation Product Manager oversees the development and launch of new products or features that drive innovation. They bridge the gap between business objectives, customer needs, and technical capabilities, ensuring that innovation initiatives align with strategic goals and deliver tangible value to customers. This is my current role at P&G, so I’d be happy to chat about my experience in case you’d like to understand it better.

3. Marketing Technologists ??

A Marketing Technologist integrates marketing strategies with technology solutions to drive customer engagement and brand growth. They leverage digital tools, analytics, and automation to optimize marketing campaigns, personalize customer experiences, and uncover insights that inform innovation efforts. By harnessing the power of data and technology, they enable organizations to adapt to changing consumer behaviors and market trends. These McKinsey and HBR articles about marketing technology and Chief Marketing Technologists are a bit outdated but still provide relevant insights.

4. Innovation Designers ?

An Innovation Designer creates visually appealing and novel user-friendly interfaces, products, and experiences. They champion human-centered principles, challenge design conventions, and foster emotional connections with users, ensuring that innovations are intuitive, accessible, and delightful to use - ultimately enhancing customer satisfaction and loyalty. Here is a good mapping of an Innovation Designer's capabilities.

5. Anthropologists ??

An Anthropologist studies human societies, cultures, and behaviors to understand how people interact with products, services, and environments. They conduct ethnographic research, observe social dynamics, and uncover implicit needs and cultural nuances that influence consumer preferences and behaviors. Anthropologists provide valuable insights into market segments, enabling innovation teams to develop culturally relevant and inclusive innovations that resonate with diverse audiences. More about this combo here.

See you next Tuesday! ??