How to Prevent Innovation From Being Just Plain Boring
You see it every day. Brands talking about how innovative they are, how this new widget will transform their business, and how millions of consumers will run to the nearest store and buy, buy, buy! But if you look a little closer at many of the brands, the new widget is actually just a new bit of coloured plastic, a dodgy app, or a brand tie-up with a film, tv spot or a tourism experience. It may be a new way of doing things (for the brand), but I wouldn’t call it innovation (see my previous post on definition of innovation).
I believe innovation is more about business solutions:
"Deeply understanding the business problem clients face, and then applying properly practiced creativity, a little rule breaking, and collaboration, to delivery solutions that solve the problem, have a positive impact on the brand and drives real growth."
Unfortunately, much ‘so called’ innovation is just gimmicky or a dull attempt to attract attention. It hasn't changed the firm, or the interaction between a business and its customers. And if it doesn't change things, frankly, what’s the point.
In my role, I am keen to ensure that innovation is central to our business, and that we are always innovating in the true sense of the word. But that doesn't mean I think that just any kind of innovation is mandatory for ourselves, or indeed, for the firms we assist. Innovation should be transformative and build new connections. Innovation is inspiring and exciting when it helps change the way a business operates, and when both companies and their customers get more from the exchanges. It helps build productivity, and it makes companies great to work with. Most importantly, innovation should lead to growth.
Surrounded by ideas everyday, I came up with a short questionnaire to help test if it is a truly innovative concept. I use it as a basic tool, a litmus test, to provide guidance.
THE BUILD IT OR BURY IT CONCEPT TEST
- Does the concept change the way your firm makes its products/does business?
- Does it change the way you communicate with customers?
- Is it tapping in to talent and ideas normally outside the firm?
- Is it giving customers more choice?
- Does it respond to changes in consumer/business behaviour?
- Is the value of the innovation easy to understand (even if it is a technically complex solution)?
- Will its development inspire people to talk about it?
- Is it genuinely new, and not just a new costume for old products and practice?
- Are you getting people calling you up to see how they can get in on the project?
… and finally...
10. Are you SO EXCITED about your innovation that you want to spend all your spare time thinking about it?
If your concepts all get YES responses to these questions, then congratulations, YOU HAVE A COOL INNOVATION. Actually I want to know about it, and to buy it. If you get a YES to more than seven questions, then you may still have a good set of ideas, and we should talk more about how we can make it even more exciting. If you get a YES to only five questions, you probably need to go back and think about how you can generate more change - to markets, to your business, and probably to your agency! But if you got a YES to less than five questions, then think seriously, pivot, apply your learning, or move on!
What do you think of my test?
How do your own innovations stand up to it?
Should I add any further criteria?
Share your thoughts with me in comments, below! Thanks for reading, please share if you like the article.
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Anthony J James was awarded LinkedIn's 'Agency Publisher of the Year' for Asia Pacific. If you enjoyed this post maybe try one of these as well - see all posts.
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7 年Dear Anthony J James, very interesting read and well pointed the finger at business as usual in most organisations around the planet, which are full throttle heading for the iceberg. You requested feedback. So here is what came up in my head. In my opinion you've definitely moved into the right direction to nail it. But there are key improvements you need to make. Reading your test questions I recognised something worth your attention. It often happens in the honoust efforts of most business people, trying to step up their game. We try to solve things by approaching things from the perspective of our own interests. The perspective of the leadership, the organisation, of us. And although this is a good start this approach can never fully satisfy the interests of our relations. That's logical because our starting point is our own interest, instead of the interest of the relation. The book "How Customers think" of Prof. Dr. Gerald Zaltman (Harvard Business School) I brought me a new key insight. For spot on innovation we need to approach things from the perspective of our 'relations'. We need to fully satisfy the interests of our relations and solve their problems in a way that really make a difference to them. This will cause a landslide. It's the most brilliant branding campagne possible. When defined we can start to work our way up to incorporate the new perspective and make it meet our customers needs. Of course we need to align this with the interests of your organisational ambitions, targets and goals. But the starting point is totally different and make us see things we never saw/realised before. So I suggest you formulate a few questions that wil cover these essential steps. And make sure they are the foundation of all change. Target both your internal relations and your external relations to help you define the interests of them. The sequence you need to follow is 1) Isolate the interests of your external relations. 2) Isolate the interests of your internal relations. 3) Isolate the interests of the organisation. 4) Isolate the personal mission of your leadership board (individual and as a team). I also recommend to use the expression 'progress' instead of 'growth'. Progress is never ending. It's also earlier recognisable. And it's more specific. And growth is a key factor to reach progress, so growth can never be the very essence of targets and goals. Substantial progress cause people to feel more happy because their lives have been improved big time. Only when we accomplish this we can talk about true innovation.
Founder??"Most Innovative Cold Beverage Cup Lid Manufacturer" Driving Your Foodservice Revenue & Elevating Brand Experience With All-In-One Handheld Innovation. Recycled Material ??.
7 年Great post Anthony J James - Innovation - Digital - Engagement Lead Spot on, real innovation delivers sustainable solutions that positively impact the top and bottom lines, as well as the processes of a business daily. The evolution of a brands consumer acceptance, occurs by interacting, communicating and demonstrating clear understanding of lifestyle convenience needs. That's what breeds genuine game changers!