Innovation is hard

Innovation is hard. Innovation, it is not only about an idea. It is the story of failures, defeat and success. It is the meaningful, active, collaboration that is actually collaborative between individuals, teams and organisations working towards the realisation of an idea, into a something.

Innovation is emotional. Innovation at times is a literal roller coaster of emotions. Ideas, excitement, the endorphin highs through to the frustrations, the disappointments, it is draining, but this is the cost of innovation – and that is from my last project.

When I look back at the innovation projects I have been involved with over the last 10 years, the early days excitement and unbound possibilities come thick and fast. As you move from starting to doing, people have a tendency to settle back into their comfort zones, that safe, risk adverse place. There is nothing wrong with knowing where your comfort zone is. If you are going to innovate you will need to leave it behind either in the leading of an innovation project and you take people on that journey with you or, as part of an organisation or as a member of an innovation team on that journey. Innovation is all about collaboration, you either do, or you don’t, no halfway measures.

In my role As Chief Technologist at TRL Software I find myself at the nexus point of what TRL Software has done, what we are doing and what is to come in future. That is a pretty exciting place to be.

What we are doing. It is no great secret that we are building our own UTC system based on SCOOT, right now. Likewise, we go from strength to strength with our road safety offering and have a measurable impact on casualty reduction – this is a powerful motivator for doing more. Even with all this, there is much more to be done, to do this, we recognise the inherent intellectual capital of the organisation, our people and we push collaboration like never before.

Rather than telling you what we are doing is going to be a game changer and that we are going to disrupt the market, we are getting on with it instead. Follow up piece to come tomorrow (Tuesday)