When Innovation Strikes????

A few days ago I shared a methodology that I created to work more efficiently. I call it H.I.W.I.? (High-Intensity Work Intervals). What I didn't tell you is "how" I arrived at the following realization: I found that I achieve optimal output performance during short, intense intervals working on many different projects, rather than spending prolonged hours of steady work on sequential projects. My work playlist is on shuffle mode ??, so to speak, and I guess I never reflected on this approach until now. In its raw form, H.I.W.I.? is an adaptation which, as you are about to see, can drastically change the way you think about innovation.??

This is a true story. I know it is true because it's about me and how I've decided to live my life and manage my work the way I do. It is the story of someone who, from kindergarten to high-school, carried more snacks than notebooks (one messy notebook to be precise) to school in his backpack and still did relatively well. It is the story of how I've learned how to leverage impulsive tendencies? and fast-thinking to my advantage to get things done. This is about someone who juggles the demands of modern life and is constantly looking for efficient work-arounds to make the most out of his limited time.

I have always believed that, if you attempt different things over and over, you will eventually unveil (or randomly arrive) to lightbulb moments. In innovation lingo, the art trying things out and testing different approaches is known as experimentation. Whether we realize it or not, experimentation is something we all do, all the time. We turn the AC dial up and down until the car's temperature is "perfect". We artfully sprinkle PowerPoint slides with charts, icons and colors. We move things around our office to make sure our space is welcoming and conveys who we are. We do it in part because failure can be very expensive, right? AC is too low and your partner will start complaining. Too many colors on that slide and you’ll lose the audience. Too many diplomas in the office and the ambient bias will skyrocket. Experimentation allows you to get it “just right”.

Testing allows you to uncover insights you simply cannot see or feel without trying them first. These concepts, which seem to be basic, are not the norm. Human beings don’t have the time for testing hypotheses and experimenting everything we do. The mechanics of mundane, day-to-day decisions are such that you don’t really have to spend too much time thinking about them. Most of our day we just execute known actions and move onto the next task. Our brains need space for more information so we automate numerous actions and thoughts which leads to us not not spending enough time training our brains to think about situational and dispositional conditions. This way of thinking limits both “what” we think and “how” we think, which in turn prevents us from seeing beyond our own experiences and beliefs. It is also very interesting how days feel longer whenever we are learning or doing things that are unusual. Research suggests this is the very reason why life seems to “fly by” as you get older, but that’s a topic for another article.?

There are a number of ways you can gain a deeper understanding of things, and one of them is just by paying closer attention to the world around us. Observation, for example, allows you to record differences and think about challenges in a much richer and deeper way. Under the exact same conditions, a toddler and an elder will interact with and experience the same exact object very differently. Let’s take a remote control as an example. Do you have any idea how hard using a remote control could be if you had severe arthritis or couldn’t see very well? Do you know how dangerous swallowing a button battery could be for a 2 y/o who uses a remote control as a teething toy? It would take a simple experiment of observing users for you to uncover fascinating insights about a common remote control. Believe it or not, few people think this way.?

Keep your eyes peeled because innovation can strike at any time! The good ole “oh man, I could have come up with that idea!” is a testament to how incisive observation and constant experimentation can lead to “aha!” moments. Experimentation is also a bi-product of effective ideation, and this is the very reason why I am so animate about the power of group ideation vs individual work. I have a profound appreciation for solo time. I think it’s necessary and certainly useful for reflection and focused work. While it is true that artists, let’s say painters, work alone, their creative minds are in constant exploration for uniqueness, and that can only be done by observing, analyzing and deciphering the world around them. Creativity is fueled by exposure to different things, experiences, people and ideas. No innovation has happened in a silo, none, zero, nada.??

Here is a good exercise for you to try. Next time you go out, stop and observe. Look for behaviors, emotions, the unexpected and adaptations. Watch people interact with objects, things and other people and think as a researcher: Why does the mother push the stroller single-handed? Why is my son using his truck as a spoon? Why is that person wearing the backpack on their chest?, etc. The idea is that you start training your brain to think differently and to unlock new knowledge of human behavior and emotions through observation and experimentation. Being “obsessed with empathy” is something that can lead to a much better understanding of how the world around us really works. It is certainly something that helped me to live a better life, be more creative and put myself in someone else's shoes.?

Always remember that your first idea won't be your best idea.