Author Archives: Braden Kelley

About Braden Kelley

Braden Kelley is a Human-Centered Experience, Innovation and Transformation consultant at HCL Technologies, a popular innovation speaker, and creator of the FutureHacking™ and Human-Centered Change™ methodologies. He is the author of Stoking Your Innovation Bonfire from John Wiley & Sons and Charting Change (Second Edition) from Palgrave Macmillan. Braden is a US Navy veteran and earned his MBA from top-rated London Business School. Follow him on Linkedin, Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram.

Join me in London for a Two-Day Innovation Certification Course

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Join me in London for a Two-Day Innovation Certification CourseI’m excited about the launch of the first global innovation certification, with four full levels to choose from (two for innovation practitioners and two for innovation leaders), complete with many action learning components.

The certification is being offered by the Global Innovation Management Institute in cooperation with the IXL Center, the Hult International Business School, and Innovation Excellence.

In 2014 in addition to doing innovation keynotes, workshops and masterclasses, I am considering a world tour to bring in-person two-day GIMI Level 1 Innovation Certification courses and innovation eLearning to Seattle in Mar/Apr, followed by London in May.

The two full days of Level 1 Innovation Certification training in London will be priced per person or with a discount for a group of four (4) people (which will include materials, the cost of the certification exam, and some special bonuses), or if you’d like to organize a group session for your company while I’m there, we can discuss a price for that.

If someone is willing to donate a Central London location and attendee logistics, please contact me as I can offer a significant discount in exchange (at least 50%).

But I need your help to determine which dates the two-day Level 1 Innovation Certification Training should be held on.

Finally, In addition to London I hope to soon be announcing other cities where the two-day in-person GIMI Level Innovation Certification course will be offered, either before or after the London dates.

Should your city be at the top of the list?

Sound off in the comments!


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Food Innovation Sighting – Waffle Taco

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Food Innovation Sighting - Waffle TacoDo you ever see a product that makes you wonder either:

A. Why didn’t I think of that?
B. How come nobody ever thought of that before?

Well, those are the thoughts that hit me when I opened the newspaper this morning and was greeted by a surprisingly tasty looking Waffle Taco that Taco Bell is launching to anchor their new breakfast menu (formerly known as First Meal at their restaurants). Now to be honest, for over a decade (and still to this day) have felt that ascribing the restaurant label to a Taco Bell was quite generous, and always wondered why people go to Taco Bell when there are so many good Taquerias and Taco Trucks around. Sorry, Taco Bell. But recently they have surprisingly been one of the more innovative fast food players.

In a previous post – Food Innovation Sighting – Doritos Tacos – I took to blogging about their previous food innovation, the Doritos Locos Taco, which initially came in the Nacho Cheese variety and was then followed by the Cool Ranch one. Frito Lay subsequently then made the taco shells available in grocery stores. Not a bad little piece of supplier innovation if you ask me.

Now, Taco Bell is following up their Doritos Locos Taco success with the Waffle Taco.

A waffle wrapped around scrambled eggs and either sausage or bacon (with a side of maple syrup). I have to say the picture here looks pretty tasty, but of course I know it won’t look like this in reality when someone orders it (see False Advertising? and follow the link in the article).

Innovation doesn’t have to be hard, it doesn’t have to involve coming up with something that is really hard for others to discover, sometimes the most successful innovations are those that come from ‘land mine’ ideation, which is basically focusing the energy of your group (or company) on the following question:

What potential innovation ideas are so close to us and should be so obvious to us, that if they were a land mine, we would probably blow ourselves up because we’re not seeing them?

So, keep looking for those obvious innovations that you’re missing now and keep innovating!

P.S. I’m sure some enterprising restaurateur out there thought of the waffle taco decades ago, and that makes another point about innovation – that many flashes of brilliance and successful innovations are triggered by seeing something when you’re out in your environment (and why inspiration sits at the core of the Eight I’s of Infinite Innovation).


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Stoking Your Innovation Bonfire – The Slideshare

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I’ve uploaded a sample chapter of my highly-rated popular book Stoking Your Innovation Bonfire from John Wiley & Sons to Slideshare. Stoking Your Innovation Bonfire is a great book focused on helping organizations identify and remove barriers to innovation, but also serves as a great innovation primer for organizations beginning their innovation journey and looking to establish a common innovation language across the organization.


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Stoking Your Innovation Bonfire is available on the various Amazon sites around the world and at other fine booksellers and public libraries.

You can buy the book in bulk here:

You can download Stoking Your Innovation Bonfire in digital form here:

You can probably check out the book from your local library (or request it):

Or you can buy a traditional paper copy of Stoking Your Innovation Bonfire here:

Thousands of people around the world have already purchased, downloaded, or checked out their copy of Stoking Your Innovation Bonfire and enjoyed the easy, but valuable read, and I hope you will too.

Keep innovating!


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Innovating by Staring at Goats

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Innovating by Staring at GoatsWhat makes you stop and stare?

What inspires you?

I’ve written many times about the role of inspiration in innovation, and there are lots of sources of both inspiration and innovation. For me, inspiration is so important to innovation that I put inspiration at the center of my Eight I’s of Innovation framework (traducido al español por Vanessa Lopez-De la O). While inspiration is of course important, there are seven other I’s in the Eight I’s framework that help to transform inspiration into income. I came across a video, on Yahoo! Sports of all places, that inspired me. It shows goats engaging in a very unusual behavior with a metal ribbon.

Here’s the video:



The video of the goats’ behavior made me not just stare, but also made me think about several things, including:

  • What a fun way to play king of the mountain
  • This is a great demonstration of the importance of flexibility, balance, and perseverance
  • All athletes need off-season training, maybe this is off-season training for goats
  • Just about anything will make me laugh (5 million views can’t be wrong)
  • How long before someone tries to turn a metal ribbon into the next Zumba like craze?
  • How long will it be before Cirque du Soleil creates a metal ribbon act?

What else can we learn from this video?

Well, in my previous post Key to Innovation Success Revealed! I shared that I see successful innovation as being composed of:

  1. Invention
  2. Entrepreneurship
  3. Collaboration

Some might disagree with me, but I believe animals can be inventive, and we can see in the video the goats collaborating. But are the goats being entrepreneurial here?

Are humans the only animals that innovate?

What can we learn from the behavior, physics, or architecture of other animals that might inspire us to achieve success with our current innovation challenge?

Keep innovating!


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Are Coca-Cola and Green Mountain Late to the Personalization Party?

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Are Coca-Cola and Green Mountain Late to the Personalization Party?Recently I came across an announcement that Coca-Cola is partnering with Green Mountain Coffee Roasters to sell Coke products as part of Green Mountain’s new home beverage system slated for a release later this year. For those of you who aren’t familiar with Green Mountain, they make the popular Keurig in-home single-serving coffee machine (which became a popular home and office item after Nespresso’s patents expired). Now they want to expand their in-home beverage machine product line to include cold beverages. What is not clear in the press release is which of Coke’s products will be available with this new beverage system.

Will it only be beverages like Minute Maid juices, Powerade, Vitaminwater and non-carbonated beverages in their portfolio?

Or will it include the Coca-Cola crown jewels – Coke, Diet Coke, Sprite, etc.?

The only thing that is mentioned is that the system will not contain a carbon dioxide cylinder that needs to be changed periodically (something the Sodastream system requires).

So, what is driving Coca Cola to pursue this $1.25 Billion investment in Green Mountain Coffee Roasters in search of innovation?

Well, there are many different reasons why companies seek to innovate.

In Level 1 of the Global Innovation Certification we refer to this as Innovation Intent, and I am currently recording the fifth video module from two full days of live certification training materials for the Level 1 Innovation Certification eLearning, and this video module happens to be about innovation intent.

Some of the reasons that companies look to innovate can of course include:

  1. An ambitious leader
  2. A changing regulatory environment
  3. A changing competitive environment
  4. A desire for new growth opportunities
  5. Faltering company financials (burning platform)
  6. A need for competitive response
  7. Requests from customers
  8. Recognized new supplier capabilities
  9. Demands from shareholders
  10. Requests from passionate employees
  11. INSERT YOUR REASON HERE

Coca Cola FreestyleSo what is going on here for Coca-Cola?

Well, competitor Sodastream recently splashed out $4 million for a Super Bowl advertisement (during a game that our local Seattle Seahawks won) and has been growing steadily (while still small compared to Coca-Cola). But it does have a market cap of $780 Million and a growing fan base. But, at the same time, Coca-Cola is investing $1.25 Billion for 10% of Green Mountain Coffee Roasters. Why are they investing more than $1 Billion in this interesting, but still comparatively small segment of the beverage business?

Is this a smokescreen move, announcing a product that may never see the light of day, in order to dent the growth of an emerging competitor?

Is it a competitive response, a hedge, with a me-too product in case the home soda bottling movement continues to grow?

Is it just a logical doubling down for Coca-Cola in a belief that the beverage personalization trend has not exhausted itself yet, and building upon the success of the Coca-Cola Freestyle and the groundwork that Sodastream has done to seed the market for Coke?

Or has Green Mountain Coffee Roasters, with its massive distribution channels (in comparison to Sodastream), brought Coca-Cola something that truly represents an innovation in the beverage system market versus the Sodastream offering that might result in people switching and both gaining back market share for Coke in their core markets, while also potentially representing an opportunity for some of their less successful brands to gain traction in a space where they don’t have competition from Pepsi?

This of course would be the more interesting of the strategic undertones, and the one in which Pepsi, not Sodastream should be the most worried.

Because after all, in the minds of Coca-Cola executives, it is Pepsi that they are always most worried about, not someone like Sodastream, and anything that allows them to potentially steal market share from Pepsi, makes them very happy indeed.

What are the motivations behind this move and partnership, which direction will all of it go, and is there any real innovation happening here?

And what will Pepsi do?

I guess we will have to wait and see.

Meanwhile, ask yourself what your innovation intent is, and…

Keep innovating!


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Innovation Goes to the Dogs?

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Innovation Going to the Dogs?

In case you missed it, a team from Scandinavia thinks that they’ve nearly cracked no, not the human-computer interface, but the dog-computer interface, so that some day soon we might in fact be able to understand man’s best friend.

What does the dog say?

Well, this question begs another question, do we really care? Or do we really want to hear it all of the time?

They’ve launched an IndieGoGo campaign and have already exceeded their campaign funding goal, so I guess they’ll be moving their research and product development on to the next stage.

So, what do you think, if they push the product to the finish line, will it be an invention or an innovation?


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Starbucks Train Making Connections with Customers

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Starbucks Train Making Connections with Customers

What happens in Switzerland if you forget to buy your latte or cappuccino before you get on the train?

Well, Starbucks has taken the next leap in connecting with customers as they make their rail connections, moving beyond retail locations in train stations across Europe to opening its first store on a Swiss Federal Railways (SBB) car, the national railway line for Switzerland.

Starbucks Train InteriorThe new Starbucks train café is one of the smallest the company has ever designed, and they have managed to include space for 50 people, baristas, a pastry case, standing bar, and a lounge area, all tastefully assembled into a two level train car.

This latest Starbucks retail twist may only be a test, and the first of its kind for the company, but it now officially puts them in planes, trains, and automobiles, and is a smart way to extend the customer relationship and maintain their connection with existing customers while also possibly building new ones in a captive audience situation.

It’s a smart move for Starbucks to test this format even if it fails like Amazon Tote.

Starbucks Train CustomersIt’s incredibly important for companies like Starbucks that sell daily indulgences to be in the places where people are looking to enjoy that little treat, and with the level of quality increasing (at least in the coffee experience) at competitors like Dunkin Donuts, McCafe, Caribou Coffee, and others, Starbucks has to do everything they can to reinforce their premium image and customer loyalty.

The questions every retailer (or business for that matter) must continuously ask themselves include:

1. What type of customer relationship do we have?
2. What type of relationship does the customer have with our product or service?
3. What products and services do we have our customers’ permission to provide?
4. Where do our customers want us to be?

If you have a copy of my popular five-star book Stoking Your Innovation Bonfire, you can dig into the ideas behind these questions more in Appendix A where I look at a number of different “Customer Relationship Types” and “Levels of Customer Permission” in an effort to help you maximize the customer relationship

If you are looking for additional opportunities to serve your customers, maintain existing customer loyalty, and to build new customer relationships, you might also want to check out Appendix B in Stoking Your Innovation Bonfire, where I get into my framework for visualizing the customer purchasing journey and my framework for visualizing the core business operations that support the customer purchasing journey.

And then when you’ve got some ideas that you want to possibly pursue, you might want to run them through The Innovation Baker’s Dozen framework in Appendix C.

There is a lot of great content hidden in the book in various places, which is why it has done so well, and this exploration of the new Starbucks Train is the perfect time to highlight some of the insights captured in the appendices.

So, ask yourself the four questions above, check out the appendices, think about what Starbucks has done with their espresso train and let me know what you come up with!

Here is the official video announcing the Starbucks and SBB collaboration on the Starbucks train experience:


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Please Take a Minute to Vote for Me as a Top 5 Innovation & Creativity Speaker

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Vote Braden Kelley a Top 5 Innovation & Creativity SpeakerSpeaking.com is running their annual Top 5 Speaker Awards voting, and if you’ve heard me speak, enjoyed my book Stoking Your Innovation Bonfire, or enjoy all of the written content and video content that I bring to the innovation community, then I’d sure love your write-in vote in the Innovation/Creativity category.

And you might win $500 in the bargain!

Click here to vote

Just write in my name in the space provided (I don’t have a checkbox because they aren’t one of the speaker bureaus that represent me – yet) and scroll all the way to the bottom and fill in your FIRST NAME and EMAIL – and that’s it!

Easy as pie.

They are posting the winners January 21, 2014 so there is only ONE WEEK LEFT to vote.

Click here to vote

Thank you for your support!


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Start 2014 with an Innovation Catalyst Certification

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Start 2014 with an Innovation Catalyst Certification

I’m a certified Innovation Catalyst. Are you?

Did you know you that for FREE between now and January 31, 2014 you could become certified as an Innovation Catalyst by the Global Innovation Management Institute as a special offer in preparation for the launch of four (4) full levels of innovation certification?

Four Innovation Certification LevelsThe FREE Innovation Catalyst certification is a subset of what will be offered as part of the Level 1 Certification (Innovation Associate), which people can prepare for by either:

  1. Self-study

  2. Attending a TWO DAY in-person training session conducted by an approved trainer

  3. Completing eLearning that I will be providing

The Level 1 Certification for Innovation Associates will be much more involved, but to give people a taste of what will be included the Global Innovation Management Institute (GIMI) has created the FREE Innovation Catalyst certification, and because it is a subset of the Level 1 content, it will help you get off to a running start in the achievement of the other more detailed levels.

Earn the FREE Innovation Catalyst certification in FOUR EASY STEPS:
(Sorry, the free BETA period expired January 31, 2014)

Udemy Innovation Catalyst Certification CourseSTEP ONE: Register for the FREE Innovation Catalyst certification

STEP TWO: Download and print out the study guide

STEP THREE: Enroll in and complete the FREE Innovation Catalyst eLearning

STEP FOUR: Study and take the test!

Start the new year with a bang and join me as a certified Innovation Catalyst!

Register now for the FREE Innovation Catalyst certification Signup now for the FREE Innovation Catalyst certification eLearning

Sorry, this offer expired January 31, 2014


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Build a Common Language of Innovation for 2014

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Build a Common Language of Innovation for 2014As the end of 2013 approaches, why not give your employees and your organization the gift of innovation for 2014?

One of the biggest keys to innovation success is building a common language of innovation.

From creating a definition of innovation unique to your organization, to creating an innovation vision, strategy, and goals, a common language of innovation will accelerate the speed and effectiveness of your innovation efforts by aligning everyone’s understanding of what innovation means to your organization and how you plan to achieve it.

One way that organizations around the world are doing this, is to acquire my book Stoking Your Innovation Bonfire in bulk quantities to help their organization create a common language and understanding of innovation.

In addition to helping organizations identify and remove barriers to innovation, Stoking Your Innovation Bonfire also serves a great innovation primer and a good way to get everyone on the same page.

If you’d like to align and accelerate your innovation efforts going into 2014, consider:

  1. Making a bulk order of Stoking Your Innovation Bonfire from Hooks Books (an independent minority woman-owned bookseller) or 800-CEO-READ (for customized orders) to hand out as gifts

  2. Introducing the Nine Innovation Roles into your organization

  3. Contacting me about my elearning offerings (Level 1 GIMI Innovation Certification eLearning Coming Soon!)

  4. Booking me for a keynote speech, workshop or masterclass – Book Now

Keep innovating!


Build a common language of innovation on your team

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