Author Archives: Robert Brands

About Robert Brands

In his Innovate to Thrive and Results Driven Innovation sessions, Robert Brands shares the secrets of his ten rules of innovation. You will learn how to continually create and sustain the innovative concepts your business needs to stay ahead in the game. Connect with Robert on innovationcoach.com and follow Robert @innovationrules to learn more.

Innovation: “Inciting Discovery, Inspiring Change” #CINONY

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GUEST POST by Robert F. Brands

Earlier this month, Innovation Enterprise held a Chief Innovation Officer Summit in New York City.

The Summit brings together innovation leaders from a range of industries to “incite discovery, inspire change & facilitate a cross-pollination of ideas”. Panelists from some of the most innovative companies such as Pfizer, Disney, Sony, and NASA discussed innovation best practices, innovation metrics, and breakthrough strategies.

One topic discussed at the summit was The Premature Extinction of the Chief #Innovation Officer. The chief Innovation officer or CINO is the person who is primarily responsible for managing the process of innovation. Innovation executives are often the facilitator of change, and the leaders responsible for the development of corporate innovation culture.

Although I am a firm believer that the CEO must take the role of Chief Innovation Officer, in large corporations, it pays to have a CINO that works and drives innovation on a daily basis. Due to the fact that innovation is not always immediately tangible, it is important to continually re-evaluate the role and adapt to change in order to stay relevant.

Every successful business leader knows that innovation in business is essential, but the best way to engineer and sustain it is not always clear.

During the summit Luis Solis, President of Imaginatik highlighted four essential steps/measures to fortify the CINO position. These steps not only affirm the 10 imperatives of innovation as outlined in Robert’s rules of Innovation, but strengthen my resolve that successful innovation requires many different elements to cross the finish line ahead of your competition.

According to Mr. Solis, the best way to ensure that the role of the CINO does not follow that of the CKO is by doing the following:

  • Make Innovation Imperative: Language is crucial. Innovation cannot be an option, it must be a priority.
  • Show the Impact of Innovation: Visible Indicators of success need not only be monetary, your return on innovation can be changes in speed to market, patents, shortened cycles, and other measures. Remember that what gets measured gets done. Look for Leading and Lagging indications of Innovations as written about before.
  • Investment in people and time: Educate your CFO about investing in innovation, so that you can invest in the people and time needed to make innovation happen. Create a culture around innovation. Educate and inspire.
  • Secure Institutional Trust: Stakeholders in your business must understand that innovation is a shared win. Your corporate culture must also take into account that without risk, there can be no innovation. Use Failure as a Learning opportunity.

You can learn more about the 10 imperatives of Robert’s Rules of Innovation Subscribe to Human-Centered Change & Innovation WeeklySign up here to get Human-Centered Change & Innovation Weekly delivered to your inbox every week.

The Sharp Edge of Innovation

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GUEST POST by Robert F. Brands

It is no hidden secret that innovation is a necessity to compete in today’s marketplace. Often hailed as the Holy Grail for which every organization should strive for, sustainable innovation requires a strategy from start to finish. From the “I” of Inspiration to the “N” of Net Result, you must commit yourself to the process in order to succeed.

But what happens when your innovation journey hits a dead end?

It’s worth noting that failure is an inherent component of this epic journey, and one which innovation champions need to be ready to celebrate as much as their successes. However, it is important to know which road you are traveling on. Are you on the way to the next evolutionary step or an innovation dead end?

In 1901 King C. Gillette fundamentally transformed shaving with the invention of the first safety razor. “The idea of clamping a smaller version of a straight edge onto a handle was genius – the blade was easier to control, which resulted in fewer nicks and cuts, and was replaceable when it became dull,” says Gillette’s website.

Since then we have seen the safety razor go through numerous innovations. From reusable to disposable, from one blade to five, and most recently back to one.

In a forum post from Badger and Blade, they asked their readers what innovations they want to see in 2013. One contributor left this amusing (although a bit facetious) recommendation, “I want to see the newest Gillette multi-cartridge thing. I’ve heard it has 12 blades, a lubricating strip that is 3 inches wide, 18 lifting fins and battery power to make it vibrate. I’ve also heard they put an MP3 player in the newest one…”

To be fair, the most recent razor released by Gillette is indeed battery operated. The Fusion Pro-Glide has five new and improved blades, a micro comb, an updated lubricating strip which lasts “25% longer,” and now has mineral oil to deliver the perfect shave.

The comment begs the question… where can Gillette go from here?

Most recently, in an effort to push into emerging markets, Gillette’s newest shaving system has just one blade, a light plastic handle, and a sharply (no pun intended) lower price. It seems Gillette is stepping away from product innovations and instead focusing on the low road, seeking to increase its market share by pursuing innovations in product delivery instead.

According to Tim Barrett, who follows the men’s grooming industry for Euromonitor, “U.S. razor volumes have fallen for the better part of a decade as customers cut back”. Jamie Hopkins for the Baltimore Sun points to the rising popularity of facial hair as one of the many reasons, but Barrett believes a negative feedback loop is the main driver. “Gillette raised prices to deal with lower sales, customers reacted by using fewer razors, and so Gillette raised prices”, he said. Now Gillette is focusing on new markets.

According to Doblin’s “Ten Types of Innovation”, creating new products is only one way to innovate, and on its own, it provides the lowest return on investment and the least competitive advantage.

What do you think this means for Gillette in the long run? Have they given up on creating the next big thing in shaving? Are they at a dead end? Or are they simply evolving as a company?

image credit: management.fortune.cnn.com; gillette.com

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Risk, Observation, and Measurement for the World’s Most Innovative Companies

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GUEST POST by Robert F. Brands

Every year Fast Company reveals its list of the world’s most innovative companies of the year. With the topic of innovation front and center, Fast Company considers themselves to be a progressive media brand “written for, by, and about the most progressive business leaders”.

For the most part, this year’s top 10 listing comes as no surprise presenting Nike, Amazon, Square, Splunk, Fab, and Uber as the top 6 champions of innovation.

Initially I had thought to only mention the top five, but for turning the taxi and town-car industry upside down, I thought Uber deserved a mention as well. After all, it is not often that a company takes on innovation in an industry dating back to the early 1700’s.  But then again, who would have thought you could turn the soap industry on its head with foaming soap dispensers? It goes to show that no industry old or new is without room to improve.

First place on the list, Nike was highlighted for their culture of pushing boundaries which resulted in not just one, but two groundbreaking inventions in the past year. The first is the fuel band, a relatively affordable electronic bracelet that measures movement through the day; whether you go out for a run, play a sport, or just walk around the grocery store.  Their second breakout invention is the Flyknit Racer, a feather-light knitted shoe that required Nike to re-invent their entire manufacturing process.

Not many companies, much less a company already successful and thriving, would take such a big risk in the name of innovation. However, Nike knows that in order to sustain innovation, risks must be undertaken. No Risk: No Innovation.  Put another way, No guts, no glory. Nike CEO Mark Parker puts it aptly, “Companies fall apart when their model is so successful that it stifles thinking that challenges it.”

Amazon took second place in Fast Company’s most innovative list for their innovations in product delivery. As FC puts it, “Amazon introduced same-day shipping in seven major U.S. markets more than three years ago, but the e-commerce giant’s significant 2012 expansion of its next-day and same-day delivery services was a jolt: The entire retail industry seemed to realize its power.”

Third Place went to Square for enabling credit card transactions on mobile devices. Fourth Place was given to Splunk for bringing big data to the masses. Fifth place was for Fab which matured last year from 3-day flash sales to dozens of online boutiques for niche shoppers, and 6th place as you know, went to Uber.

It was a welcome surprise to see Splunk on the list, especially among the top 5 most innovative companies of 2013. Splunk makes sense of “big data” by monitoring, collecting, and indexing it in real time, creating opportunities for its clients to improve business operations and save money. – J.J Mccorvey.

Innovation is meaningless without attaching measurable goals to an initiative. What gets measured gets done, and Splunk is leading the world in helping companies observe and measure data important to them. Observation, measurement and tracking of new product development results are essential to optimal ROI. Often times, magazine editors and innovation bloggers forget that leading indicators and past performance is no guarantee for success, so it is especially nice to see Fast Company picking this innovation champion out of the pile.

Are you on the right track to sustainable innovation? Are you considering the correct elements to bring “one new product to market” each year?

The best way to assess how far you are in creating and sustaining innovation is to first do an Innovation Evaluation or Audit.  has an online in-depth evaluation that is designed to gauge strength and weakness of key Innovation Imperatives to create and sustain innovation.  Audit results will show immediately and will be emailed to you, followed by an optional one hour phone consultation. Risk requires investment (people, time, capital), and willingness to invest without ROI assurance. For coaching and techniques to encourage initiative and Innovation you can read more the RROI Blog here.

image credit: fastco.com

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8 Step Process Perfects New Product Development

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GUEST POST by Robert F. Brands

Every entrepreneur knows that productivity is one of the key ingredients for successful product development. One of the two key processes in Robert’s Rules of Innovation is the NEW PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT PROCESS. A formalized, NPD process – also referred to and best practice: the Stage Gate® Process – is a must, from simple to sophisticated.

The New Product Development process is often referred to as The Stage-Gate innovation process, developed by Dr. Robert G. Cooper as a result of comprehensive research on reasons why products succeed and why they fail.

When teams collaborate in developing new innovations, having the following eight ingredients mixed into your team’s new product developmental repertoire will ensure that it’s overall marketability will happen relatively quick, and accurately – making everyone productive across the board.

Step 1: Generating

Utilizing basic internal and external SWOT analyses, as well as current marketing trends, one can distance themselves from the competition by generating ideologies which take affordability, ROI, and widespread distribution costs into account.

Lean, mean and scalable are the key points to keep in mind. During the NPD process, keep the system nimble and use flexible discretion over which activities are executed. You may want to develop multiple versions of your road map scaled to suit different types and risk levels of projects.

Step 2: Screening The Idea

Wichita, possessing more aviation industry than most other states, is seeing many new innovations stop with Step 2 – screening.  Do you go/no go? Set specific criteria for ideas that should be continued or dropped. Stick to the agreed upon criteria so poor projects can be sent back to the idea-hopper early on.

Because product development costs are being cut in areas like Wichita, “prescreening product ideas,” means taking your Top 3 competitors’ new innovations into account, how much market share they’re chomping up, what benefits end consumers could expect etc.  An interesting industry fact: Aviation industrialists will often compare growth with metals markets; therefore, when Boeing is idle, never assume that all airplanes are grounded, per se.

Step 3: Testing The Concept

As Gaurav Akrani has said, “Concept testing is done after idea screening.” And it is important to note, it is different from test marketing.

Aside from patent research, design due diligence, and other legalities involved with new product development; knowing where the marketing messages will work best is often the biggest part of testing the concept.  Does the consumer understand, need, or want the product or service?

Step 4: Business Analytics

During the New Product Development process, build a system of metrics to monitor progress. Include input metrics, such as average time in each stage, as well as output metrics that measure the value of launched products, percentage of new product sales and other figures that provide valuable feedback. It is important for an organization to be in agreement for these criteria and metrics.

Even if an idea doesn’t turn into product, keep it in the hopper because it can prove to be a valuable asset for future products and a basis for learning and growth.

Step 5: Beta / Marketability Tests

Arranging private tests groups, launching beta versions, and then forming test panels after the product or products have been tested will provide you with valuable information allowing last minute improvements and tweaks. Not to mention helping to generate a small amount of buzz. WordPress is becoming synonymous with beta testing, and it’s effective; Thousands of programmers contribute code, millions test it, and finally even more download the completed end-product.

Step 6: Technicalities + Product Development

Provided the technical aspects can be perfected without alterations to post-beta products, heading towards a smooth step 7 is imminent. According to Akrani, in this step, “The production department will make plans to produce the product. The marketing department will make plans to distribute the product. The finance department will provide the finance for introducing the new product”.

As an example; In manufacturing, the process before sending technical specs to machinery involves printing MSDS sheets, a requirement for retaining an ISO 9001 certification (the organizational structure, procedures, processes and resources needed to implement quality management.)

In internet jargon, honing the technicalities after beta testing involves final database preparations, estimation of server resources, and planning automated logistics. Be sure to have your technicalities in line when moving forward.

Step 7: Commercialize

At this stage, your new product developments have gone mainstream, consumers are purchasing your good or service, and technical support is consistently monitoring progress.  Keeping your distribution pipelines loaded with products is an integral part of this process too, as one prefers not to give physical (or perpetual) shelf space to competition. Refreshing advertisements during this stage will keep your product’s name firmly supplanted into the minds of those in the contemplation stages of purchase.

Step 8: Post Launch Review and Perfect Pricing

Review the NPD process efficiency and look for continues improvements. Most new products are introduced with introductory pricing, in which final prices are nailed down after consumers have ‘gotten in’.  In this final stage, you’ll gauge overall value relevant to COGS (cost of goods sold), making sure internal costs aren’t overshadowing new product profits. You continuously differentiate consumer needs as your products age, forecast profits and improve delivery process whether physical, or digital, products are being perpetuated.

Remember: The Process Is Loose

The entire new product development process is an ever evolving testing platform where errors will be made, designs will get trashed, and loss could be recorded. Having your entire team working in tight synchronicity will ensure the successful launch of goods or services, even if reinventing your own wheel. Productivity during product development can be achieved if, and only if, goals are clearly defined along the way and each process has contingencies clearly outlined on paper.

For more tips and guidelines on developing the right implementation strategy, see  Robert’s Rules of Innovation: A 10-Step Program for Corporate Survival.

For more information, and another version of the 8-step process, go to https://kalyan-city.blogspot.com/2012/02/stages-process-steps-of-new-product.html

Stage-Gate® is a registered TM of Stage gate International, Inc.

image credit: agbeat.com

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If Ideas are the Seeds of Innovation…

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GUEST POST by Robert F. Brands

Innovation is a product of human activity. Innovation keeps life interesting, yet it begins first, with ideation. The creation of a new thought or idea.

If ideas are the seeds of innovation, idea management is the formalization of the processes involved in gathering, sharing, analyzing and executing the ideas generated within an organization and its collaborative networks.

Ideation and idea management pack the front end of the New Product Development (NPD) funnel with a wealth of viable concepts. Since only a fraction of ideas actually reach fruition, ideation should be harnessed by a process with dedicated resources and with both NPD & LTD (Long Term Development) teams working together.

Ideations can take many different forms. They can be solutions; where there is a problem, there is a solution waiting to be found. They can be evolutionary by modifying an existing product or adding a feature to it. Ideations can be symbiotic; combining multiple ideas, using different elements of each to make a whole. They can be revolutionary (a brand new perspective). Ideations can be serendipitous; where the intended idea is generated by the unexpected. They can be targeted; dealing with a direct and planned path to discovery, or they can be artistic, disregarding practicality and allowing ideas to flow without constraints.

Here’s a fun little side fact for you: The Eureka moment is said to be named after the myth that the Greek mathematician Archimedes, having discovered how to measure the volume of an irregular object, leaped out of a public bath, shouting “Eureka! Eureka!” Or, translated: “I’ve found it! I’ve found it!”

Now, getting back to the business of ideation, here are some idea management tips:

  1. Tear down the walls or create dedicated ideation space – Break up teams into people who know each other but are not “that friendly” with each other in order to minimize group think.
  1. Provide a framework to capture ideas – Accept ALL ideas and get them written down on the board. You never know when a concept can be recycled for future use.
  1. Setting and Location – Create a positive environment to delivery pitches, but vary the format as well as locations and times of ideation sessions. Predictability can kill ideation. Mix it up to get people out of their comfort zones.
  1. Info Alchemy – Create and maintain your idea inventory & review it regularly. Build a database of ideas from which new combinations and solutions can be derived.
  1. Include a diverse group of people – In addition to your team, include members such as the sales team, people who interact directly with customers, and maybe even a few select customers themselves to offer their insight into the meeting.
  1. Establish rules of engagement – At some point during the ideation process you will need to inform your team what you are, and are not looking for. Communicate what the overall process will look like, and how ideas will be evaluated.
  1. Recognize and reward contributors – Instill a sense of urgency in every employee about what needs to be done; give them the support they need to feel their good efforts will be rewarded.
  1. Encourage the creative process – The Challenge sponsor must promise that the crowd’s efforts will not be for nothing and that the ideas will all be taken seriously and some will be further developed.

Last but not least start with White Boarding or Brain writing versus just Brainstorming that should follow… ask your Innovation Coach about this.

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What Drives Innovation and Who Owns It?

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GUEST POST by Robert F. Brands

Ownership is one of the key imperatives of Robert’s Rules of Innovation®. Most would agree that innovation is everyone’s responsibility, but employees can’t innovate unless their leaders empower them to do so. Innovation needs a champion within the organization to push them to take calculated risks, and to step outside their own comfort zone. Without ownership, positive results are almost impossible to achieve.

To find out if you are on track in your companies’ innovation ownership; ask yourself the following questions:

  1. Do you have champions that own projects?
  2. Is there an ownership culture in your company?
  3. Do NPD teams have champions, and at what level of the organization?
  4. Is it clear where the “go to” resource is for innovation?
  5. Is there a central and unified picture of your innovation efforts?

In a recent survey by the Economist Intelligence Unit for Oliver Wyman (in which 300 senior executives across 17 different industries were interviewed) the greatest challenge in creating a culture of innovation and delivering business results is “leaders creating a climate for innovation”.

The ideal innovation team is knowledgeable, resourceful, and motivated to drive ideation and product development. Every participant along the innovation process’s chain must embrace accountability as a champion of the idea, the development process, the success, and alternatively it’s failure (without risk, there would be no reward). However, it is the team leader/Chief Innovation Officer’s job to marshal forces, and to transform team members into stakeholders. In short, to create a climate for innovation, and encourage a spirit of ownership .

To get some real world insight, on April 26th of this year the National Center for Employee Ownership (NCEO) announced the winners of its 2012 Innovations in Employee Ownership Award, sponsored by TEOCO.

According to their website: “The Innovations in Employee Ownership Award (IEO) seeks to recognize the innovative practices that result from having an engaged workforce of employee-owners, as well as ideas that tie stock to improved company culture or performance.”

While the award recognizes companies in which employees hold company stock options, even companies without such plans can benefit from creating a culture which puts the employee front and center by giving team members ownership in the success of the idea or project.

IEO award winner Lloyd Skinner of Environmental Science Associates explains, “The challenge was how best to integrate the overall firm vision into our every day. We recognized the need to ensure widespread ownership of the vision, values and strategies. It had to be a living process and document- one that everyone could embrace.” To accomplish that, the NCEO notes, the company conducted a business-wide survey, used the feedback to develop the company’s strategic plan, and continued to engage employees through meetings and communication.

Another winner, n-Link, created an animated film that described their innovation and commitment to their ownership culture: “The key to n-Link’s success is our company culture symbolized by our logo, an upside-down organizational chart. Our employee owners think, lead, support, and act like owners to innovate and increase cost saving for our customers.”*

In creating a culture of ownership, maintaining regular organized team meetings with clearly defined objectives is crucial. Key points to remember:

  • Keep a regular date, time, and duration
  • Clearly state meeting objectives in a written, pre-distribution agenda.
  • Include cross-functional teams: marketing, sourcing, purchasing, sales, etc.
  • Review NDP priority levels (high/medium/low).

*Descriptions and accounts from IEOA awards taken from https://www.nceo.org/Innovations-Employee-Ownership-Award/id/17/

To learn more about the above ownership points, and for more real-world inspiration read Robert’s Rules of Innovation® (see link in author bio below).

image credit: billflagg.com

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Sustainable Innovation Metrics

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GUEST POST by Robert F. Brands

Innovation is ultimately about Return on Investment. A system of metrics will objectively show your progress and success each step of the way. It’s essential to follow a course of action that produces ongoing improvement, and sustainable and repeatable innovation. Innovation is meaningless without attaching measurable goals to an initiative.

In order to have optimal measurements there are two types of indicators (metrics) you need to be aware of:

  1. Leading indicators: These types of indicators signal future events. They show you where you are heading. Leading indicators often change prior to large economic or business adjustments and, as such, can be used to predict future trends. Examples of leading indicators can be patents filed, ideas created, and development time spent.
  1. Lagging indicators: These indicators show you your rearview mirror observations. The importance of a lagging indicator is its ability to confirm that a pattern is occurring or about to occur. Examples of lagging indicators include patents granted, expenses, revenue, and inventory turnover.

The most successful innovative companies observe and measure both indicators for successful development and execution of their quarterly and annual plans. Be sure to measure the time spent in each gate, and the time spent to get to the next gate. See if you can make any innovation improvements as far as efficiency along the way. By observing both key metrics, you gain a holistic and well-rounded view of your company’s performance.

Douglas Wick, President of Positioning Systems, recommends, for every one lagging indicator, you should have two leading indicators. “Leading indicators let you know what to expect.  They help with forecasting and predicting where your business is going and protect you against falling off the cliff.”

Based on a survey of 200 companies by Goldense Group, the following are the top five R&D metrics used by industry:

  • R&D spending as a percentage of sales
  • Total patents filed/pending/awarded/rejected
  • Total R&D head count
  • Current year percentage of sales attributable to new products released in the past year/three years/five years
  • Number of new products released

By following a set of metrics, you’ll be able to evaluate the performance of your New Product Development process and your end result. Be sure to continue to observe and measure these metrics even after the product is launched.

Additional tips:

  • What’s Measured, Gets Done: Observation, measurement and tracking of new product development results are essential to optimal ROI.
  • What to look for: Successful Key Performance indicators (KPIs) follow the SMART criteria (s.m.a.r.t). They are…

Specific ‐ pertaining to the goal of the organization

  • Measurable ‐ for the organization to assess its progress
  • Achievable ‐ realistic in terms of the business environment
  • Relevant ‐ directly linking the business and metrics
  • Time-Bound ‐ placing goal achievement in a certain time frame.

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Sustainable Innovation – Inspiration from a 7-year-old

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GUEST POST by Robert F. Brands

Vision leads to the mission, from which is developed the strategy. Inject vibrant ideas, and stir in some climate and culture, process, and technology. The result: Sustainable Innovation

About those vibrant ideas, where do they come from?

You can wait for that “divine spark,” or you can make it happen. Often the hardest part of generating new innovative ideas is knowing where and how to begin looking for them.

In the earliest days of our childhood, we spent a great amount of time creating and thinking up new ideas. We were continually building, imagining, and creating things; pillow forts, Lego buildings, kitchen snacks, and whatever else we could dream up using household supplies.

Somewhere along the way, our idea machine got a little rusty or maybe constraint by knowledge and believes. We forgot how to create like kids without boundaries. We entered the workforce where creativity and ideation are often kept in check. “It seems to be more common inside most workplaces for the work environment to undermine creativity, to kill it, rather than to stimulate it and keep it alive,” says Harvard Business School’s Teresa Amabile, co-author of “The Progress Principle.”

The first imperative of Roberts Rules of Innovation is INSPIRE. The leader of your innovation team has to inspire, lead, and drive the process.  For inspiration to take place, the leader has to be regularly and personally involved so that everyone is on the same page.  Along with vibrant ideas, setting a culture of innovation is a key ingredient in sustainable innovation. Develop it step-by-step by building consensus, reinforcing ideas, underscoring the need for accountability, and asking the right questions.

There are five key steps to achieve the culture that inspires and creates intra-organizational cohesion.

  • Lead By Example
  • Over communicate, under promise
  • Two-way traffic
  • Silo demolition
  • Pick the right champions

It doesn’t hurt to take a few notes on generating ideas from a 7 year old either.

Pratya was assigned the task of coming up with the 8th wonder of the world in school. She recorded her thought process on her blog, Tiger Monkey Forest with the help of her father.

She began with her mission: Come up with the 8th wonder of the world.

Her first step was logic modification: Following a straight line of logic, generate ideas that build on what is already known.

Palace  Rainbow Palace                 Castle  Made of glass

Then she added the Jump:  Generating ideas that combine different elements in new ways. Rather than thinking in a lateral fashion of “what comes next,” think “what could be”.

A floating city in the sky

She then brought in additional data and insight to solve a problem.

Sky + Asteroids that killed dinosaurs + Great Wall of China

The result:  Innovation, The great shield of earth!

Standard idea-generation techniques concentrate on combining or adapting existing ideas. This can certainly generate results, but sometimes you need to jump out of the box. Pratya chose think differently and consider new perspectives. While the great shield of earth will most likely never be become the 8th wonder of the world, I think you would agree that we could all benefit from seeing the world from a child’s perspective now and again. As adults we’re so busy taking life so seriously we don’t give enough thought to tapping into our inner child. Go buy some Lego’s.

*To read more about the 5 key steps to workplace inspiration and ideation see “Subscribe to Human-Centered Change & Innovation WeeklySign up here to get Human-Centered Change & Innovation Weekly delivered to your inbox every week.

Innovations to be thankful for – the importance of the NPD process

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GUEST POST by Robert F. Brands

As 2012 comes to a close,  it is hard not to think of all that we have to be thankful for. In the past year there have been some incredible new innovations revolutionizing the way people live their lives. After countless hours spent planning, researching, designing, and testing; what was once an idea, becomes a tangible reality.

Implementing innovation depends on a disciplined strategy customized to the needs, size and culture of an organization.  Innovation can be incremental, which features a new process or way of doing business, or it can be transformative, which delivers an entirely new way to add value.

Now is a good time to reflect on some of 2012’s best new ideations. Read on for a list of five amazing innovations that have been granted the prestigious Edison Award in 2012 (https://edisonawards.com/).

Nest Learning Thermostat by Nest

Several companies have started talking about their research into predictive tech. The Nest Learning Thermostat learns about you and your home to automatically turn itself down when you’re away, guide you to energy-efficient temperatures when you’re home, and free you from programming hassles by creating a customized temperature schedule. The Nest Mobile app allows you to control Nest remotely.

3M™ Kind Removal Silicone Tape by 3M Health Care

3M Kind Removal Silicone Tape features advanced adhesive technology, combining reliable securement with clean, gentle removal – even on fragile, at-risk skin. It tears neatly by hand and is repositionable.

chotuKool by Godrej & Boyce Manufacturing Co.

ChotuKool is a disruptive innovation aimed at meeting the daily food and beverage cooling needs of the 80% of the world population that lacks refrigerators. Priced at half of an entry-level refrigerator, ChotuKool is portable, doesn’t require constant electricity, and uses a thermoelectric chip rather than a traditional compressor.

Corning® Gorilla® Glass by Corning Incorporated

Visually stunning, lightweight, and highly damage-resistant, Corning Gorilla Glass® is changing the way the world thinks about glass. An environmentally friendly alkali-aluminosilicate thin-sheet glass, Corning Gorilla Glass® helps protect the world’s latest devices from the many real-world events that commonly cause glass failure, enabling exciting new applications in technology and design.

DOW POWERHOUSE™ Solar Shingles by The Dow Chemical Company

POWERHOUSE Solar Shingle is a revolutionary new roofing product that combines the performance and protection of a conventional asphalt roof with an integrated photovoltaic solar system that powers the home. It is a complete solar solution and the roof reinvented.

Edison, for whom the awards are named, was no ordinary inventor. By the time of his death he amassed a record 1,093 patents covering key innovations and improvements across a wide range of fields, including telecommunications, electric power, sound recording, motion pictures and more.  The Edison Awards honor excellence in new product and service development, marketing, human-centered design and innovation.

We all know about Edison’s success and failures – But what we often fail to take recognize, is the process he took to develop each new idea and invention. New product Development (NDP) is cultivated in an environment where creativity combines with structure. Having a focused vision and a thorough process will deliver sustainable and transformative innovation. When beginning the ideation process, most of us focus on barriers like lack of vision, funding, risk-taking, or even talent. But to unleash innovation, it is imperative to have a process in place to move from concept to launch.

To begin, implementing innovation depends on a disciplined strategy customized to the needs, size and culture of an organization. Understanding what your organization needs is very important in the New Product Development process.

The best way to assess how far you are in creating and sustaining innovation is to first do an Innovation Evaluation or Audit.  Know your innovation grade and areas for improvement. A short audit based on Robert’s Rules of Innovation is available at: www.innovationcoach.com/solutions/short-audit.

Once you solidify the goals of your organization, it’s time to assemble your NPD team and begin the innovation process, also known as the “Stage-Gate”® Process.  Open wide, and keep the idea funnel open. Sharpen those teeth. Make sure your go/no go decisions have involve key personnel, have defined gatekeepers, and provide a systematic approach to gatekeeping behavior. Do not give c-level ideas free passes – all concepts must undergo the same rigorous process. Remember to think in terms of strategic criteria, vs. focusing on the financial payoff and make your system lean, adaptive, and scalable.

*Descriptions of Edison Award recipients were taken from https://www.edisonawards.com/

To get results in Innovation, a structured, repeatable process is essential. Look to all imperatives of Robert’s Rules of Innovation:

  1. Inspire
  2. No Risk, No Innovation
  3. New Product Development Process
  4. Ownership
  5. Value Creation
  6. Accountability
  7. Training and Coaching
  8. Idea Management
  9. Observe and Measure
  10. New Result Net Reward

These rules of order are meant to be applied regularly as part of a sustainable growth strategy. All these parameters should be continually utilized – and not just when sales or ideas are low – to achieve successful, lasting innovation.

image credit: edisonawards.com

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Stay Inspired this Holiday Season – the 12 Days of innovation

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GUEST POST by Robert F. Brands

Tis’ the Season for harrowing crowds, spiked eggnog, and delicious holiday feasts.

It’s also the time of year for distraction, procrastination, and a lull in business productivity.

Many companies see a lag in productivity and innovation during the holidays. According to a study by the Institute for Corporate Productivity, 70% of organizations regard interruption of workflow as their top concern during the holidays. However, the key to business success in the long run, is to create a sustainable culture of innovation. With a little help from the 10 imperatives of Roberts Rules of Innovation, and a fun little jingle inspired by Doblin, may your holiday be both innovative and productive.

For many years, innovation was seen as the development of new products. However, creating new products is only one way to innovate. “Initially developed in 1998, the Ten Types of Innovation showed that companies that integrate multiple types of innovation will develop offerings that are more difficult to copy and that generate higher returns.” – Doblin Group, https://www.doblin.com/thinking/

Without further ado, the 12 Days of “Holiday Innovations” (taken from Doblin), with a few extra inspiring points to make the full 12 days.

On the first day of holiday innovations, my true love brought to me:

  • A Profit Model Innovation: An innovation in the way in which you make money.

Spotify uses the “freemium” model,where the software is provided free of charge, but a premium is charged for advanced features.

On the second day of holiday innovations, my true love brought to me:

  • Network Innovation: An innovation using connections with others to create value.

Target works with renowned external designers to differentiate itself.

On the third day of holiday innovations, my true love brought to me:

  • Structure Innovation: An innovation in the alignment of your talent and assets.

Whole Foods has built a robust feedback system for internal teams.

On the fourth day of holiday innovations, my true love brought to me:

  • Process Innovation: An innovation in superior methods for doing your work.

Zara’s “fast fashion” strategy moves its clothing from sketch to shelf in record time.

On the fifth day of holiday innovations, my true love brought to me:

  • Product Performance Innovation: An innovation in distinguishing features and functionality.

Airspray’s instant foam dispensers.

On the sixth day of holiday innovations, my true love brought to me:

  • Product System Innovation: Complementary products and services

Mini Cooper’s complementary flatbed pickup and annual oil change.

On the seventh day of holiday innovations, my true love brought to me:

  • Service Innovation: Support and enhancements that surround your offerings

“Deliver WOW through service” is Zappos’ #1 internal core value

On the eight day of holiday innovations, my true love brought to me:

  • Channel Innovation: How your offerings are delivered to customers and users.

Costco provides it’s members with low-price, quality, and brand-name merchandise.

On the ninth day of holiday innovations, my true love brought to me:

  • Brand Innovation: Representation of your offerings and business.

Virgin extends its brand into sectors ranging from soft drinks to space travel

On the tenth day of holiday innovations, my true love brought to me:

  • Customer Engagement Innovation: Distinctive interactions you foster.

Wii’s experience draws more from the interactions in the room than on the screen

On the eleventh day of holiday innovations, my true love brought to me:

  • Sustainable innovation: Innovate or die – Sustaining success means ongoing renewal of your IP portfolio. Innovation restarts the product life cycle.

Apple’s ipad, ipod, iphone, ihome etc.

And finally…

On the twelfth day of holiday innovations, my true love brought to me:

Robert’s Rules of Innovation wishes you and yours a wonderful Holiday Season!

image credit: barnorama.com

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