Sorting Ideas - Managing Innovation

[chris.barry]

I read an interesting article recently titled How Whirlpool Puts New Ideas Through the Wringer (http://www.businessweek.com/innovate/content/aug2009/id2009083_452757_page_2.htm), detailing how Whirlpool manages innovation through the rigorous distillation of ideas.

For an idea to be considered for development, it has to meet a three-pronged definition of innovation:
1. It must meet a consumer need in a fresh way
2. It must have the breadth to become a platform for related products
3. It must lift earnings

An "opportunity brief" is written up and considered and a scorecard forces the team to be very concrete about expected factors such as revenues, technical feasibility, relevance to the brand, and market trends. The averaged scores determine whether a concept will be funded.

What do you think of what Whirlpool does and how do you manage the same issue?

[IntizarJa]

Have found very interesting reading about why we need innovation ?

This century has been full of innovation. New technologies, new products, new services,whole new industries have emerged. Yet the call for innovation in business has never been more intense. Why? Here is my list of the top ten reasons for why we need innovation.

10. For economic growth
9. For the progression of human well-being
8. For competitive advantage
7. Because cost-cutting is not enough anymore
6. Desire for higher business revenues
5. To improve disappointing performance in the past 2 decades of U.S. firms
4. To take advantage of opportunity
3. For a more constant flow of innovation
2. For better returns
1. For business survival

Ref http://www.amcreativityassoc.org/Articles/Cohen-TOP%2010%20Reasons%20Why%20We%20Need%20INNOVATION. pdf

[chris.barry]

Interesting Intizar... Another perspective from 2 historical leaders.

John F Kennedy on going to the moon:
"We choose to go to the moon. We choose to go to the moon in this decade and do the other things, not because they are easy, but because they are hard, because that goal will serve to organize and measure the best of our energies and skills, because that challenge is one that we are willing to accept, one we are unwilling to postpone, and one which we intend to win, and the others, too."

and George Mallory, the English mountaineer who took part in the first three British expeditions to Mount Everest in the early 1920s, who was famously quoted in reply to the question "why do you want to climb Mt. Everest?" with the retort "because it's there".

I would contest that the human spirit seeks improvement, a new, better and "innovative" way of doing something and sometimes, just because it's there.

[Marcelle C]

Chris and Intizar, you might be interested in how to expand your innovative potential in your workplace?

Why not use whole brain thinking?

Whole brain thinking produces innovative leaders by applying a simple three step process:

Step 1: GET thinking
Step 2: GET using a tool and
Step 3: GET practising.


Whole brain thinking begins with right brain thinking (using the big picture holistic approach) then moves into left brain thinking (rule governed delivery). This type of thinking generates ideas then allows us to implement them into successful outcomes.

Whole brain thinking in action:

Step 1 – GET thinking
One way to get into the mood of thinking differently is to change the way we do things. Once we start to think a little differently, we are ready to start using a tool to generate ideas.

Step 2 – GET using a tool
Edward De Bono’s Six Thinking Hats is an excellent innovative tool because it forces us to look at issues from six different perspectives. One way of using De Bono’s Hats when generating ideas at work:

BLUE Hat – The Chairperson Hat – What is our agenda for today?
WHITE Hat – The Facts Hat – What do we have?
RED Hat – The gut feeling, emotions Hat – What are our intuitions, hunches, feelings?
YELLOW Hat – Create an optimistic view – What are the benefits?
GREEN Hat – Get innovative – What are the possibilities, alternatives?
BLACK Hat – Get risk assessing – What might go wrong, potential problems?
Lastly BLUE Hat again – Have we met our outcomes for today?

Step 3 – GET practising
Yes, get practising.

Can we afford not to be innovative in today’s times of uncertainty?

How can I learn more about being innovative and expanding potential in my workplace?

Innovation link http://www.nigelcollin.com.au
AIM Innovative Ideas - Generation and Implementation program http://portal.aimnsw.com.au/showcoursedetail.aspx?PID=QQF8AA01AY46

Enjoy ...............................

[Philippa F]

Hello Marcelle,
Thanks for the Six Hats reminder! A great tool and yet too easily overlooked or forgotten - which is a shame since it is so simple and effective!
More reminders please!
Philippa Furey (Pippa) AIM Member and Trainer