ideation
The False Theory of Idea Scarcity
“The world has a limited amount of resources.” While there are many resources that are finite, some believe there is a finite number of ideas. But, in reality, this theory of idea scarcity is a myth. When an idea creates the spark that leads to something new being created, it takes the place of some
Individual Ideas in Workshop Groups
At the end of the ideation part of the workshop, have the team members briefly talk through their individual ideas. Have them take their Post-it notes and place them on a flip chart or other surface that everyone can see. Get through this process quickly. You don’t need master’s dissertations. Start
Changing customers
At HP, we have an Executive Briefing Center; where our large corporate clients come to be briefed about the latest technologies and products that are either in development or about to hit the market. Now, technically this service is for them. We are offering them information and opportunities to sta
How To Use A Stage Gate Funding Model To Create Your Innovation
My motto throughout my career has been “Ideas without execution are a hobby, and I’m not in the hobby business.” Execution is a risk; it requires commitment, money, and manpower; but there’s no point going through the process of ideation if you’re not going to do anything with the end result. In the
Ideation
The Killer Questions are used in the Ideation phase of FIRE. The point of the Killer Questions is to keep you focused on a specific facet of your organization, your customer, your product, or your operations, but at the same time keep your search for ideas expansive within that area. The Killer Ques
How Does FIRE Fix The Innovation Gap?
The main challenges that all organizations face are what I call the innovation gap and the innovation delay. The innovation gap is the difference between the need for really great ideas and the actual supply of them. The innovation delay refers to how long it takes you to go from selecting an idea f
Ideas? Don’t give up on them
Once everyone is settled into the meeting, it’s time to share what you’ve discovered. I generally give a quick recap of our area of focus, not about the ideas yet. I start off by asking the participants to share their own list of the assumptions and rules that define how the industry and organizati
Brainstorming for Fun and Profit – 5 Tips for Teams
Today’s economy is not for the weak of heart. From new media to flexible work hours to diverse workplaces, the business of business has become more complex than it ever was before. To compete in the ever-changing marketplace, you have to be flexible, creative, and daring without forsaking sensibl
Brand Innovation at HP
Back in 2008, the HP corporate marketing teams were tasked to drive a brand innovation project. To my surprise, since it was never made public, the Brand New blog wrote a fairly lengthy blog post on the project and pointed readers to Moving Brands who was part of the team. Moving Brands has posted
