The Networked Organization

Future models of design, manufacturing, and distribution are considered and mapped, such as the concept of a networked organization that leverages outside-in perspectives. ...

... "Seeking an outside-in perspective on internal challenges may require long-held processes to be rethought, from the design cycle to R&D budgets to intellectual property strategies. Once open to the idea of a networked organization, it's relatively easy to identify and engage with external networks of exceptional people through community R&D platforms such as Instructables, InnoCentive, and NineSigma. " ...

Via Institute for the Future: Future of Making is Mapped (PDF)

Constraints Drive Innovation

Amazon founder, Jeff Bezos, gives his take of business innovation, which he believes it driven by constraints that forces us to create new ways to approach the situation. ...

... "I think frugality drives innovation, just like other constraints do. One of the only ways to get out of a tight box is to invent your way out. " ...

Via Business Week: Jeff Bezos

Dried Goat Sandwich

UK hits the wall on IT innovation and starts packing a new lunch. ...

... "For a sector supposedly driven by innovation, times are tougher than a dried goat sandwich. " ...

Via Computing UK: Lack of innovation

IBM Researches Green Computing Methods

Creative approach to cpu cooling is being explored by IBM researchers. ...

... "Michel see advantages in running them at the current level of 200F. He thinks of the chips as little furnaces from which heat can be removed and reused - by piping it off-site to warm houses or businesses. " ...

Via Business Week: Chilling Biochemistry

Creativity Ideas

100 ideas to spur your creativity ...

... "25. Take regular daydreaming breaks.

26. Dissolve turf boundaries.

27. Initiate cross-functional brainstorming sessions. " ...

Via The Heart of Innovation: Be More Creative

Collaboration Services

IBM offers a set of services to help an enterprise take advantage of collaboration through social networking. The services include support of the adoption of these technologies to create value through expertise location and leverage. ...

... "Adoption - helps introduce collaborative and social networking technologies to an organization through online collaborative events such as company-wide collaborative events (based on IBM's Innovation Jams) or smaller departmental events. Provides social networking analysis, identifying patterns of interaction and the key topic experts and enablers within the organization. " ...

Via IBM: Services for Collaboration

Innovation ROI

Philips CEO sees innovation as disciplined and process-oriented. He also expects a project ROI for innovation investments and a strong connection to profitability. Creativity is allowed within the boudaries. ...

... "Every innovation project should have a return on investment, an internal rate of return, a net present value. And, you need to hardwire it and keep yourself honest, because at the end of the day, it's about generating returns. " ...

Via Knowledge@Wharton: Philips Lighting CEO

Grow Ideas into Projects

Create a project incubator. Sprinkle some funding on your seeds and see which ones grow. Prune your plants. And, water your best prospects to grow the strongest trees. Read on for tips on incubating ideas into projects. ...

... "Pruning the project incubator is an especially important aspect of developing ideas. Ideas change over time, and some even turn out to be duds. " ...

Via LifeDev: Grow Your Ideas

Software Innovation Time

Software engineer discusses Google's concept of twenty percent time. ...

Innovation Culture of Unstructured Structure

Ideas on champion-ing sustainable innovation, include creating a burning platform to catalyze and help your people embrace the new culture. ...

... "Unfortunately, when the addiction to systems and structures rules the day, an organization's quest for a culture of innovation all too often degenerates into nothing much more than a cult of innovation. " ...

Via Idea Champions: INSIDE JOB

What is Disruptive Innovation?

... interesting definitions and discussion of the innovation topic. ...

Adoption Risks with Innovation Projects

Whether you are implementing a fundamental new innovation or providing a new way to do things, cultural adoption is a risk you can't overlook. Considering your change management strategy? Do you promote methods that drive addiction or use Frankenstein to your advantage? Read on for some insights. ...

... "Great innovations have foundered over human stubbornness. ... Resistance to technology is an omnipresent risk for every innovator. " ...

Via New York Times: Risk

Mindset then Tools

Good advice for influencing innovation in your enterprise. Do more of this to innovate: experiment, invest resources, create burning platforms, and understand your customers' problems. ...

... "Do not train your employees on creativity techniques or bring in innovation software until you have addressed your underlying cultural issues (the mindset). " ...

Via Steve Shapiro: Innovation Mindset, Not Tools

It's Magic: Challenge Those Assumptions

Andy Cohen shows us a few tricks that will aid in our ability to challenge assumptions to differentiate and innovate. ...

Sit Up and Ideate

Ever see that IBM commercial on ideating? Instead of laying down ... How about sitting up for some word-play. ...

Check out this idea generator

Too Much Methodology for Research Projects?

3M depends on new product development as its engine for growth and eases back on the throttle with Six Sigma methods for research processes. It may have over-emphasized disciplined methods in an area where structure can hinder creativity. ...

... "Under Six Sigma, the free-wheeling nature of brainstorming and the serendipitous side of discovery is stifled. Proponents contend such methodologies' rules keep researchers on track and accountable for producing. " ...

Via Design News: 3M R&D

Maverick Thinking from the History of Storage Systems

Historical perspective on the evolution of storage devices at IBM, where the maverick mindset was necessary to bring forth the innovation. ...

Networking for Project Innovation

Neat concept for creating portfolios of work and collaborating for innovation. ...

... "Join or create groups of creative professionals, gathered around interests, to share content and ideas. " ...

Via Behance: Network

Link Innovators for Happy Surprises

You can't force innovation. But, you can stack the deck in your favor. Link creative people together. Create a sense of purpose. Sprinkle in some data and information. Provide some funding. Step aside. Check back at stage-gates to see how things are progressing. ...

... "Creating a network of innovators who can identify trends and connect important dots across the business will create value on an even broader scale, and may bring some new insights and opportunities back into your team or function. " ...

Via Innovate on Purpose: Managing innovation

Idea Management

Here is an interesting tool for managing the ideation part of the innovation process and campaigning for ideas. It is offered as a monthly subscription service. ...

... "The ideas campaign is a simple process based on well established creative problem solving (CPS) methodology. " ...

Via jpb: Idea campaigns

Virtual Innovation Event Upcoming

Virtual conference is planned for November 7 to 9. ...

... "Global Innovation Exchange 2007 is a groundbreaking event focused on sharing and diffusing innovation insights, strategies and next practices from around the world. This 100% virtual event provides the all the value of a face-to-face conference but in a highly innovative online format that saves you significant time and expense. " ...

Global Innovation Exchange 2007

Innovative China Business Models: Localized and Modular

Insights on ... creative business models in China that require innovation to compete effectively in their markets. ...

Update: There is a downside to this innovative growth ---> Lack of Sustainability.

... "This so-called localised modularisation approach has been very successful and delivered big cost reductions and quality improvements, says John Seely Brown ... " ...

Via Economist: China Innovation

More Innovation to Come

Jeff Bezos offers insights on the future ... parallels to the past ... says that there more innovation to come. ...

TOGAF Enterprise Architecture: A Framework

Documenting an enterprise architecture can be challenging, especially if the business environment is dynamic. The Open Group's TOGAF approach may be just the approach for providing the framework and structure for your IT strategy. ...

... "An enterprise architecture addresses this need, by providing a strategic context for the evolution of the IT system in response to the constantly changing needs of the business environment. Furthermore, a good enterprise architecture enables you to achieve the right balance between IT efficiency and business innovation. It allows individual business units to innovate safely in their pursuit of competitive advantage. " ...

Via The Open Group: TOGAF Version 8

The Innovation Investment

Innovation is not free. Research projects need funding. And, it costs money for the salaries of innovation evangelists. Fresh from PDMA event, Jeffrey offers insights on the diminishing returns of operational efficiency and the need to innovate in order to grow. ...

... "Without defining an objective and consistently reinforcing the efforts of a group of people who support and enable an innovation process, most firms simply won't generate a lot of new ideas. " ...

Via Innovate on Purpose: Cheap Innovation

PMO: Center of Project Excellence ?

Is a project management office a center of excellence?

Subject matter experts = project managers; Central repository for materials = project portfolio, schedules, business case forms, scope documents, etc.; Clearinghouse of standards = project methodology; Source of educational opportunities = project training, mentoring; Development and monitoring of metrics = project dashboard, roi and hurdle rates;

The answer is yes (I was hoping this was the case), using criteria discussed in reference post. ...

... "The fact is, Centers of Excellence are most often unique to the organization or business unit that creates them. However, here are some common elements ... " ...

Via Think For A Change: Centers of Innovation Excellence...

Morph Projects, Don't Kill Innovation

Insights on Google's innovation techniques, which includes advice on innovation projects. ...

... "Don't kill projects, morph them. Google doesn't waste ideas. Instead, they try to change and transform them into something the company finds useful. " ...

Via Self-Service & Kiosk Association: Google innovation

Innovation through Contention

Resolving disagreements is a necessary and positive force in innovation projects. Embrace it. ...

... "Contention needs to be allowable and explorable. Openness and honesty necessary for a long-term productive relationship. " ...

Via innovation.net: The role of contention

Practical Application of Innovation

Here's practical advice on applied innovation techniques. ...

... "Any Innovation plan must be just that, a hard plan. It can't be an initiative. A plan has to have milestones and expected results. These results must be measurable and memorialized in writing. " ...

Via The Heart of Innovation: Science of Innovation

Creativity Boosters

Nice list of creativity boosters in reference post. I'd just substitute Led Zep for Bach. ...

... "Read as much as you can about everything possible. Books exercise your brain, provide inspiration and fill you with information that allows you to make creative connections easily. ... Exercise your brain. " ...

Via IDEAS 108: Boosting Creativity

Talent Perspective on Innovation in Business

Jeffrey Phillips describes a powerful role for the HR function in creating a culture and talent pool for innovation. Is today's human resource function ready for the challenge? ...

... "People dislike uncertainty and are somewhat unwilling to risk their jobs or futures working on items that are new or risky, without the appropriate assurances that the firm needs and requires people to try new things and make mistakes. " ...

Via Innovate on Purpose: Innovation Talent Perspectives

Strategic Focus Area

Use clearly articulated goals and objectives to focus product teams on innovation. ...

... "What takes a significant amount of time, psychic energy and attention in the idea to product process is trying to figure out what is strategic and important in a wide range of business opportunities and focusing on just those things. " ...

Via Innovate on Purpose: Strategic Focus When Innovating

Innovation: Influence of Relationships Survey

Survey delves into influence of relationships on innovation process. ...

... "Some data suggests that the quality of the relationships with decision-makers in a given organization may influence whether ideas are advanced (e.g., funded for the first time). The purpose of this study is to investigate whether this is indeed the case. " ...

Via Univ of Penn Wharton School: Survey on Idea Advancement for Knowledge

Innovate: Monday Morning Plan

Here's some ideas to jump-start your innovation tommorrow (Monday). Make some time for brainstorming. Don't penalize mistakes. Get folks interacting. Read on. ...

... "Creative or alternative thinking does not mean playing with brightly coloured balls all day long. It means selecting appropriate techniques and methods from as wide a variety as possible and matching them to the task in hand to get the best results possible. " ...

Via Derek Cheshire's Creativity and Innovation: Monday's Plan of Action

Innovation: More Than Products

Recent study on innovation shows that it is top of mind for executives and means more than new product development. ...

... "Companies are infusing innovation throughout their organizations. Seventy percent of senior business leaders use internal communications to promote innovation among employees, and more than two-thirds believe that driving innovation in their business processes and customer experiences are more important than innovation in product development. " ...

Via Weber Shandwick Worldwide: From Corporate Buzzword to Business Imperative in 2007

Chief Innovation Officer: Get Trained

Attend training on the Chief Innovation Officer role. The Chief Innovation Officer course is targeted to push the frontiers of the field and brings into focus fostering innovation talent, creating portfolio techniques, and enabling business processes necessary to execute innovation projects in support of growth. ...

... "BMG's Chief Innovation Officer seminar is designed specifically for business leaders who are leading the charge for innovation inside their organizations. This 2-day interactive seminar features emerging strategies, tools and techniques from some of the foremost thinkers in innovation today.

Upcoming Seminar Date: 4/30/2007 2 days Denver, CO " ...

Chief Innovation Officer Seminar

IT Governance: Board of Director Involvement

Corning demonstrates leading practices in board-level governance of IT - setting strategy, shaping the portfolio, understanding business impact, and sustaining benefit realization. The company expects growth through innovation in display technologies, diesel products, and telecommunications. Corning has a history of innovation and continues to invest in longer-term emerging technologies. ...

... "They play an active, creative role in helping to set IT strategy, make sure they know what's in the technology pipeline and what it will mean to the bottom line, and ride the results hard. " ...

Via Corporate Board Member Magazine: Board Level Governance of IT

Create Innovation Culture: Understand Where to Begin

Here's a diagnostic tool to understand where your innovation culture gaps are and how to approach them. ...

... "Based on the Innovation DNA, it gives you a way to begin conversations and create action plans based on solid information. " ...

Via Innovation Network: Where to Begin

Innovation Obstacles: Resistance, Time

Pulse-point survey on innovation shows cultural resistance and lack of time as barriers to innovation. Langdon Morris is author of Permanent Innovation, which is the process of innovating continuously, by developing an organizational culture that embraces innovation as a core value. ...

... "Both topics are chronic problems in organizations today, and both are significant red flags that indicate unhealthy situations. If your organization is characterized by resistance to change or you don't feel you have enough time for innovation then it may be time for a serious assessment of your organization's culture, and perhaps some remedial work to shift more of your focus toward something other than short term concerns." ...

Via Innovation Labs: Results of the Permanent Innovation Survey (PDF) ...

Technology Investment: Time Is Ripe

Implementation of IT strategy requires fresh approach: New standards of performance and greater accountability for achievement. C Davis Fogg discusses actions needed to emphasize a bias for action and points out the potential of IT to innovate. ...

... "IT is such an underutilised power in the marketplace, I would expect right now is a very good time to be thinking about powerful investments to improve market position and efficiency. Particularly if you have cash and your competitors don't. " ...

Via CIO Australia: Implementation of IT Strategy

IT Innovation: Balancing Act

The debate on IT innovation continues... Latest insights from SAP research leader are particularly interesting. I agree with the concept of thinking enterprise, but allowing investment in interim or temporary solutions to either reap quick value or offer time for the solution to flourish / die on its own. ...

... "The smart innovators realize there's nothing wrong with transient systems or investments that let you constantly add value in small increments." ...

Via techWeb: IT Innovation ...

Innovation: Books by Phone

Nokia set to launch new form of audio book for mobile phones ...

... "The card can be slotted into a mobile phone, dispensing with the need to carry up to six CDs for an audio version of a book. " ...

Via UK Times by way of Smart Mobs: Library on Phone ...