What Practices apply to innovation?
Once the principles are in place there is then a need to become more practical and decide on the Key Practices that will drive an initiative like Innovation. Innovation as a process (not an end game or outcome) is based on some sound principles, but needs practical methods and a defined approach to deliver Innovation, including;
1. Let Learning Lead
a. Start with Learning
b. Encourage a learning culture
c. Continuous learning
d. Disseminate Learnings
2. Learn to See
a. Open your eyes
b. Stop, Look & Listen
c. Customer wisdom
d. Customers know BEST!
3. Design for Today
a. Solve today’s problems
b. Leave tomorrow till tomorrow
4. Think in Pictures
a. “A picture tells a 1000 words”
b. Pictorial techniques apply – Mind Maps, etc
5. Capture the Intangible
a. Solve personal problems
b. Keep emotion OUT
6. Leverage the limits
a. Approvals
b. Budgets
c. Resources
d. Work force restrictions
7. Master the tension
a. Create positive tension
b. Harness teams competitive spirit
8. Run the numbers
a. Fact based decision making
b. Evidence based progression
9. Make Continuous Improvement (Kaizen) mandatory
a. Continuous Improvement is essential
b. Create a standard
c. Follow the standard
d. Find a better way
e. Change the standard
10. Keep it Lean (The “KISS” Principle)
a. Keep complexity OUT
b. Simple is BEST
c. Best solutions are “Blazingly Simple”
Acknowledgement Mr Mathew May “Elegant Solutions” (go to www.aevitas.com drop to Elegant Solutions and go into Manifestos - Breakthrough Thinking The Toyota Way).