Tenets of innovation

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The Tenets of Collaborative Innovation

Cloverleaf Innovation LLC

614c Dempster Street

Evanston, IL 60202

847-424-0410

www. cloverleafinnovation.com

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Fresh thinking & big ideas are essential drivers for success in an increasingly complex & demanding marketplace, yet, as the broad scope of innovation has expanded so too has the potential for fragmented processes & unfulfilled results.

As more “hands” touch innovation, the risk is greater that those multiple hands aren’t working in concert. There is the need to assimilate the expanse & diverse factions that touch innovation to truly create the processes & results for marketplace success.

Introduction

The Tenets of Collaborative Innovation

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The Tenets of Collaborative Innovation is a philosophy that is integrated into our innovation process based on researching consistent attributes & behaviors used by the most successful innovators of the past decade.

It reflects the essential insights & approaches that promote the development of fresh ideas & solutions: outlining the techniques that bring disparate entities, thinking, & insights together for breakthrough results in the marketplace.

Introduction

The Tenets of Collaborative Innovation

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Tenets of Collaborative Innovation

Inclusivity01

Silo-ed departments, fragmented objectives, & competitive agencies can, sadly, produce an atmosphere that’s unconducive to creativity & excellence.

Conversely, an inclusive environment drives the innovation process. Innovation is, ideally, a team sport. Inclusivity means all partner’s serving the singular goal of a project’s success.

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• Include a cross-functional team in discussions around new product, brand, service development & implementation.

• Involve those who have not traditionally been considered integral to the “creative” process.

• Eliminating silos is not only good policy, but also the efficiencies it produces can save dollars & time.

• Encourage your multiple agencies, marketing firms & strategic partners to collaborate on initiatives.

The Tenets of Collaborative Innovation

Inclusivity in Practice

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Tenets of Collaborative Innovation

Illuminate02

Fresh thoughts are often hiding in places where deep thinking can’t reach. Highly choreographed & expertly facilitated ideation sessions can stimulate those elusive ideas into action.

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• Help to “liberate the ideas” by developing exercises & using stimulus to inspire new thinking & drive creativity.

• As serious as the ideation is, don’t be afraid to allow levity into your process. Humor is often a conduit to big thinking.

• The adage that “there are no bad ideas” is never more true than in the innovation process. Set up ground-rules that encourage free thought & acknowledge all contributions.

The Tenets of Collaborative Innovation

Illuminate in Practice

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Tenets of Collaborative Innovation

Trans-Disciplinary 03

We’ve identified a certain type of person who brings a special spark to the innovation process. They’re collaborative. They aren’t afraid to fail. They’re “switch thinkers”- equally adept at thinking from the left or the right side of the brain.

We call these talented & unique individuals “trans-disciplinary thinkers” & they’re invaluable to any innovation process.

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• Scour your organization for those highly creative & outspoken individuals to involve in the innovation process.

• Also consider bringing in outside creative expertise- if not on a permanent basis, than perhaps as a part-time or freelance engagement.

• Encourage individuals charged with innovation to think outside of their discipline & their comfort zone.

The Tenets of Collaborative Innovation

Trans-Disciplinary in Practice

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Tenets of Collaborative Innovation

Friction04

Intentionally designing friction into the process is not about inciting clashing egos. Rather, by challenging existing perspectives & expected approaches, the use of “creative abrasion” can facilitate more effective solutions.

From specifically designed exercises to outside experts, interjecting new- & oftentimes opposing- perspectives can ultimately be extremely liberating for the ideation process.

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• Create mini-teams & pairings that avoid similar perspectives, make-up, roles & seniority.

• Develop the ground-rules that encourage free exchange of ideas & preach tolerance.

• Use exercises that intentionally drive “opposing” thinking to conventional wisdoms & best practices. Look beyond your category to challenge traditional solutions.

The Tenets of Collaborative Innovation

Friction in Practice

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Tenets of Collaborative Innovation

Empathy05

A dispassionate review of the research deck isn’t enough. While beginning with deep consumer insights is essential, superior innovation stems from empathy: understanding an end-user’s situation, feelings & motivations.

Get inside their heads & their hearts to gain a true & accurate appreciation of their needs.

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• Get to know your consumer more intimately by using in-context research- viewing them in their “natural habitat”, not the artificial environment of traditional focus groups.

• Scrutinize existing data using a different filter. There are often great nuggets & learning to be gleaned when reviewing with a more empathetic perspective.

• Get emotional. Allow yourself to truly appreciate the concerns & the needs that motivate the purchase process.

The Tenets of Collaborative Innovation

Empathy in Practice

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Tenets of Collaborative Innovation

Perceptivity06

Ideas are everywhere. Look outside your department, company, & category. Look across aisles, channels, & cultures.

What makes things around us meaningful to those who use them? Stay attuned to innovation opportunities by looking for uniqueness & inspiration in your everyday surroundings.

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• Maintain an open line of communication with the entire supply chain. Your next best idea may likely come from this dialogue with consumers & suppliers.

• Audit often- in your category, certainly, but also in a far range of other sectors.

• Encourage idea exchange within your team by creating a central location to share trend information & cultural insights.

The Tenets of Collaborative Innovation

Perceptivity in Practice

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Tenets of Collaborative Innovation

Oscillation07

Even when driving forward in rapid development, the process is rarely a straight shot from point A to B. Innovation has a tendency to pendulate.

It’s a very organic evolution- a process of expansion & contraction, divergence & convergence. Stretching our thinking & then distilling our thinking.

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• Don’t be afraid to get a little lost- wander, meander, & explore, but ensure someone is charting the course.

• Determine specific criteria to measure ideas & apply these filters at the appropriate junctures.

• The innovation process requires a gestation period. Allow it to develop organically & avoid strict deliverables & parameters. One afternoon brainstorming does not an innovation make.

The Tenets of Collaborative Innovation

Oscillation in Practice

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Tenets of Collaborative Innovation

Dimensionalize 08

Products, services, & brands are rarely communicated in one dimension. To bring concept opportunities to life- vividly & actively- innovation must engage & stimulate all the senses.

Multi-sensory approaches dimensionalize thinking & truly expand the realm of what is possible. Dimensionalization adds depth, richness & color, making concepts holistic & tangible

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• Leverage stimulus that engages all the senses in the ideation process.

• When validating ideas with consumers make concepts as tangible as possible. With rapid prototyping, rich narratives & illustrations/photographs bring ideas to life for end-users in a more meaningful & reliable way.

• People think visually- avoid developing ideas & concepts that rely too heavily on just the written word.

The Tenets of Collaborative Innovation

Dimensionalize in Practice

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Tenets of Collaborative Innovation

Balance 09

Like the two hemispheres of the brain, organizations encompass both modes of thinking, but tend to display a preference for either left-brain or right brain thinking.

Consumers, however, tend to be far less dichotomous. The buying process engages both sides of the brain: purchase decisions balance emotional & functional considerations. Successful innovation must also strike this critical balance.

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• Think of your products from both a functional & an emotional perspective. Look for that “emotional pulse” that delights the consumer.

• During the ideation process people have a tendency to think functionally. Use the agenda & necessary stimulus & exercises to force people to use both sides of their brain.

The Tenets of Collaborative Innovation

Balance in Practice

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Tenets of Collaborative Innovation

Momentum 10

Momentum means more than speed-to-market- momentum means the successful gestation of the idea. Keeping the excitement alive & essence in tact as we move forward at lightening speeds.

Ultimately, momentum is not simply generating ideas, but guiding business goals to fruition efficiently.

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• Senior leadership needs to not only support innovation in theory, but also in practice- ensuring that critical deadlines are met & everyone along the development cycle is vested.

• Getting the entire supply chain aligned & aware from the onset & throughout the innovation process ensures a shared sense of ownership & responsibility for project success.

• Document the process to capture & relive the excitement & initial spark. Always look for ways to improve.

The Tenets of Collaborative Innovation

Momentum in Practice

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• Senior leadership needs to not only support innovation in theory, but also in practice- ensuring that critical deadlines are met & everyone along the development cycle is vested.

• Getting the entire supply chain aligned & aware from the onset & throughout the innovation process ensures a shared sense of ownership & responsibility for project success.

• Document the process to capture & relive the excitement & initial spark. Always look for areas of improvement.

The Tenets of Collaborative Innovation

Momentum in PracticeThank You

Cloverleaf Innovation LLC

614c Dempster Street

Evanston, IL 60202

847-424-0410

www. cloverleafinnovation.com