A Caterpillar Stuck in a Cocoon

Confined to the Cocoon: More Ways To Skin A Caterpillar (Cake)

Incremental innovation remains a critical component for organisations. However, when an organisation only rewards incremental endeavours (recognition, remuneration and promotion), why would anybody want to risk their career with transformational effort? Give the customer a 12-blade razor, a chai-latte-flavoured soda or a 6G Origami phone. By all means, be a fast-moving caterpillar-cake copycat, but invest some of the profits from the incremental present into the transformational future. Don’t use the future to fuel your present.

The Paradox of Convenience – Necessary Friction

Friction s an often-overlooked aspect of innovation and new product development. The following stories illustrate the importance of empathy, jobs-to-be-done research and understanding the balance of friction and progress. 

The-GAME-of-Innovation by David Cutler

David Cutler – The GAME of Innovation

David Cutler’s “The GAME of Innovation” book, shares a flexible methodology for designing powerhouse innovation GAMEs (Guidelines, Arena, Materials, Experience), Aligning teams with five problem-solving “lenses.

Charles Conn Aidan McCullen

Charles Conn – The Imperfectionists

Charles Conn’s concept is modelled after innovative companies such as Patagonia which are not afraid to step out into risk using small moves that build capabilities, assets and understanding. The imperfectionist strategy creates opportunities unavailable to those with conventional strategic thinking based on old structural models.

Image of Mr Potato Head falling apart

The Potato Principle And The Differentiation Dividend

Diversity of species, genetics, age, thinking and specialism (skillsets) is fundamental to the health of an ecosystem. As we will explore in this Thursday’s Thought, homogeneity risks ecosystems. Despite mother nature’s wisdom, we often think we know better. A drive for profits and short-termism frequently trump what is best for the long term.

Image of Marty Cagan author of Empowered_

Marty Cagan – Empowered: Ordinary People, Extraordinary Products

Marty Cagan.has long worked to reveal the best practices of the most consistently innovative companies in the world. A natural companion to his bestselling book INSPIRED, EMPOWERED tackles head-on the reason why most companies fail to leverage the potential of their people to innovate truly: product leadership. 

Image of Bill Aulet Disciplined Entrepreneurship

Bill Aulet – Disciplined Entrepreneurship

Whether you’re a first-time or repeat entrepreneur, Disciplined Entrepreneurship gives you the tools you need to improve your odds of making a product people want.
Author Bill Aulet is the managing director of the Martin Trust Center for MIT Entrepreneurship as well as a senior lecturer at the MIT Sloan School of Management.

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