Посты с тэгом: innovation

Innovation Sighting: The Great Sunflower Project

Published date: July 18, 2011 в 3:00 am

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On average, one of every three bites of food you put in your mouth depends on “animal pollination” – the movement of insects, particularly bees, between plants.  They play a crucial role in flowering plant reproduction and in the production of most fruits and vegetables. About 80% of all flowering plants and over three-quarters of the staple crop plants that feed humankind rely on animal pollinators like bees.

But bees are in trouble.  Scientific studies have suggested that both honey bee and native bee populations are declining. Scientists fear this will harm pollination of garden plants, crops and wild plants.  If they could collect simple data about their presence at certain times in certain locations, they can devise ways to conserve and improve the bee population.

How do you track something as small as bees on such a large scale?  By assigning the data collection task to an external resource – everyday gardeners.

Started in 2008, The Great Sunflower Project enlists 100,000 participants to count bees for 15 minutes and submit data online. It all happens on the same day, July 16th.  Researchers use the data to map areas that bees are doing well and where they need help.  San Francisco State University Professor Gretchen LeBuhn is founder and director of The Great Sunflower Project.

This is an example of the Task Unification technique, one of five techniques in the S.I.T. innovation method.  Task Unification works by assigning an additional task to an existing resource.  There are three versions of it (The Great Sunflower Project is version 3).

  1. Choose and internal component and make it do something extra, either a specific or non-specific internal task.
  2. Choose an internal component and make it do the function of an external component (it “steals” the external component’s function)
  3. Choose an external component and use it to perform a task within the product or service.

“Simply by taking that 15-minute step, you’ve made a contribution to saving bees,” she said. “It’s remarkable having all these different people willing to participate, willing to help and interested in making the world a better place.”

 

Marketing Innovation: Red Tape and The Inversion Tool

Published date: June 20, 2011 в 3:00 am

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"Red tape" is defined as the collection or sequence of forms and procedures required to gain bureaucratic approval for something, especially when oppressively complex and time-consuming.  That's how Southwest Airlines describes other airlines' frequent flyer programs versus its new Rapid Rewards program which has none of the traditional limitations like blackouts and point expiration.  In a series of highly innovative commercials, Southwest demonstrates not one but two of the eight advertising tools described by Professor Jacob Goldenberg in "Cracking the Ad Code."  These ads are flawlessly executed, funny, and memorable. 

Take a look:

The first pattern is the Inversion Tool.  It conveys what would happen if you didn’t have the product…in an extreme way.  It shows the benefits “lost”  by not using the product.  It is best used when the brand and its central benefits are well understood by the viewer. It is particularly useful when you want to emphasize a secondary benefit as Southwest has done by emphasizing their less restrictive loyalty program.  To use the Inversion Tool, start with the components of the brand promise.  Take each one away one at a time and envision in what ways the consumer would be affected…in an extreme way…if it did not have this aspect of the promise.

As Goldeberg notes, an important tactic of Inversion is to show unlimited generosity, understanding, and empathy for the poor consumer who does not use your product.  The idea is to convey your product as having great understanding for your dilemma and generously suggesting assistance.  The Southwest commercials do this perfectly by showing their employees rescuing travelers from being all wrapped (literally) in the competitor's red tape.

The second pattern is the Metaphor Tool.  It takes a well-recognized and accepted cultural symbol and manipulates it to connect to the product, brand, or message.  The trick is to do it in a clever way.  The process is called fusion, and there are three versions:  Metaphor fused to Product/Brand, Metaphor fused to Message, and Metaphor fused to both the Product/Brand and Message.  In this example, the huge red tape ball represents the bureaucracy of other airlines' frequent flyer programs.  The commercial fuses the red tape metaphor against the competition's weak spot. 

Brilliant!

Innovation Sighting: Street Art Without the Paint

Published date: May 23, 2011 в 3:00 am

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Here is a nice example of the Subtraction tool of the corporate innovation method, S.I.T..  Imagine painting a picture without the paint. From PSFK:

From metal to billboards, Portuguese artist Alexandre Farto aka Vhils is regarded for his work across a variety of mediums. However, his “Scratching the Surface” style (which we first noticed here) is particularly remarkable. Using decrepit city walls as his canvas, the artist carved faces from the concrete, unmasking the beauty inherent to even the most neglected spaces.

To use Subtraction, start by listing the components of the situation, product, service, process, etc.  (The method works with just about anything that can be conceptualized into components).  In this case, the innovator (artist) would create a list like this:

  1. canvas
  2. paint
  3. pallet
  4. brush
  5. subject
  6. model

Alexandre-Farto-aka-Vhils-Wall-Mural-575x430-525x392 The next step is to subtract a component, preferably something that seems to be essential to the original item.  In this case, removing the paint creates our “virtual product” – an abstract, ambiguous configuration that results from applying one of the five S.I.T. patterns.  Then we imagine the benefits, potential customers, and needs addressed by the virtual product.

The Subtraction tool is a great starting point for innovation sessions because it helps confront the fixedness we all have about the world around us.  A painting without paint certainly fits that description.

To extend the idea, try using the other patterns.  For example, Task Unification assigns an additional job to an existing resource.  To use Task Unification, list both the internal and external components within the Closed World (an imaginary space and time around the situation).  Then select a component randomly and give it a “job” related to your paining.  In the works by Vihils, for example, we might take a component of the building and use it as a part of the facial features.  Or, we might give people on the street the additional “job” of adding details to the picture.

To use Attribute Dependency, we imagine creating a correlation between internal attributes of the painting with external attributes of the environment around the painting.  Simply said, as one thing changes, another thing changes.  For example, when it rains, imagine how the Vihils painting might change.  Perhaps it changes color, or shape, or theme.  Perhaps the change is related to moisture such as wet tears flowing from the subject’s eyes.  It is these additional innovations, especially ones that draw from the Closed World, that create that extra element of surprise – “Gee, I never would have thought of that!”

 

Proto Labs Launches Cool Idea! Award to Support Tomorrow’s Innovators

Published date: May 16, 2011 в 3:00 am

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Proto Labs, the world’s fastest manufacturer of CNC machined and injection-molded parts, has announced the launch of its Cool Idea! award, a new program designed to give product designers the opportunity to bring innovative products to life. Each year, Proto Labs will provide $100,000 total worth of prototyping and short-run production services to award recipients.

“We’re extremely excited to launch the Cool Idea! award because we know there’s a single Cool Idea at the foundation of every innovation that changes our lives for the better,” said Brad Cleveland, CEO of Proto Labs. “In fact, the success of our company is due to a cool idea that made quick-turn injection molded prototypes a reality. We’re eager to propel the cycle forward by supporting the next generation of innovators who may otherwise lack the resources to get their ideas to market.”

The LAB: Innovating Cosmetics with S.I.T. (April 2011)

Published date: April 25, 2011 в 3:00 am

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 The cosmetic industry thrives on innovation and fashion design especially in the areas of product development and retail merchandising.  It generates nearly US$200 billion worldwide and is growing. For this month’s LAB, we will use the corporate innovation method, S.I.T., to create new innovations for lipstick, a product that dates back to the ancient Egyptians.

S.I.T. works by taking one of the five patterns (subtraction, task unification, division, multiplication, and attribute dependency) and applying it to an existing product or service.  This morphs it into a “virtual product,” which is an abstract, ambiguous notion with no clear purpose.  We then work backwards (Function Follows Form) to find new and useful benefits or markets for the virtual product.

Here are five innovations created by *students at the University of Cincinnati as part of the innovation tools course.

1.  TASK UNIFICATION:  The lipstick package has the additional task of carrying lip finishers in addition to the main stick.  The color-filled lipstick sits in the center with the three finishes surrounding it in different slots. Benefits: many potential color and finish combinations; multiple uses- lipstick, blush and eye color; combined in a single unit for convenience; refillable

Twisterless2 2.  SUBTRACTION:  The lipstick cap is removed.  Instead, it has a slide the mechanism that moves up or down to move the lipstick in place.   Benefits: allows for convenient one-handed operation which saves time; one-handed operation allows for more convenient application; capless design prevents cap and stick accidents.

Shade Perfection 3.  MULTIPLICATION:  The tube contains many different smaller sticks of different colors.  One lipstick provides a range of colors to suit any occasion. Benefits: eliminates the need for multiple lipsticks; saves space in your purse or cabinet; many potential color and finish combinations; easy to use; refillable.

  4. ATTRIBUTE DEPENDENCY:  The color changes over time.  One application provides a sleek, neutral color, perfect for all-day wear. But, with one or two smacks, lips become sexy and vibrant. This lipstick is ready for any occasion and can go anywhere. Benefits: eliminates the need for multiple lipsticks; saves space in your purse or cabinet; many potential color and finish combinations; easy to use.

5. DIVISION:  The stick is divided into many smaller versions (preserving the characteristics of the whole).  These become small, one to two-time use sachets rather than the traditional tube.  Color is applied by finger.  Benefits: small sachets allow for one time usage without having to purchase an entire lipstick; price is set at a level to become more affordable to a broader target audience.

*Students:  Elizabeth John, Julie Maines, Ronald Meyers, Ina-Maija Tillmanns, and Maria Zumdick

Marketing Innovation: The Metaphor Tool

Published date: April 4, 2011 в 3:00 am

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The Metaphor is the most commonly used – and abused – tool in marketing communications, especially in western cultures.  It is a great way to attach meaning to a newly-launched product or brand.  But some approaches are more effective than others.

The tool is one of eight patterns embedded in most innovative commercials.  Jacob Goldenberg and his colleagues describe these simple, well-defined design structures in their book, “Cracking the Ad Code,” and provide a step-by-step approach to using them.  The tools are:
1. Unification
2. Activation
3. Metaphor
4. Subtraction
5. Extreme Consequence
6. Absurd Alternative
7. Inversion
8. Extreme Effort

The Metaphor Tool takes a well-recognized and accepted cultural symbol and manipulates it to connect to the product, brand, or message.  The trick is to do it in a non-obvious, clever way.  The process is called fusion, and there are three versions:  Metaphor fused to Product/Brand, Metaphor fused to Message, and Metaphor fused to both the Product/Brand and Message.  Here is an example:

The LAB: Innovating Facebook with Attribute Dependency (March 2011)

Published date: March 28, 2011 в 3:00 am

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 Facebook innovated to become the dominate social network with 600 million users in just six years.  What will it do for an encore?  More importantly, how will it continue to innovate?  For this month’s LAB, we will apply the Attribute Dependency tool to demonstrate how Facebook might continue re-inventing itself.

To use Attribute Dependency, make two lists.  The first is a list of internal attributes.  The second is a list of external attributes – those factors that are not under your control, but that vary in the context of how the product or service is used.  Then create a matrix with the internal and external attributes on one axis, and the internal attributes only on the other axis.  The matrix creates combinations of internal-to-internal and internal-to-external attributes that we will use to innovate.  We take these virtual combinations and envision them in two ways.  If no dependency exists between the attributes, we create one.  If a dependency exists, we break it.  Using Function Follows Form, we envision what the benefit or potential value might be from the new (or broken) dependency between the two attributes.

Here are attributes of the Facebook experience:

Prospective Innovation

Published date: September 20, 2010 в 3:00 am

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People can improve the quality, originality, and elegance of ideas by extensively forecasting the implication of those ideas during the generation phase.  Researchers from The University of Oklahoma studied the effect of forecasting on idea evaluation and implementation planning.  In the experiment, 141 undergraduate students were asked to formulate advertising campaigns for a new product.  These campaigns were evaluated by a panel of judges.  Prior to formulating the campaigns, participants were asked to forecast the implication of their ideas and the forecast the effects of a plan for implementing their best idea.

As part of the experiment, students received a hypothetical email from the “vice president of sales” for this new product.  They received this during the idea generation phase of the project.  In the email, he directed the students as follows:

“I hope all is going well on the IMPACT project.  The deadline is nearing for the release of the ‘IBC IMPACT’, and I am curious to see what you have come up with for the new advertising campaign.  Please send me a preview of your ideas and strategies.”
“To be more specific, I want to know why your chosen campaign strategies will resolve the issues that I outlined in my first email (e.g. target desired demographic, lasting impact with demographic, retain vintage look, etc.).  I am mostly interested in your predicted results if these plans are actually set into motion.  I am fully aware that there may be downsides and potential problems with any strategy used, so include these (if any) in your descriptions.  Tell me how you think your current plan will play out down the road.  Visualize this advertising campaign unfolding into action and describe that scene to me.  I would like to know the consequences of any action that we might take, and other factors that could potentially influence the campaign.”

Students who mentally imagined the “down the road” effect of their ideas most extensively produced the best ideas.

For innovation practitioners, educators, and consultants, the implications are clear.  The use of mental simulation can improve innovation effectiveness.  Mental simulation should be used to cognitively “walk through” the steps of the idea generation process.  It should also be used to cognitively predict the implications of those ideas.  Given that some people are better than others at extensive forecasting, innovation facilitators need to have scripted directions for the work group on how to extend their thought processes about future events as a way to boost originality in ideating.

Byrne, C. L., Shipman, A. S., & Mumford, M. D. (2010). The effects of forecasting in creative problem-solving: An experimental study. Creativity Research Journal, 22, 119-138.

2010 Outstanding Corporate Innovator

Published date: August 23, 2010 в 3:00 am

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Congratulations to Kennametal, Inc. as the winner of the 2010 Outstanding Corporate Innovator (OCI) award. The Product Development and Management Association (PDMA), a global network of product innovation professionals, announced Kennametal  will receive the OCI Award at PDMA’s 34th Annual Global Conference on Product Innovation Management, October 16 – 20, 2010 at Rosen Shingle Creek in Orlando, Florida.

From the press release:

“Kennametal has demonstrated an impressive corporate commitment to innovation which has resulted in a successful track record of significant new product launches in the past five years,” said Sally Evans Kay, chair of PDMA’s OCI award selection committee. During recent turbulent economic times Kennametal has used its commitment to innovation to provide unique customer solutions and to gain a competitive advantage.

The Role of Business Schools in Innovation

Published date: July 19, 2010 в 3:00 am

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“Innovation is and will always be a major driver of business and societal success, and business schools are doing much to foster innovation worldwide. The opportunities to do more to support innovation are many and the potential to create value is high.”

The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB) released a new report, Business Schools on an Innovation Mission.  The report addresses what is meant by innovation, describes how managerial talent contributes to innovation, and outlines ways business schools support innovation.

Business schools must focus more on specific skills that support innovation, reinvent curricula to be more integrative, and convene executive programs that create new ideas and networks. Business schools must promote interdisciplinary research and recognize that innovation can come from advances in the theory, practice, or teaching of management. “Through outreach activities, such as business plan competitions, student consulting projects, and business incubators, business schools’ activities contribute directly to innovation in the communities they serve.”

The AACSB report recommends the following:

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