From concept to creation
Think about the term innovation for a second. What are the first things that come to mind? For many, it is synonymous with creativity, ideas and brainstorming rather than business growth and commercial or social outcomes.
However, innovation is not just about generating groundbreaking ideas or sparking creative revolutions. While ideas are undoubtedly crucial starting points, the innovation journey does not stop with them.
What sets true innovators apart is their ability to turn ideas into tangible products or services that impact the market or even society at large. This conversion process – from concept to creation – is where the essence of innovation truly lies.
The late Steve Jobs referred to innovation as ‘creativity that ships’. For me, that is as succinct a definition as you will find. Innovation should spark real change, whether it’s a new product, service or social movement that changes our lives.
Why do so many innovation projects get stuck in the ideas phase?
From my experience working with organisations across a diverse spectrum, there is one ubiquitous stumbling block: getting caught in the ‘creative chasm’.
This occurs when organisations or innovation teams are unable to bridge the gap between creative ideas and successful innovation.
It happens for several reasons, but an unstructured approach to innovation almost guarantees you’ll get stuck there.
Creativity is often thought of as something that should be free-flowing and amorphous, but this approach is likely what’s hurting you the most.
You can (and should) encourage free-flowing ideas, but only for a set period. Then, attention should shift to the pathways that turn these ideas into reality. This involves developing a disciplined approach to innovation, one where prototypes are built, tested and iterated upon rapidly.
A typical structure should look something like this:
Idea validation
Once you’ve had your brainstorming and ideas phase, the next step is idea validation. This phase is about validating the slew of generated ideas. Not every creative thought leads to actionable innovation, so it’s important to implement a rigorous process of evaluation to sift through ideas, identifying those that truly meet a market need or solve a concrete problem.
Rapid prototyping
Once an idea passes the validation phase, the next step is rapid prototyping. This step is crucial in turning abstract concepts into tangible products. It’s about creating a minimum viable product (MVP) that embodies the idea and can be tested in the real world. This process helps in gathering feedback, understanding user interactions and making necessary adjustments early on.
Iterative development
Feedback from the prototyping phase leads to iterative development, an ongoing process of refinement. It’s critical to stay agile during this stage, allowing for flexibility in making design or functional changes based on real-world insights. This iterative process is key to shaping a product or service that truly resonates with users and stands out in the market.
Market launch and scaling
Successfully navigating through the development and iteration phases leads to the final hurdle – launching the innovation in the market. Here, the focus shifts towards marketing strategies, distribution channels and scalability. The process doesn’t end at launch; continuous monitoring, user feedback collection and further iterations ensure the innovation stays relevant and competitive.
Staying the course is vital
Of course, the above is a simplified overview of these critical steps, which can take months and will likely involve some pitfalls or even failures along the way. But staying on track is vital to success and bridging that dreaded creativity chasm.
It’s one of the many ways an external facilitator can help. Whether you are looking for an innovation sprint or support for a full product development program, we can help you build the roadmap and stick to it to successfully to turn your ideas into outcomes.
Want to learn more about our innovation programs? Visit phuel.com.au/training/innovation/ or contact enquiries@phuel.com.au to discuss your specific needs.
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