Design Driven Innovation : Changing the Rules of Competition by Radically Innovating What Things Mean

Herminia Ibarra

This is a fascinating book discussing the process by which mid-career professionals change their career paths. The process is never linear, it generally involves a bit of trial and error, a lot of time (3-5 years for a transition to be complete), along with a determined resolve to avoid heading right back onto the path one is trying to escape. It involves coming to grips with giving up certain labels and status and gradually crafting a new identity, and testing the fit of the new identity. The book is not directed at a general audience, but rather at professionals looking to change course. Ibarra draws her information from broad sources, but her cases studies are primarily highly-educated professionals -- physicians, university professors, lawyers, MBAs, and consultants. All have undergraduate degrees, most have postgraduate degrees. All have invested at least ten years in their fields and have achieved some level of success. Ibarra noted that these individuals have much at stake in making a career change. Although the topic is similar, this is nothing like What Color Is Your Parachute? and other books suitable for a general audience. It's also not a find-a-job book; it assumes that career reinventers have time and financial resources to engage in some leisurely exploration of options. I found the specific case studies to be very illunimating. Ibarra shares the paths of a psychiatrist who becomes a Buddhist monk, a global management consultant who becomes a... Lire plus…

Robert E. Johnston Jr., J. Douglas Bate, Robert E. Johnston

Strategic planning sounds business-as-usual dull, while innovation conjures up images of corporate vision and risk-taking. The truth is, the two must be brought together for companies to excel in dynamic markets. The Power of Strategy Innovation presents a five-step Discovery Process for staging, aligning, exploring, creating, and mapping the paths between analytical, numbers-oriented, day-to-day planning and market-centric, discovery-driven innovation that focuses on the future.The book is based on the authors' 32 years of experience consulting to major organizations, and is supplemented by informative interviews with corporate leaders in several industries. Through methodology and examples, the authors reveal how to:• Apply innovative thinking to the company's entire business model• Remain flexible, future-oriented, and responsive to market changes• Learn from what other companies have achieved with this proven process• Create a perpetual flow of viable new business opportunities-by making strategy innovation a company-wide competency. Lire plus…

James M. Utterback, Bengt-Arne Vedin, Eduardo Alvarez, Sten Ekman, Susan Walsh Sanderson, Bruce Tether, Roberto Verganti

When an innovation is inspired by design, it transcends technology and utility. The design delights the user, seamlessly integrating the physical object, a service, and its use into something whole. A design-inspired innovation is so simple that it becomes an extension of the user. It creates meaning and a new language. "Design-Inspired Innovation" takes a unique look at the intersection between design and innovation, and explores the novel ways in which designers are contributing to the development of products and services. The book's scope is international, with emphasis on design activities in Boston, England, Sweden, and Milan. Through a rich variety of cases and cultural prisms, the book extends the traditional design viewpoint and stretches the context of industrial design to question - and answer - what design is really all about. It gives readers tools for inspiration, and shows how design can change language and even create human possibilities. Lire plus…

Tony Davila; Marc J Epstein; Robert D Shelton

Making Innovation Work presents a formal innovation process proven to work at HP, Microsoft and Toyota, to help ordinary managers drive top and bottom line growth from innovation. The authors have drawn on their unsurpassed innovation consulting experience — as well as the most thorough review of innovation research ever performed. They'll show what works, what doesn't, and how to use management tools to dramatically increase the payoff from innovation investments. Learn how to define the right strategy effective innovation; how to structure an organization to innovate best; how to implement management systems to assess ongoing innovation; how to incentivize teams to deliver, and much more. This book offers the first authoritative guide to using metrics at every step of the innovation process — from idea creation and selection through prototyping and commercialization. Lire plus…

Tom Kelley With Jonathan Littman; [Forew. By Tom Peters]

IDEO, the widely admired, award-winning design and development firm that brought the world the Apple mouse, Polaroid's I-Zone instant camera, the Palm V, and hundreds of other cutting-edge products and services, reveals its secrets for fostering a culture and process of continuous innovation.There isn't a business in America that doesn't want to be more creative in its thinking, products, and processes. At many companies, being first with a concept and first to market are critical just to survive. In **The Art of Innovation**, Tom Kelley, general manager of the Silicon Valley based design firm IDEO, takes readers behind the scenes of this wildly imaginative and energized company to reveal the strategies and secrets it uses to turn out hit after hit.IDEO doesn't buy into the myth of the lone genius working away in isolation, waiting for great ideas to strike. Kelley believes everyone can be creative, and the goal at his firm is to tap into that wellspring of creativity in order to make innovation a way of life. How does it do that? IDEO fosters an atmosphere conducive to freely expressing ideas, breaking the rules, and freeing people to design their own work environments. IDEO's focus on teamwork generates countless breakthroughs, fueled by the constant give-and-take among people ready to share ideas and reap the benefits of the group process. IDEO has created an intense, quick-turnaround, brainstorm-and-build process dubbed "the Deep Dive."In entertaining anecdotes,... Lire plus…

Frans Johansson

Why do so many world-changing insights come from people with little or no related experience? Charles Darwin was a geologist when he proposed the theory of evolution. And it was an astronomer who finally explained what happened to the dinosaurs.Frans Johansson's The Medici Effect shows how breakthrough ideas most often occur when we bring concepts from one field into a new, unfamiliar territory, and offers examples of how we can turn the ideas we discover into path-breaking innovations. Lire plus…

James M. Utterback

The author presents a compelling look at how innovation transforms industries, raising the fortunes of some firms while destroying others. The book draws on the rich history of innovation by inventors and entrepreneurs - ranging from the birth of typewriters to the emergence of personal computers, gas lamps to fluorescent lighting, George Eastman's amateur photography to electronic imaging - to develop a practical model for how innovation enters an industry, how mainstream firms typically respond, and how - over time - new and old players wrestle for dominance. Utterback asserts that existing organizations must consistently abandon past success and embrace innovation - even when it undermines their traditional strengths. He sets forth a strategy to do so, and identifies the responsibilities of managers to lead and focus that effort. Lire plus…

Tim Brown, (Writer On Industrial Design); Barry Kātz

The myth of innovation is that brilliant ideas leap fully formed from the minds of geniuses. The reality is that most innovations come from a process of rigorous examination through which great ideas are identified and developed before being realized as new offerings and capabilities. This book introduces the idea of design thinking‚ the collaborative process by which the designer?s sensibilities and methods are employed to match people?s needs not only with what is technically feasible and a viable business strategy. In short‚ design thinking converts need into demand. It?s a human?centered approach to problem solving that helps people and organizations become more innovative and more creative. Design thinking is not just applicable to so?called creative industries or people who work in the design field. It?s a methodology that has been used by organizations such as Kaiser Permanente to icnrease the quality of patient care by re?examining the ways that their nurses manage shift change‚ or Kraft to rethink supply chain management. This is not a book by designers for designers; this is a book for creative leaders seeking to infuse design thinking into every level of an organization‚ product‚ or service to drive new alternatives for business and society. Lire plus…

Roberto Verganti

Until now, the literature on innovation has focused either on radical innovation pushed by technology or incremental innovation pulled by the market. In Design-Driven Innovation: How to Compete by Radically Innovating the Meaning of Products, Roberto Verganti introduces a third strategy, a radical shift in perspective that introduces a bold new way of competing. Design-driven innovations do not come from the market; they create new markets. They don't push new technologies; they push new meanings.It's about having a vision, and taking that vision to your customers. Think of game-changers like Nintendo's Wii or Apple's iPod. They overturned our understanding of what a video game means and how we listen to music. Customers had not asked for these new meanings, but once they experienced them, it was love at first sight.But where does the vision come from? With fascinating examples from leading European and American companies, Verganti shows that for truly breakthrough products and services, we must look beyond customers and users to those he calls'interpreters'- the experts who deeply understand and shape the markets they work in.Design-Driven Innovation offers a provocative new view of innovation thinking and practice. Lire plus…

Berns, Gregory

No organization can survive without iconoclasts -- innovators who single-handedly upturn conventional wisdom and manage to achieve what so many others deem impossible. Though indispensable, true iconoclasts are few and far between. In __Iconoclast__, neuroscientist Gregory Berns explains why. He explores the constraints the human brain places on innovative thinking, including fear of failure, the urge to conform, and the tendency to interpret sensory information in familiar ways.Through vivid accounts of successful innovators ranging from glass artist Dale Chihuly to physicist Richard Feynman to country/rock trio the Dixie Chicks, Berns reveals the inner workings of the iconoclast's mind with remarkable clarity. Each engaging chapter goes on to describe practical actions we can each take to understand and unleash our own potential to think differently -- such as seeking out new environments, novel experiences, and first-time acquaintances.Packed with engaging stories, science-based insights, potent practices, and examples from a startling array of disciplines, this engaging book will help you understand how iconoclasts think and equip you to begin thinking more like an iconoclast yourself. Lire plus…

Vijay Govindarajan, Chris Trimble

Companies can’t survive without innovating. But most put far more emphasis on generating Big Ideas than on executing them—turning ideas into actual breakthrough products, services, and process improvements. That’s because “ideating” is energizing and glamorous. By contrast, execution seems like humdrum, behind-the-scenes dirty work. But without execution, Big Ideas go nowhere. In The Other Side of Innovation, Vijay Govindarajan and Chris Trimble reveal how to execute an innovation initiative—whether a simple project or a grand, gutsy gamble.. Drawing on examples from innovators as diverse as Allstate, BMW, Timberland, and Nucor, the authors explain how to: • Build the Right Team: Determine who’ll be on the team, where they’ll come from, how they’ll be organized, how much time they’ll devote to the project, and how they’ll navigate the delicate and conflict-rich partnership between innovation and ongoing operations. • Manage a Disciplined Experiment: Decide how team members can quickly test their assumptions , translate results into new knowledge, and measure progress. Give innovation leaders a tough but fair performance evaluation. Practical and provocative, this new book takes you step-by-step through the innovation execution process—so your Big Ideas deliver their full promise. Lire plus…

Roger L. Martin

Most companies today have innovation envy. They yearn to come up with a gamechanging innovation like Apple's iPod, or create an entirely new category like Facebook. Many make genuine efforts to be innovativethey spend on R&D, bring in creative designers, hire innovation consultants. But they get disappointing results. Why? In The Design of Business , Roger Martin offers a compelling and provocative answer: we rely far too exclusively on analytical thinking, which merely refines current knowledge, producing small improvements to the status quo. To innovate and win, companies need design thinking. This form of thinking is rooted in how knowledge advances from one stage to anotherfrom mystery (something we can't explain) to heuristic (a rule of thumb that guides us toward solution) to algorithm (a predictable formula for producing an answer) to code (when the formula becomes so predictable it can be fully automated). As knowledge advances across the stages, productivity grows and costs drop-creating massive value for companies. Martin shows how leading companies such as Procter & Gamble, Cirque du Soleil, RIM, and others use design thinking to push knowledge through the stages in ways that produce breakthrough innovations and competitive advantage. Filled with deep insights and fresh perspectives, The Design of Business reveals the true foundation of successful, profitable innovation. Lire plus…

Hartmut Esslinger

Praise for a fine line. "A breath of turbo-charged fresh air that doesn't regurgitate the ego-maniac CEO's selective memory or an outside expert's misinterpretations. Hartmut explains innovation through the lens of design, and it's about time we gained his valuable perspective."--Guy Kawasaki, former chief evangelist, Apple and co-founder of Alltop.com. "At Flextronics, we fell in love with Hartmut and frog, and their passion for bringing crazy great designs and design processes into the forefront of great product companies. We used their expertise to help our customers, many of. Read more... Design-driven strategy: staking a claim in the creative economy -- True lies: the role of leadership in innovation -- Designing to win: the creative business strategy -- Minds beat money: the innovation process, step by step -- A business design revolution: the greening of planet, inc. -- Design-driven strategies for better business--and a better world -- The factories Lire plus…

Scott Doorley, Scott Witthoft, Hasso Plattner Institute Of Design At Stanford University, David Kelley

"If you are determined to encourage creativity and provide a collaborative environment that will bring out the best in people, you will want this book by your side at all times." --Bill Moggridge , Director of the Smithsonian's Cooper-Hewitt National Design Museum " Make Space is an articulate account about the importance of space; how we think about it, build it and thrive in it." --James P. Hackett , President and CEO, Steelcase An inspiring guidebook filled with ways to alter space to fuel creative work and foster collaboration. Based on the work at the Stanford University d.school and its Environments Collaborative Initiative, Make Space is a tool that shows how space can be intentionally manipulated to ignite creativity. Appropriate for designers charged with creating new spaces or anyone interested in revamping an existing space, this guide offers novel and non-obvious strategies for changing surroundings specifically to enhance the ways in which teams and individuals communicate, work, play--and innovate. Inside are: Tools --tips on how to build everything from furniture, to wall treatments, and rigging Situations --scenarios, and layouts for sparking creative activities Insights --bite-sized lessons designed to shortcut your learning curve Space Studies --candid stories with lessons on creating spaces for making, learning, imagining, and connecting Design Template --a framework for understanding, planning, and building collaborative environments Make Space is... Lire plus…

Tom Kelley With Jonathan Littman; [Forew. By Tom Peters]

IDEO, the widely admired, award-winning design and development firm that brought the world the Apple mouse, Polaroid's I-Zone instant camera, the Palm V, and hundreds of other cutting-edge products and services, reveals its secrets for fostering a culture and process of continuous innovation.There isn't a business in America that doesn't want to be more creative in its thinking, products, and processes. At many companies, being first with a concept and first to market are critical just to survive. In **The Art of Innovation**, Tom Kelley, general manager of the Silicon Valley based design firm IDEO, takes readers behind the scenes of this wildly imaginative and energized company to reveal the strategies and secrets it uses to turn out hit after hit.IDEO doesn't buy into the myth of the lone genius working away in isolation, waiting for great ideas to strike. Kelley believes everyone can be creative, and the goal at his firm is to tap into that wellspring of creativity in order to make innovation a way of life. How does it do that? IDEO fosters an atmosphere conducive to freely expressing ideas, breaking the rules, and freeing people to design their own work environments. IDEO's focus on teamwork generates countless breakthroughs, fueled by the constant give-and-take among people ready to share ideas and reap the benefits of the group process. IDEO has created an intense, quick-turnaround, brainstorm-and-build process dubbed "the Deep Dive."In entertaining anecdotes,... Lire plus…

Tom Kelley With Jonathan Littman

The author of the bestselling __The Art of Innovation__ reveals the strategies IDEO, the world-famous design firm, uses to foster innovative thinking throughout an organization and overcome the naysayers who stifle creativity. The role of the devil's advocate is nearly universal in business today. It allows individuals to step outside themselves and raise questions and concerns that effectively kill new projects and ideas, while claiming no personal responsibility. Nothing is more potent in stifling innovation. Drawing on nearly 20 years of experience managing IDEO, Kelley identifies ten roles people can play in an organization to foster innovation and new ideas while offering an effective counter to naysayers. Among these approaches are the A__nthropologist—__the person who goes into the field to see how customers use and respond to products, to come up with new innovations; the __Cross-pollinator__ who mixes and matches ideas, people, and technology to create new ideas that can drive growth; and the __Hurdler__, who instantly looks for ways to overcome the limits and challenges to any situation. Filled with engaging stories of how companies like Kraft, Procter and Gamble, Cargill and Samsung have incorporated IDEO's thinking to transform the customer experience, THE TEN FACES OF INNOVATION is an extraordinary guide to nurturing and sustaining a culture of continuous innovation and renewal. Lire plus…

Tom Kelley With Jonathan Littman

The author of the bestselling __The Art of Innovation__ reveals the strategies IDEO, the world-famous design firm, uses to foster innovative thinking throughout an organization and overcome the naysayers who stifle creativity. The role of the devil's advocate is nearly universal in business today. It allows individuals to step outside themselves and raise questions and concerns that effectively kill new projects and ideas, while claiming no personal responsibility. Nothing is more potent in stifling innovation. Drawing on nearly 20 years of experience managing IDEO, Kelley identifies ten roles people can play in an organization to foster innovation and new ideas while offering an effective counter to naysayers. Among these approaches are the A__nthropologist—__the person who goes into the field to see how customers use and respond to products, to come up with new innovations; the __Cross-pollinator__ who mixes and matches ideas, people, and technology to create new ideas that can drive growth; and the __Hurdler__, who instantly looks for ways to overcome the limits and challenges to any situation. Filled with engaging stories of how companies like Kraft, Procter and Gamble, Cargill and Samsung have incorporated IDEO's thinking to transform the customer experience, THE TEN FACES OF INNOVATION is an extraordinary guide to nurturing and sustaining a culture of continuous innovation and renewal. Lire plus…