Creativity and Innovation Management : Why Products Fail!
By Kal Bishop
There is no sure fire route to commercial success
but the probability of success can be increased. This is important
for at least two reasons:
a) Resource Management. The Economist (2003) states
that 3000 bright ideas result in 100 worthwhile projects, which are
winnowed down to four development programmes. And four such development
programmes are required to stand any chance of getting one winner.
b) Time Management. Whilst it is often the case that
sufficient time is not taken to develop a product fully, there is
always time to go back and fix mistakes. The cost of product re-engineering
varies from the low to high billions.
There are a number of techniques that allow better
problem identification and idea generation (creativity) and better
idea selection, development and commercialisation (innovation).
Innovation strategies include:
a) Valuing ideas according to their type. Random ideas
and those resulting from solution spotting have the highest success
rates.
b) Measuring strategic, technical and competency fits
with the organisation.
c) Measurement of ideas according to their impediments.
A new type of cell phone will be infinitely easier to produce than
a time machine. The Internet has a far lower take up in Africa than
in Europe because of infrastructure deficiencies.
d) Carefully selecting what criteria is used to allow
or disallow an idea at various stages of the development pipeline.
Not allowing an idea (or releasing it too early) may not give that
idea a chance to blossom. However, keeping it in the pipeline takes
away valuable resources that may allow another idea to bloom.
e) Adequate consumer benefit analysis. Many ideas
are simply developed before focused, practical and appropriate end-user
needs are thought through.
These and other topics are covered in depth in the
MBA dissertation on Managing Creativity & Innovation, which can be
purchased (along with a Creativity and Innovation DIY Audit, Good
Idea Generator Software and Power Point Presentation) from http://www.managing-creativity.com
You are free to reproduce this article as long
as no changes are made and the author's name and site URL are retained.
Kal Bishop MBA, is a management consultant
based in London, UK. He has consulted in the visual media and software
industries and for clients such as Toshiba and Transport for London.
He has led Improv, creativity and innovation workshops, exhibited
artwork in San Francisco, Los Angeles and London and written a number
of screenplays. He is a passionate traveller. He can be reached on
http://www.managing-creativity.com.
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