	Innovation and Change To innovate is to change. Innovation is a particular type of change – it is generally regarded as a form of improvement from the perspective of the customer where a product or service is being changed (even transformed), from a current situation to one where the perception of value has increased. In addition it may represent a change where the product or service can be made available to a greater number of customers. While there is a general belief that creativity is a "gift", there is also solid evidence that it is a skill that can be learned. The general accepted difference between creation and innovation is that creation involves the creation of something / some service that has not previously existed whereas innovation is generally accepted as improvement in something / some service that is pre-existing. In both cases, a design phase is essential, followed by an implementation phase. In today's world, there can be a need to engage continually in innovation. However, from a practical perspective, the work involved must be managed in discrete chunks. Part of a work plan for innovation may come in the form of a design or blueprint. As a design phase of innovation / creation remains largely conceptual it is important to be rigorous in this design work - for example, we are advised to "measure twice and cut once", demonstrating the importance of conceptual picture of what we intend to achieve. In addition, as there is often a separation in personalities between those who design and those who implement, and the form of communicating design is often as important as the conceptual work of design itself. Integrated design is clearly the best approach but may not be possible but would be regarded as a superior approach as outlined in the Oobeya Room approach. A good example of the need for communication is that of the producer of a play who has to communicate with the theatre / studio workshop(s) in order to produce a set design. Some general principles for successful innovation include: Clear sense of direction / leadership Open communication Minimum of bureaucracy Ownership Recognition and rewards (depending on the personalities involved) Tolerance of risks and failures Elimination of developments / projects that don't work In terms of innovation being a learned skill, one can use a methodology to help define the process of design and / or innovation. Within this process there are a range of techniques / tools that can be used, including some of the following: Brainstorming – such as Root Cause analysis, mind maps, SCAMPER, etc Lateral thinking e.g. 6 thinking hats by deBono, idea harvesting – all based on an approach to thinking that is different from the normal use of logic Inventive problem solving (Triz) – Russian acronym. This is a scientific approach to problem solving which assumes that the vast majority of problems requiring inventive solutions typically reflect a need to overcome a dilemma or a trade-off between two contradictory elements. Prototyping for products and piloting for services Systems theory - a system is an organized collection of parts (or subsystems) that are highly integrated to accomplish an overall goal. The system has various inputs, which produce certain outputs, which together, accomplish the overall desired goal for the system. Examples of system tools include reframing, mental models, theory of constraints. The Oobeya Room – or project control room, which includes the use of visual control mechanisms and the bringing together of the disparate members of the organisation ( e.g. marketing, sales, design, engineering, production and logistics) together concurrently to solve problems more quickly with better solutions. Quality function deployment (QFD) – used to integrate customer requirements into the design of products and services. FMEA – failure modes and effects analysis examines what can go wrong, analyse risks, and prioritize improvement efforts. Kano curves are used to identify spoken and unspoken customer needs, including grading requirements, evaluating budget allocations and priorities, and for assessing qualitative risks. Design of Experiments (DOE) taken from Six Sigma methodology, which uses statistical methods as part of a design effort. It uses data as inputs to observe how a process functions as measured by process outputs. Value Engineering in the translation of requirements into specifications to generate a broad and innovative set of alternatives for a new product / service by achieving best balance between customer needs, quality and costs. It involves an examination of function. Value here is defined as the ratio of function to cost. Value can therefore be increased by either improving the function or reducing the cost. Use of the Toyota's approach known as "Production Preparation Process (3P)" which focuses on eliminating waste through product and process design. Trial and error - yes it can also work!

Innovation and Change

To innovate is to change. Innovation is a particular type of change – it is generally regarded as a form of improvement from the perspective of the customer where a product or service is being changed (even transformed), from a current situation to one where the perception of value has increased. In addition it may represent a change where the product or service can be made available to a greater number of customers. While there is a general belief that creativity is a "gift", there is also solid evidence that it is a skill that can be learned. The general accepted difference between creation and innovation is that creation involves the creation of something / some service that has not previously existed whereas innovation is generally accepted as improvement in something / some service that is pre-existing. In both cases, a design phase is essential, followed by an implementation phase. In today's world, there can be a need to engage continually in innovation. However, from a practical perspective, the work involved must be managed in discrete chunks.

Part of a work plan for innovation may come in the form of a design or blueprint. As a design phase of innovation / creation remains largely conceptual it is important to be rigorous in this design work - for example, we are advised to "measure twice and cut once", demonstrating the importance of conceptual picture of what we intend to achieve. In addition, as there is often a separation in personalities between those who design and those who implement, and the form of communicating design is often as important as the conceptual work of design itself. Integrated design is clearly the best approach but may not be possible but would be regarded as a superior approach as outlined in the Oobeya Room approach. A good example of the need for communication is that of the producer of a play who has to communicate with the theatre / studio workshop(s) in order to produce a set design. Some general principles for successful innovation include:

Clear sense of direction / leadership
Open communication
Minimum of bureaucracy
Ownership
Recognition and rewards (depending on the personalities involved)
Tolerance of risks and failures
Elimination of developments / projects that don't work

In terms of innovation being a learned skill, one can use a methodology to help define the process of design and / or innovation. Within this process there are a range of techniques / tools that can be used, including some of the following:

Brainstorming – such as Root Cause analysis, mind maps, SCAMPER, etc
Lateral thinking e.g. 6 thinking hats by deBono, idea harvesting – all based on an approach to thinking that is different from the normal use of logic
Inventive problem solving (Triz) – Russian acronym. This is a scientific approach to problem solving which assumes that the vast majority of problems requiring inventive solutions typically reflect a need to overcome a dilemma or a trade-off between two contradictory elements.
Prototyping for products and piloting for services
Systems theory - a system is an organized collection of parts (or subsystems) that are highly integrated to accomplish an overall goal. The system has various inputs, which produce certain outputs, which together, accomplish the overall desired goal for the system. Examples of system tools include reframing, mental models, theory of constraints.
The Oobeya Room – or project control room, which includes the use of visual control mechanisms and the bringing together of the disparate members of the organisation ( e.g. marketing, sales, design, engineering, production and logistics) together concurrently to solve problems more quickly with better solutions.
Quality function deployment (QFD) – used to integrate customer requirements into the design of products and services.
FMEA – failure modes and effects analysis examines what can go wrong, analyse risks, and prioritize improvement efforts.
Kano curves are used to identify spoken and unspoken customer needs, including grading requirements, evaluating budget allocations and priorities, and for assessing qualitative risks.
Design of Experiments (DOE) taken from Six Sigma methodology, which uses statistical methods as part of a design effort. It uses data as inputs to observe how a process functions as measured by process outputs.
Value Engineering in the translation of requirements into specifications to generate a broad and innovative set of alternatives for a new product / service by achieving best balance between customer needs, quality and costs. It involves an examination of function. Value here is defined as the ratio of function to cost. Value can therefore be increased by either improving the function or reducing the cost.
Use of the Toyota's approach known as "Production Preparation Process (3P)" which focuses on eliminating waste through product and process design.
Trial and error - yes it can also work!