How do you define innovation?
Innovation. We all use the word. But what does it mean?
About 18 months ago, I asked this question, and got quite a few fantastic answers. This year, I would like to broaden our apparatus, asking this question on LinkedIn, Twitter, FriendFeed, Facebook and on my blog.
The goal of this project is as follows:
To create a crowdsourced definition of innovation.
And in the interest of keeping this interesting, all answers will be published in my first ebook: Innovation in 2009.
To participate please do one of the following:
* Submit your one line definition of innovation in the comments below.
o Innovation is...
o Innovation means...
* Tweet your definition of innovation and include the hashtag #Novate
Please feel free to share this project on your own blogs as well as through any other relevant social channels.
New Project: http://jburg.typepad.com/future/2009/01/redefining-innovation-2009.html
Original Project: http://jburg.typepad.com/future/2007/08/one-line-survey.html
Answers (8)
Erica F
Social Media Optimizer, Publisher at ALC Publishing, President of Yuricon
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Innovation is the answer you come up with when there's no ready-made answer to be had.
Innovation is the art of seeing before being seen
Innovation first requires a well grounded, well rounded purview of the current landscape of needs and tools/technologies/thoughts (T/T/T). The resultant combination of T/T/T, aligned with a goal to meet existing needs is an innovation. This is not to be confused with a revolution or paradigm shift, which is the creation of a new set of needs.
Innovations are directed results which defy expectations and/or existing conceptual models, offering something of value that was previously unanticipated.
Here is the thinking:
1) The key to innovation in my mind is the unanticipated nature of it-- something planned or obvious is not judged innovative. It cannot be obvious (unless you truly believe adding a 4th razorblade is innovative rather than evolutionary).This also accounts for why a copycat is no longer innovative-- it is now within people's expectation set.
2) Innovation is not about the process, but the result. The path via which someone got to the output is immaterial (excepting, of course, when the process is the output). The form is also immaterial as physical objects, ideas, plans or methods are all able to be considered innovations.
3) The results must be directed or created. If, for instance, blood tests defied expectations, even if valuable, they would not be considered an innovation.
4) In general, the further from the existing expectations/models and the greater the value, the more innovative something is judged to be. The closer to expectations/models and the less value, the less innovative it is judged to be.
Louis R
louis(at)r2computing.com; Business Technology Coach, Author of NearlyFreeIT.com
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Innovation is the crafting of a new solution to an unanticipated problem.
A good definitions of corporate innovation I recently encountered with is "the profitable implementation of ideas". However, I don't think it is the best definition, since the word "profitable" requires another discussion and since it ignores the process of getting new ideas.
Links:
Israel B also suggests this expert on this topic:
David F
A trader who became a builder. Finding meaning in the noise. Collaborator, cross-pollinator, entrepreneur. Proud father.
Innovation is Inspiration-Insight-Action
a) Seeing something different that no-one else sees (Inspiration)
b) Distilling that inspiration into an actionable insight (Insight)
c) Rallying your resources to bring that insight to life as a beautiful product / service / experience (Action)
Innovation is the force behind constant revenue growth.
Innovation means collaboration and knowledge sharing.
