INNOVATION MANAGEMENT
LEARNING
the context
Innovation management systems in various forms have always been essential for continued
success, although not always widely understood. In this third of an eight-part series, Dr Benjamin
W Watson CEng CTPD CEnv MIED looks at how to appreciate the context for innovation
International experts from more than
40 national committees have been
developing guidance for innovation
management, with standardised
terminology, tools and methods to manage
interactions between partners, how to
handle intellectual property, strategic
intelligence and, more recently, idea
management. This international guidance
identi es eight innovation management
principles, central to success.
The last edition (July/August, p9)
explained the importance of handling
uncertainty and risk by developing an
innovation portfolio to sustain core
business, and developing new solutions
into new and existing markets over time.
Successful innovation also relies on
the identi cation of needs, latent needs
and future needs. Some of those may be
visible now; others only likely to emerge in
the future depending on expected shifts
ranging from the technical to societal.
There are many different approaches
to systematically build knowledge through
a combination of insights and strategic
foresights. They require processing,
analysis and dissemination for action.
Insights and foresights are not the
same. Insights typically focus on the
identi cation of needs, shifts and deeper
meaning that may not be obvious or
known at the time of the study, yet do
already exist. Innovation foresights are
generative insights that help organisations
consider multiple perspectives of future
reality, to be shaped for their advantage,
Insight
Exploitation 8 3/
developing a combination of scenarios
with recommendations for innovation
outcomes.
THE IMPORTANCE OF SCOPE
Before starting to understand any
observations, one needs to know where
to look: how wide, how narrow and from
what perspective. Designers can start
from a pre-hypothesis position, casting
a wide net looking for signals and shifts,
or evaluate observations against known
strategic objectives to re ne or validate
existing concepts and beliefs. The scope
very much depends on where one is
within its insights initiative. For example,
is this for setting future strategy, moving
into new markets or developing insights
to maintain a competitive edge for
existing customers?
THE APPLICATION OF
PERSPECTIVE
When mapping current and future
reality, reality can be represented as
a system comprising interactions,
interdependencies, transformations
and meaning. Designers can
rely on empathic approaches to
appreciate these realities. Supporting
methodologies and tools include
contextual inquiry, ethnographic
research and participatory design. The
PESTLE analysis tool can be a useful
aide memoire to consider a range
of perspectives. PESTLE stands for
political, environmental, emotional,
social, technical, legal and economic.
Developing and exercising insightled
knowledge offers many bene ts.
They include improved understanding of
the operating environment, increased
innovation success as well as increased
customer satisfaction, in addition to
improved prioritisation, helping guide the
organisation on where next to focus.
Dr Benjamin W Watson
International Expert Work Group for innovation
Management Systems. ISO/TC279. Innovation
Leader, 3M. Trustee and Councillor, Institution
of Engineering Designers. Contact Ben Watson
through the IED to learn more.
www.ied.org.uk 31
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