As someone who works for a strategy consultancy, it becomes clear that for most companies, there is a disconnect between what they say their strategy is, and how they actually behave. This can have a profound impact on the likely success rates of innovation in those companies. I recently rewatched the excellent TEDx talk by [...]
Artist Jeremy Mayer creates unbelievable sculptures using only parts from old typewriters. Using these, he creates fantastic models of people, birds, insects and other animals. In the video above, he describes his creative process, which is heavily based on constraints. I have written previously about the creative power of constraints. It is due to the [...]
If you've followed my work for a while, you'll know that I'm a big fan of the Ten Types of Innovation, a framework developed by Doblin (now a part of Deloitte). I previously listed it as the #2 innovation framework you should be using. And with good reason. I have used it frequently with clients [...]
Everyone knows instinctively that innovation feels risky, especially compared to large, established transformation projects (like IT implementations or operational restructuring). Yet how risky is innovation actually? According to research by Deloitte’s Doblin practice, in the majority of companies, only one in 25 innovation projects actually provides a tangible return on investment. That means that 96% [...]
When we think of what a mirror looks like, we usually think of a shiny surface which reflects light as a perfect image. However, Daniel Rozin has other ideas. As shown in the video above, Rozin creates amazing mechanical mirrors which mirror an image in a completely different way. Instead of reflecting light, his mirrors [...]
The Mexican Beer manufacturer Corona has found an innovative new solution to the problem of plastic packaging which holds packs of beer together. They have redesigned their beer cans so that the top and bottom have a semi-screw mechanism, allowing cans to be "locked together" and carried like a tube. Allegedly the system is strong [...]
Today, we are speaking with the former Head of Innovation and Creativity at Disney, Duncan Wardle. Can you imagine a job title more closely related to creativity than that? We speak about what it takes for companies to become more innovative, how ideas are developed at Disney and Pixar, and why companies need to embrace [...]
This month is Pride Month, during which time the LGBTQ community comes out in force to celebrate their identity. I wanted to write an article celebrating the works of the most influential gay, lesbian, transgender and bisexual innovators, inventors and scientists throughout history. However, there was a problem. There are just not many lists of [...]
If you think that all X-ray images can do is show you a picture of your skeleton, think again. Scientists from Mars Bioimaging at the University of Canterbury, New Zealand have developed new medical imaging technology which allows them to take pictures of the internal tissues of living beings (including humans), and show the different [...]
In today's episode of the Idea to Value Podcast, we speak with Harvard Business School's Professor Amy Edmondson about her concept of Psychological Safety. She is the author of The Fearless Organisation, is the Novartis Professor of Leadership and Management at the Harvard Business School, a chair established to support the study of human [...]
