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Innovation is Everywhere

In How to Find Innovation Gold I described a general approach for uncovering innovation in neglected areas. I ended by saying that the approach is particularly useful when applied against innovation types, which I promised to define and discuss in a separate post. Well, here it is.

Innovation consultants, scholars and others have identified various types of innovation. Typically, a model or framework is used to present these in a logical, structured format. Here are some examples.

Doblin is a Chicago-based innovation strategy firm that helps businesses assess and improve their innovation capabilities. Doblin provides a framework that identifies ten types of innovation:

1. Business Model
2. Networks & Alliances
3. Enabling Processes
4. Core Processes
5. Product Performance
6. Product Systems
7. Service
8. Channel
9. Brand
10. Customer Experience

Future Think is an innovation consulting firm, based in New York, which helps businesses build innovation programs and skills. Future Think provides a series of Innovation Snapshots that identify eight ways to innovate:

1. Product or Service
2. Business Model
3. Brand Experience
4. Distribution Channel
5. Strategic Partnership
6. Customer Segment
7. Communication Channel
8. Business Process

Innovation Radar is the name of a tool developed by Mohanbir Sawhney, Robert C. Wolcott and Inigo Arroniz, from the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University. The radar, which was described in the Spring 2006 edition of MIT Sloan Management Review, features twelve dimensions of business innovation:

1. Offerings
2. Platform
3. Solutions
4. Customers
5. Customer Experience
6. Value Capture
7. Processes
8. Organization
9. Supply Chain
10. Presence
11. Networking
12. Brand

As you can see, the lists are similar. The point is not to pit one model against another – all of them are extremely useful. They each highlight the fact that innovation can be found in a variety of places. This is important, since it combats the tendency for companies to focus myopically on just one type of innovation.

You may want to investigate each of these models in greater detail. All of them provide thorough definitions and illustrative examples of the different innovation types. In future posts, I will also delve more deeply into some examples.

Posted by Nelson T. on November 20, 2006 10:46 PM

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