{"id":88,"date":"2011-02-28T14:38:47","date_gmt":"2011-02-28T19:38:47","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.thinking.is\/?p=88"},"modified":"2024-07-11T10:59:32","modified_gmt":"2024-07-11T14:59:32","slug":"questions-vision-and-innovation","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blog.daed.com\/?p=88","title":{"rendered":"Questions, Vision, and Innovation"},"content":{"rendered":"

We were struck today by two blog posts on the Harvard Business Review website. In fact, they were the first and second most read posts on the site on March 2, 2010.<\/span><\/p>\n

The first is \u201c<\/span>Having Ideas Versus Having a Vision<\/a>,\u201d in which Roberto Verganti argues that after concentrating on developing idea-generation skills for the past ten years, we have a wealth of ideas and we need to develop better corporate vision to exercise editorial.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

I\u2019m certainly not questioning the essential value of ideas. They will still ignite the innovation process. Tossing around a large number of ideas will still be important, especially for incremental improvements. It is not one or the other. It is a shift in the most rare and precious asset that will drive competitive advantage: visions. It\u2019s time for thought leaders to move beyond post-its and embrace a more advanced form of creativity. A radical form of think-action that somewhat resembles that of researchers and entrepreneurs fighting to implement their vision.<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

In the second article, \u201c<\/span>How to Kill Innovation: Keep Asking Questions<\/a>,\u201d Scott Anthony relates how an overabundance of analysis can hamper innovation. Innovative ideas often are at the edge of what a company is used to. To bring more certainty to the initiative, established companies ask questions that, unfortunately, stymie action.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

They were important questions, and robust answers would help bring each opportunity into sharper focus. And the group\u2019s intentions were good \u2014 figure out which opportunity was the most attractive so that the company could direct its resources appropriately.<\/span><\/p>\n

The problem, though, is what follows \u201cWhat about\u2026\u201d questions. The next step from almost any discussion like this one is to conduct further research. And, \u201cWhat about\u2026\u201d questions never stop. Each answer generates questions whose answers lead to further questions. It could become infinite.<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

On the surface, these articles seem to be contradicting one another. Verganti says that ideas are in abundance, what we need now is some vision based on research. Anthony says that too much research will kill the new idea. We believe that design thinking has a way to incorporate both. It\u2019s about timing.<\/span><\/p>\n

Design thinking advocated cycles of idea generation followed by research-based editing. During the idea generation stage, questions like the ones disparaged by Anthony, are banished\u2013for the time being. Anthony is right, those questions kill innovation. But there is an important place for editing. Here\u2019s where we agree with some of Verganti\u2019s points. Qualitative research can offer information on which to base a vision\u2013at least of what type of problem the group is trying to solve. This vision offers a basis on which to separate the good ideas from the bad.<\/span><\/p>\n

Roughly outlined, the process should go something like this:<\/span><\/p>\n

    \n
  1. \u00a0Define research objectives based on big-picture vision<\/span><\/li>\n
  2. \u00a0Perform qualitative research<\/span><\/li>\n
  3. \u00a0Develop a vision of what problems are to be addressed<\/span><\/li>\n
  4. \u00a0Brainstorm (don\u2019t judge)<\/span><\/li>\n
  5. \u00a0Select the best ideas based on the vision and the research<\/span><\/li>\n
  6. \u00a0Generate more than one prototype (don\u2019t judge)<\/span><\/li>\n
  7. \u00a0Test prototypes with representative users<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    Repeat steps 6 and 7, and use what you\u2019ve learned to clarify your vision. When the prototypes are (close enough to) matching your vision and customers\u2019 expectations, ship.<\/span><\/p>\n

    In the end, we agree with the conclusion reached by Anthony: \u201cThe future can\u2019t be analytically derived. Of course, it\u2019s almost always valuable to think comprehensively about a new idea. But maintain a healthy balance between analysis and action.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

    \n

    Photo by<\/span> HalGatewood.com<\/a> on<\/span> Unsplash<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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