The Dos and Don’ts of Innovation

DO’S

1. Search conceptually and systematically for opportunities — Think about the opportunities systematically. This should be an organized process and done on a regular basis.
2. Search Perceptually — Go out to look, to ask, to listen. Work out analytically what the innovation has to be to satisfy an opportunity.

 

3. Simple, focused — Even the innovation that creates new uses and new markets should be directed toward a specific, clear, designed application. It should be focused on a specific need that it satisfies. It should do only one thing.
4. Capable of being started small, require at first little money, few people, and only a small limited market.

DONT’S

1. Try to be clever — Innovations have to be handled by ordinary human beings.
2. Diversify, splinter, try to do too many things at once. Innovation needs the concentrated energy of a unified effort behind it.
3. Try to innovate for the future. Innovate for the PRESENT! Immediate application.