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Newsletter for technological innovation professionals

Gaining value from big concepts

Revolutionary concepts have emerged from studies of how innovation decisions are made. They include; disruptive technology, roadmaps, core competence, discovery driven planning and expeditionary marketing. These terms are often used incorrectly although they serve to make the user sound knowledgeable. Take just one of these, core competence. The original exposition explained how it was that only a very few companies can be said to have a distinctive core competence. You may, however, have overheard a conversation that that went something like – “have you done your core competences? I’ve just done mine and got up to forty-seven”. That misunderstanding means that the value of the original concept is unlikely to be realized. Consider these suggestions:

1. It’s worth taking the time to understand big concepts. Often, they encapsulatea philosophy that makes a useful benchmark to test the myriad of small decisions that we all must make every day. Technology roadmaps are a good example. With the appropriate roadmap at hand you can see if your immediate activity helps or hinders achievement, or is perhaps a signal that new thinking is required.

2. Remember that concepts are refined over time and that their later embodiments and variations may be even more valuable than when they were first proposed.

One such is the concept of the lead user. That is the customer who takes your product or service and modifies or enhances it for their own use. Your choice is to learn or (it happens) cancel their service contract. The concept has developed to become ‘democratizing’ innovation. This is not merely inclusive language; rather it is a realistic recognition that applying the thinking of intelligent users of a product is more powerful than that of a lone inventor.

Wondering how to apply big concepts in your organisation? Ask me to help.

Best wishes

John Higgins