Innovation methodologies when done right can ensure questions are addressed in the right way and can help you acquire reflexes. If you’re in charge of creating changes in your organization, then you need to develop workflows that allow you to repeatedly produce, organize, and nurture new ideas. These systems must become the funnels that transform ideas into real-world projects.
We at Cultinno have noticed a few innovation processes that are adopted more than others, which we would like to share with you. But before we do, you need to have an insight into how much you know about innovation methodologies.
We are wired to constantly look for solutions that fix problems. So when it comes to innovation, everyone wants to find the perfect method. However, obsessing over a single best innovation recipe comes with the risk of getting stuck in the old ways of doing things. Every type of innovation has a complex setting, with many variables, so copying the exact same model of innovation is not feasible or at least it won’t reap the desired results. What can and should be replicated, is the disciplined way of achieving innovation. And this is where innovation methods come into play.
One cannot actually define what an innovation method is, but it can be understood. While a process is a series of events or a path of successions that help produce a result, and a tool is an instrument that helps you put a method into practice, a method is generally defined as a procedure through which something is approached or accomplished systematically. Basically, it’s the way we do something according to a plan, in order to achieve the desired result, using a certain set of tools.
In short, we can say that an innovation method is simply the practical way in which we can achieve innovation.
Innovation, as sporadic as it may sound, also is rarely a long-term success. A systematic approach increases the chances of valuable innovation. We believe that sticking to a single method is not ideal, especially for large organizations. Thus, the best way to go about this is to create your own toolbox and include various methods for different purposes and kinds of innovations.
If you’re in charge of systematically creating change at your organization, then you need to develop workflows that allow you to repeatedly produce, organize, and nurture new ideas. Here are a few most common innovation processes which you can start with: