Solving customer’s problems is the goal

Unfocused innovating is a business problem

Working on two problems is complicated

Innovating problems make customer problems foggy

Foggy customer problems exacerbate innovating problems

Solve the business innovating problem first

Innovating, processes, new solutions go together

Innovating without processes yields random results

Innovating without new solutions is waste

Innovating’s goal is high impact solutions

Successful innovating requires systemic innovating processes

Good processes yield high impact solutions

Innovating is cause; solutions are effect

New solutions improve the user experience

New solutions improve overall business performance

New solutions increase your market standing

New solutions change the status quo

New solutions result from innovating activities

The test of innovating is impact

Does it change the status quo

Is the solution new and better

Is a customer segment better served

Do users have a better experience

Does the solution improve business performance

There are two attitudes concerning change

Respond to maintain the status quo

Reacting to changes after they occur

Anticipate to change the status quo

Affecting changes before they are accepted

Innovation targets changing the status quo

Business leaders like the status quo

It feels orderly, stable, and predictable

Business managers believe it will persist

That they can control the rate-of-change

They will be aware of changes

They will have time to respond

Innovation is a result of change

Change inception comes from new knowledge

New knowledge leads to multifaceted targets

This is WHAT we are changing

Specifying by HOW MUCH and WHY

for WHOM, WHEN, WHERE, and HOW

Innovating inspiration comes from three voices

They are the Voice-of-the-Job, Voice-of-the-Customer, Voice-of-the-Stakeholder

Each voice provides a polarizing perspective

Listening to the voices isn’t enough

You must hear, interpret, and understand

The combined voices create innovating impetus

Successful innovating has two primary causes

Importance of problems + Strength of solutions

Problems with impact must be identified

Better new solutions must be introduced

Less important problems don’t interest customers

Solutions that aren’t better aren’t adopted

Innovating yielding Innovation requires two things

Defining problems that are worth solving

Introducing new solutions that are better

Problems worth solving cause frequent trouble

Better solutions change the status quo

Innovations solve problems with new solutions

Innovating impetus comes from three triggers

Voice of the Job provides focus

Voice of the Customer provides differentiation

Voice of the Stakeholder provides discipline

One or two triggers isn’t enough

Innovations result from pulling all three

Most innovating starts with conceiving ideas

What will mitigate an obvious threat?

What will address a known opportunity?

What novelty would customer’s find interesting?

What will alleviate a customer’s pain-point?

These triggers separate problems-worth-solving from ideas

Innovating targets changing the status quo

Innovating projects require triggers to start

Current Sales threats is one trigger

Future Sales opportunities is a second

Threats and opportunities must be diagnosed

Innovating starts with status quo sense-making

Innovating’s fourth essential activity is Adoption

Customer adoption is innovating’s final test

Adoption is a sequential engagement process

Creating awareness, promoting availability, facilitating acquisition

Encouraging acknowledgment, confirming acceptance, assisting adoption

A new solution replacing old solutions

Innovating’s third essential activity is Introduction

Development is the first Introduction challenge

Creating solution and capabilities to specifications

Deployment is the second Introduction challenge

Solution availability with minimal business disruption

Introduction changes the business status quo

Innovating’s second essential activity is Invention

Uncovering trouble with each available solution

Letting trouble expose problems worth solving

Improving the Job-Being-Done is one alternative

A new Job-To-Be-Done is a second

New solution specification is the goal

Innovating’s first essential activity is Sensemaking

Competitor’s solutions, customer segments, user satisfaction

Market, Technology, and Adoption Life Cycles

Business capabilities, strategic intent, business models

Competitive Positioning and Basis of Competition

Jobs Being Done and Solution Specifications

There is always an existing solution

Customers use solutions for a Job-Being-Done

The User Job-Being-Done Experience determines satisfaction

Constraints, performance, utility, outcomes cause trouble

Trouble intensity identifies problems worth solving

Job-To-Be-Done inspires better solutions, solving problems

There is always an existing solution

Customers use solutions for a Job-Being-Done

The User Job-Being-Done Experience determines satisfaction

Constraints, performance, utility, outcomes cause trouble

Trouble intensity identifies problems worth solving

Job-To-Be-Done inspires better solutions, solving problems

Customer Adoption Dynamics influences market diffusion

Early stage concerns new solution performance

Is it possible? Does it work?

Later stages concern new solution outcomes

Is there evidence it is better?

Does competitive pressure make it necessary?

Technology Adoption Dynamics influences buying behavior

Early stage customers are buying technology

Growth stage customer are buying applications

Plateau stage customers are buying integrations

Late stage customers are buying standardization

Selling and buying behavior must match

Technology Dynamics concerns new solution architecture

Early stage solutions compete on different architectures

Specific solution architectures represent proprietary capabilities

Eventually a solution architecture becomes standard

Competing on standard architectures requires modularization

Technology Dynamics drives business capability development

Market Dynamics cycles through three stages

The Stages are Introduction, Growth, Harvest

Voice-of-the-Job speaks to solution performance needs

Voice-of-the-Customer speaks to utility and outcomes

Voice-of-the-Stakeholder speaks to supplier outcome requirements

One Voice dominates in each stage

Solution Life Cycle Dynamics constrain innovations

Market Dynamics influences new solution development

Technology Dynamics influences standardization of solutions

Technology Adoption Dynamics influences buying behavior

Customer Adoption Dynamics influences solution substitution

Life Cycle Dynamics guide innovating decisions

Balancing friction with momentum drives innovation

Momentum can overcome or reinforce friction

Friction dominates with too little momentum

But too much momentum causes disorder

Balancing fiction with momentum hastens results

Innovating thrives in an orderly environment

Balancing friction with momentum drives innovation

Friction affects innovating in three ways

During Invention, friction spurs new ideas

During Introduction, friction slows down acceptance

During Adoption, friction suppresses solution substitution

Friction can help or harm innovating

These management beliefs suppress innovating projects

– Innovating is complex, complicated, and ambiguous

– Innovating follows Operational Excellence in priority

– Innovating work is departmentalized, not organizational

– Short term consequences are not impactful

– Innovating only when it’s mission critical

Innovation is only achieved through innovating

But is innovating discouraged and suppressed?

– The innovating practice is not systemic

– Failure is normal, expected, and institutionalized

– Goals include fail early, fast, often

What’s your excuse for not innovating?

Four Life Cycle Dynamics impact innovation

Market Life Cycle guides differentiation decisions

Technology Life Cycle influences scaling decisions

Technology Adoption Life Cycle drives capabilities

Customer Diffusion Life Cycle segments customers

Life Cycle Dynamics increase innovation probabilities

New solutions must pass four tests

Proof of Technology to confirm “How”

Proof of Concept to validate “What”

Proof of Design to confirm specifications

Proof of Development to establish readiness

Passing four tests accelerates organizational acceptance

Dualities are related two factor variables

The resolution must satisfy both variables

Acceptance and adoption are different outcomes

Organizational acceptance is necessary for availability

Customer adoption is necessary for replacement

Accepted and adopted solutions become innovations

Dualities are related two factor variables

The resolution must satisfy both variables

Innovating includes both invention and introduction

Invention is an individual design skill

Introduction is an organizational process skill

Invention and introduction skills cause innovations

Dualities are related two factor variables

Duality resolution must satisfy both variables

Users judge solutions cognitively and emotionally

Cognition assesses constraints, performance, and utility

Emotion values outcomes and satisfaction levels

Solutions evoke cognitive and emotional reactions

Dualities are related two factor variables

Duality resolution must satisfy both variables

Innovating creates new knowledge and solutions

New knowledge enables new solution development

New solutions make users lives better

New knowledge and solutions cause innovations

Dualities are related two factor variables

Duality resolution must satisfy both variables

Pairing technologies with problems drives innovating

Enabling technologies make new solutions possible

Problems worth solving make solutions desirable

Technologies solving problems make innovations probable

Dualities are related two factor variables

Duality resolution must satisfy both variables

Innovation drivers are Threats and Opportunities

Threat potential of declining current sales

Opportunity potential of increasing future profits

Innovating mitigates Threats and realizes Opportunities

Dualities are related two factor variables

Duality resolution must satisfy both variables

Innovation’s duality is Innovating and Entrepreneurship

Innovating to invent a new solution

Entrepreneurship to create, introduce, and replace

Causing change that makes life better

Dualities are related two factor variables

The resolution must satisfy both variables

Momentum / Friction is an implementation duality

Momentum challenges the Business status quo

Friction maintains the Business status quo

Leaders must balance Momentum and Friction

Dualities are related two factor variables

The resolution must satisfy both variables

Trouble / Novelty is a solution duality

Novelty attracts attention and generates interest

Trouble is the source of dissatisfaction

Solutions need novelty with less trouble

Dualities are related two factor variables

The resolution must satisfy both variables

Purpose / Job-to-be-Done is a guiding duality

Purpose motivates a business to change

Job-to-be-Done motivates a customer to change

Solutions causing change must satisfy both

Sensemaking places your situation in context

It clarifies the motivation for change

It provides the organization with purpose

Elucidating “Why are we doing this?”

Sensemaking also focuses attention on action

Activities with urgency towards a goal

Good ideas drive high hit rates

Good ideas are market-focused and driven

They impact user and business experience

Good ideas change the status quo

They create purpose and motivate change

Innovation doesn’t happen without good ideas

Individual skills and capabilities are essential

Observe without judgement or predetermined solutions

Making sense of anomalies and dissatisfaction

Being curious and actively exhibiting empathy

Imagination to envision a new solution

Connecting the dots with novel creativity

A systemic innovating practice is necessary

Low hit rates happen without one

High hit rates result with one

Sensemaking and Purpose to motivate action

Individual skills and methodologies to Invent

Processes to Introduce and cause change

The user experience has four components

Constraints encountered determine the boundary conditions

Solution specification targets the performance delivered

Job being done resolves utility derived

Outcomes achieved determines user satisfaction felt

User experience controls acceptance or substitution

Innovating always changes the status quo

The status quo has three components

User experience defines Customer Status Quo

Business performance defines Business Status quo

Competitive position defines Market Status quo

Changing status quo changes all three

Does your new solution make sense?

Four Life Cycle maps provide clarity

Market Life Cycle defines competitive differentiation

Technology Life Cycle determines competitive platform

Technology Adoption Life Cycle guides Marketing

Customer Diffusion Life Cycle drives acceptance

There are three drivers of change

Change resulting from variance in process

Business environment change you cannot control

Change you cause introducing new solutions

Process and environmental change require reactions

New solution change must be orchestrated

A clear Purpose drives successful innovating

Vision and Mission provide focused clarity

Crises and Threats get people’s attention

Opportunities and Technologies establish a trajectory

Problems worth solving motivate new solutions

Under-leveraged strengths become the innovating platform

Innovating yields innovations with 20% success

Dissatisfaction with innovating is frustratingly high

Business leaders are wary of innovating

Customer’s evaluating new solutions increase wariness

But new solutions improve everyone’s life

Innovating success follows problems worth solving

A clear Purpose drives successful innovating

Vision and Mission provide focused clarity

Crises and Threats get people’s attention

Opportunities and Technologies establish a trajectory

Problems worth solving motivate new solutions

Under-leveraged strengths become the innovating platform

Agile Innovating TM is a systemic practice

Discovering new needs applying Jobs-to-be-Done Theory

Utilizing Design Thinking to generate ideas

Specifying with the Business Model Canvas

Managing development with Agile Stage – Gate

Making it viable leveraging pioneering knowledge

People become interested in new solutions

ONLY when novelty makes it interesting

AND existing solution dissatisfaction motivates change

A lack of novelty generates skepticism

Insufficient intensity of dissatisfaction suppresses change

Novelty and dissatisfaction make innovation possible

NPD is an essential organizational capability

Capability is more than development process

Organization based NPD introduces new solutions

New solution specification precedes development work

Development performance suffers without clear specifications

Innovating then gets stuck in NPD

The D8 Infinity Process Step 8

Diffuse new solutions causing market disruption

Manage adoption as a social process

Effectively influencing customer substitution and adoption

Better net experience, less net trouble

Converting innovative new solutions into innovations

The D8 Infinity Process Step 7

Deploy to minimize worse-before-better business disruption

Managing the Rate of Change Challenge

How do we mitigate business disruption?

How do we facilitate deployment acceptance?

Assuring leadership engagement and change management

The D8 Infinity Process Step 6

Develop the new solution to specification

Preventing ambiguous objectives and emerging specifications

Overcoming slow, long, late NPD performance

Validating technology, concept, design, and development

Providing Proof-of-Technology, Proof-of-Concept, Proof-of-Design, and Proof-of-Development

The D8 Infinity Process Step 5

Decide the new solution specification criteria

Validate the total new solution specification

A desirable, feasible, viable new solution

Preventing opportunistic development of singular solutions

Targeting supplier acceptance and customer adoption

The D8 Infinity Process Step 4

Design new and better solution concepts

Distinguish new and better from different

Do concepts improve the net experience?

Do concepts reduce the net trouble?

Solutions focused on problems worth solving

The D8 Infinity Process Step 3

Define the combined problems worth solving

Frame the problems as User/Supplier dualities

Anticipating the combined changes worth making

Overcoming poorly defined problems to solve

Improving the user, business, market experience

The D8 Infinity Process Step 2

Diagnose changing the total status quo

Detailing the experiences with available solutions

Diagnosing issues in the combined experience

Uncovering the trouble, severity and frequency

Establishing the current Basis of Competition

The D8 Infinity Process Step 1

Discover the existing solution status quo

Suppliers and customers of existing solutions

Understanding the use and supply situation

Identifying the circumstances controlling the experiences

Determining and documenting your competitive position

Innovating gets shackled by fundamental errors

Brainstorming new ideas as step 1

Falling in love with a technology

Solving for problems that nobody has

Choosing the wrong problems to solve

Wrong solutions for the right problems

Innovating depends upon effective problem finding

Poor finding skills befuddle idea generation

Innovating performance and impact become shackled

Low hit rates become the norm

Finding problems worth solving is crucial

Good problem finding enables problem solving

Sooner or later, you must Innovate

You decide why, how, and what

Why do you want to change?

How are you going to change?

What are you going to change?

For whom, where, when, how much

Innovative ideas emerge from problem finding

Problem finding results in problem specification

Clarifying WHAT the performance gap is

WHY the gap exists and persists

HOW to approach closing the gap

Problem specification completely defines the problem