Key principles and tools

There isn't a prescriptive answer to making innovation happen. There is no magic wand or grand unifying theory. But ...

There are principles and observable patterns. There are conceptual models and frameworks. Applying these carefully can bring clarity to the fuzzy front end. We have developed and adapted a whole range of frameworks, tools and techniques that underpin our work. We often customise them for particular client contexts and leave them behind. Especially when we're building innovation capability.

As a taster, here are some of the principles we promote for making innovation happen:

• Focus on people - customers, users and stakeholders all must be understood
• Find a problem worth solving ... by us - sounds a simple goal, but it's not
• Iterate creatively and rapidly - to be a faster learner
• Think systems - explore widely for opportunities, constraints and risks
• Build and exploit platforms - look for scalable solutions, not one-offs
• Sustainable business cases - build value through meaningful milestones
• Target critical success factors (and avoid pitfalls) - manage behaviours.