Each week I scour articles, wading through the dogs, and bringing you the best insights to help product managers, developers, and innovators be heroes.

 

The basics of creating a product concept people want. “What happens when the comfort of the old is preferable to the risk of the new? This is the situation all innovators face when presenting their ideas or inventions to a hesitant public: we’re dissatisfied with the way things are now, but we’re not yet willing to embrace the future.” Read more at the Huffington Post http://www.huffingtonpost.com/jeff-degraff/when-nobody-wants-your-in_b_7998958.html

4 steps to innovation every leader needs to follow. “There are at least four overlapping principles of innovation that every leader needs to know to ensure their continued success and that of their organization. The following principles were derived from my experience with the first product I ever developed as a teenager almost 30 years ago.” Read more at Entrepreneur http://www.entrepreneur.com/article/249731

6 directions for next generation innovation. “The Bpifrance-FING work provides a comprehensive multi-dimensional framework for innovation assessment. It looks at six directions – (1) Sales and Marketing Innovation, (2) Product, Service, and Usage Innovation, (3) Technological Innovation, (4) Process and Organizational Innovation, (5) Business Model Innovation, and , (6) Social Innovation.

Tools for practicing innovating thinking. “[Aline Wolff. PhD at the Stern School of Business] suggests 3 exercises to improve your ability to think innovatively and to increase your chances of finding breakthrough ideas.” Read more at batterii http://blog.batterii.com/the-power-of-innovative-thinking

4 steps to building a great product-focused organization. “Developing and maintaining a product pipeline is not as simple as simply coming up with new ideas in a few brainstorming sessions. Successful product-focused businesses, both business to business and business to consumer, approach product planning and development with a well executed framework that is part of the company’s overall strategic plan.” Read more at Entrepreneur http://www.entrepreneur.com/article/249580 

A case for the 10 most innovative companies. Alibaba, Nike, Tesla, Uber, Google, GE, IBM, Apple, P&G, and 3M. Read more at http://www.innovationexcellence.com/blog/2015/08/12/robert-tuckers-10-most-innovative-companies

The 3 strengths of optimal product managers. “Here are three things that all product managers should do to be great. These actions are how the best product managers drive results that set themselves and their teams apart. They know that when their teams shine, they have succeeded. Top product managers: Plan… Communicate… Ship…” Read more at the Huffington Post  http://www.huffingtonpost.com/brian-de-haaff/the-day-i-became-an-avera_b_7984740.html

Intellectual property questions to consider at each state of new product development in medical devices. “At each stage of the product lifecycle for a medical device understanding IP matters and reacting accordingly is vital. Design patents and other means of IP protection such as copyright for software and trademarks to protect the brand all play their role in the successful commercialization of a medical device.” Read more at MDDI http://www.mddionline.com/blog/devicetalk/importance-intellecual-property-device-lifecycle-08-14-15

Who is responsible for innovation at your company? “The organization serves a dual role in innovation. First, it has to create a climate conducive for employee creativity. 57% of the participants in my study reported experiencing higher creativity levels in startup companies, 33% reported equal creativity at startup as well as mature companies, while only 9% experienced higher creativity levels in mature companies.” Read more at Innovation Excellence http://www.innovationexcellence.com/blog/2015/08/13/who-is-responsible-for-innovation-in-my-company/

Restoring a brand that has become fuzzy – a case study of Zim. “Then, one day we looked up and realized that Zim’s had become a house of brands, rather than the branded house that we started with. Our products all carried the Zim’s brand, but they lacked the uniform voice, positioning and consistency that made the brand immediately recognizable, regardless of which product you looked at. This revelation made us realize that we needed to pause and reevaluate who, what and why the Zim’s brand is. The discussion sparked what would become our rebrand process.” Read more at Insider http://www.naturalproductsinsider.com/blogs/beauty-perspectives/2015/08/the-art-of-rebranding-a-case-study-on-zim-s-max.aspx

Example of applying Attribute Dependency for improving a product or solving a problem. “Engineering firm B/E Aerospace has filed a patent for a “legroom adjustable” seat design that allows flight attendants to move a seat forward or back depending on the size of a passenger, reports the Telegraph.” Read more at Innovation In Practice http://www.innovationinpractice.com/innovation_in_practice/2015/08/innovation-sighting