This blog is all about making product developers, managers, and innovators more successful and their organizations successful with them. As I do each week, below is a roundup of articles around the web with insightful product development, management, and innovation practices, tips, and examples – and sometimes controversial ideas.

Around the Web

How innovators can use experience mapping. “Gaining insight into that journey through experience mapping has become more and more useful. A good experience map will show the journey of the user through the different touchpoints that characterise his or her interactions.” Read more from Creative http://www.creativebloq.com/netmag/expert-guide-experience-mapping-71412427

Lessons on innovation from visionary CEOs. “Innovation is the heart that pumps out new value to existing and new customers. With this in mind, I thought it would be valuable to assemble the CEOs of top innovative companies and ask questions like…” Read more from Forbes http://www.forbes.com/sites/robertreiss/2014/07/28/lessons-on-innovation-from-visionary-ceos/

Innovation is among  top-3 concerns of CEOs. “So with 69% of corporates now naming innovation within their top three priorities and 18% putting it at the head of the list, the need for CEO and senior team strategic advice on innovation has never been more crucial.” Read more at Innovation Excellence http://www.innovationexcellence.com/blog/2014/07/26/innovation-and-building-a-next-generation-organisation

How the power of story turned innovation around at Lego. “If all you offer is a box of bricks, you’re going to be out of business pretty quickly. Someone is going to do it cheaper, faster, better than you. You have to tell a story. You have to grab attention. And Lego realized this.” Read more from Xconomy http://www.xconomy.com/national/2014/07/25/innovation-hub-how-lego-built-a-blockbuster-global-brand/

Why story is essential to innovation culture. ”We do things, as earnestly and energetically as we possibly can, and then we measure some stuff and decide that what we did was, or was not, a contributor to innovative output of this, or that.  Then, we do it all over again, fingers crossed, all the while forgetting about the the single, most powerful, indispensable tool we have available to cause innovation:  Stories.” Read more from Forbes http://www.forbes.com/sites/henrydoss/2014/07/25/innovation-emerges-from-stories-we-tell/

What can be learned from counterfeiters and other dark starts to innovation. “Innovation is rethinking what you think you already know. It often happens when and where you least expect it. Remember that innovation is a form of deviance. Staying in the middle of the bell curve is no longer enough.” Read more from Huffington Post http://www.huffingtonpost.com/jeff-degraff/innovation-starts-in-dark_b_5626958.html

How to create innovation culture the fast and viral way. “More and more companies realize that the most important aspect to consider when pursuing a change towards a more innovative company is to look at the Innovation culture. The question is, how is this done in the “best” way and how do we know which is the most suitable culture for our company?” Read more from Innovation Management http://www.innovationmanagement.se/2012/07/17/how-to-change-innovation-culture-the-fast-viral-way/

How Design Thinking and Customer Development are different but related. “Two methods, Design Thinking and Customer Development provide the tactical day-to-day process of  how to turn ideas into products. While they both emphasize getting out of the building and taking to customers, they’re not the same.  Here’s why.” Read more from Forbes http://www.forbes.com/sites/steveblank/2014/07/29/driving-corporate-innovation-design-thinking-vs-customer-development/

New research shows the traditional approach to leading innovation is all wrong. “Companies struggle to innovate because they do not know how to lead the process.” Read more from Forbes http://www.forbes.com/sites/rogertrapp/2014/07/29/successful-innovation-leaders-make-their-organizations-ready-and-willing-to-perform/

Not for Profits also must innovate… or die. “Developing an organisational capacity for innovation is vital. Just one idea on its own, or three, or six is not enough. We need to re-harness the passion and can-do of our staff and stakeholders to be driving our organisations and communities forward with new ideas, new momentum and new solutions.” Read more from Pro Bono Australia http://www.probonoaustralia.com.au/news/2014/07/innovation-key-your-own-survival

Innovation through university research labs? Maybe. Here is one example. “The Institute’s Human Organ-on-a-Chip technology provides an outstanding example of how de-risking technologies technically and commercially in the academic setting can accelerate their translation.” Read more at Huffington Post http://www.huffingtonpost.com/don-ingber/reenergizing-americas-inn_b_5628000.html

Industrial designers and innovators, get inspiration from these products. “Drones for Good, Robot Olypics 2020, Airbus E-plane, Pallet Tram, goTenna and much more.” Read more from Design e-Magazine http://www.bluelarix.com/newsletters/1407/int_newsletter.html

From this Blog – The Everyday Innovator™, official blog of Product Mastery Now

No Temper Tantrums Required – Becoming a Disruptive Entrepreneur to Beat Competitors: Product Development and Innovation Lesson from the News. “Whether you are an entrepreneur, or part of a company in which you just think like one, here is a guide to big bang disruption.” Read more from my blog http://www.productmasterynow.com/blog/no-temper-tantrums-required-becoming-a-disruptive-entrepreneur-to-beat-competitors-product-development-and-innovation-lesson-from-the-news/

 

 

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