This blog is all about helping product developers, managers, and innovators be 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

Innovation and the art of problem-solving –  a discussion with two innovation experts. “Right now for the first time in a long time, innovation is at the forefront of businesses’ thinking, and they’re looking for people that are innovative inside and outside their company.” Read more from Wharton http://kwhs.wharton.upenn.edu/2014/07/inside-innovation-tackling-worlds-pressing-problems/ and Part 2 at http://kwhs.wharton.upenn.edu/2014/07/innovation-action-beyond-eureka-moment/

2014 Global Innovation Index – 143 economies and 81 innovation indicators. “The Global Innovation Index (GII) is a benchmarking tool for business executives, policymakers and others seeking insight into the state of innovation around the world. It is co-published by Cornell University, INSEAD and the World Intellectual Property Organization, an agency of the United Nations.” Read more at http://www.globalinnovationindex.org/

Five critical pivots that create leaders. “Here are examples of how great leaders in a variety of industries evolved as a result of five key leadership decisions they made along the way…” Read more from Fast Company http://www.fastcompany.com/3033089/hit-the-ground-running/5-ways-leaders-tackle-pivotal-career-decisions

Steps Heinz took to innovate in all areas. “Heinz belongs to a new generation of future-focused organisations that sees the need to go beyond productivity and efficiency to higher level innovation.” Read more from 4Hoteliers http://www.4hoteliers.com/features/article/8461

An vital part of innovation management – killing projects. “I have worked with new product development (NPD) professionals for many years, and during that time the executives with the best records of shareholder value creation are those who systematically kill NPD projects as early in their development lifecycle as possible.” Read more from Innovation Excellence http://www.innovationexcellence.com/blog/2014/07/20/kill-new-product-development-projects-faster-2/

Innovators – add A/B testing to your toolbox. “A/B testing is the practice of randomly splitting a population of unknowing users into groups, and offering each group a different option (for example, different version of a webpage, an ad, or even a newsletter) in order to measure which option is driving the most desirable behaviour.”  Read more from INSEAD http://knowledge.insead.edu/marketing-advertising/when-warhol-meets-the-web-how-ab-testing-revolutionises-product-development-and-maximises-impact-3474

A reminder why innovation is important – it spurs growth. “It takes something new to produce a startling advance in the price of a stock.”
Read more from Investor’s Business Daily http://education.investors.com/investors-corner/709666-new-products-management-can-lift-stocks-to-new-highs.htm#ixzz38FSFrt00

How innovation hubs are accelerating American manufacturing. “There’s a renaissance underway in American manufacturing. Even as rising wages and energy costs in China are leading more U.S. companies to bring manufacturing stateside, economic indicators point towards real industrial progress.” Read more from Forbes http://www.forbes.com/sites/techonomy/2014/07/21/innovation-hubs-are-accelerating-american-manufacturing/

What innovation managers can learn from magicians – more than you think. “Thomke [Harvard Business School Professor] maintains that innovative managers looking to create successful new products or services can benefit from the practices that magicians like Randal follow…” Read more from Harvard Business School http://hbswk.hbs.edu/item/7555.html

The sweetness of simple incremental innovation. “At the end of the day it’s simple; innovation is not a concept. It’s an action.” Read more from The Globe and Mail http://www.theglobeandmail.com/report-on-business/careers/leadership-lab/innovation-does-not-have-to-be-a-big-bang-event/article19679203/?cmpid=rss1

12 things product managers should do in their first 30 days at a new company. “Congratulations, a product has found its product manager. Perhaps you’re joining a small startup, or maybe you have a new project in a big company. How you approach your first 30 days will make a tremendous difference, setting you up for success or struggle.”  Read more from NextWeb http://thenextweb.com/entrepreneur/2014/07/24/12-things-product-managers-first-30-days-new-company/

Another look at the differences between creativity and innovation. “Business leaders frequently interchange creativity and innovation, without understanding what separates the two.” Read more from Business News Daily http://www.businessnewsdaily.com/6848-creativity-vs-innovation.html

Prioritizing ideas in your innovation process. “One of the toughest processes in innovation is idea prioritization. Idea prioritization is about how you invest your company’s product development resources.” Read more Innovation Excellence http://www.innovationexcellence.com/blog/2014/07/23/innovate-with-purpose-idea-prioritization

3 things you must know to remove product development roadblocks in startups. “Here are the three biggest sore spots and my advice on how to get around them…” Read more from Entrepreneur http://www.entrepreneur.com/article/235838

 

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