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

Is sustaining innovation passe – not so fast. “he vast majority of profit from innovation does not come from the initial disruption; it comes from the stream of routine, or sustaining, innovations that accumulate for years (sometimes decades) afterward. An innovation strategy has to include both. Let’s examine a few examples.” Read more from Bloomberg http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-06-10/in-defense-of-routine-innovation.html

Calling all product managers – use relative cost to gain insight into the cost of your products for items sourced from suppliers. “With the dominance of outsourcing, it’s more difficult than ever to know what the should cost of a product is.” Read more from Industry Week http://www.industryweek.com/cost-management-bpm/relative-cost-power-how-not-know-cost-your-products-and-win-negotiations-anyway

Shenzhen, China becoming National Innovation Zone – China no longer only manufacturing. Why is this important? Shenzhen is becoming more than the center of manufacturing in China. Skilled employees are no longer content copying interesting products from other countries. They are now creating their own designs and using the best rapid prototyping tools available. Shenzhen is poised for real innovation. Read the announcement at http://www.wantchinatimes.com/news-subclass-cnt.aspx?cid=1201&MainCatID=12&id=20140607000002

Time for a total innovation system in organizations. “Time to see innovation as a holistic practice, imbedded in the fabric of the corporation much like what we have done with Lean Production (including Quality Management).” Read more from Necrophone http://necrophone.com/2014/06/07/time-for-a-total-innovation-system

Website Design for Usability example. “We’re currently redesigning our website at The New York Law Institute library and we our goal has been to create a user-centered design with lots of input from our actual members and users.” Read more from Open Education Database http://oedb.org/ilibrarian/conduct-library-website-usability-studies-free/

Suggestions for keeping innovation management simple. “…[while] many innovation challenges face highly complex technical and logistical barriers…the structure of innovation should be very simple.” Read more from Innovation Excellence http://www.innovationexcellence.com/blog/2014/06/08/is-innovation-simple-2/#sthash.3t0z6eXG.dpuf

Innovation is valuable solutions to common problems – 3 non-tech businesses that innovated technology to meet needs. “…what about innovators who end up making new technology because they have to have it for their non-tech business? Or those who are selling a physical product in the brick-and-mortar world, but don’t have the critical software or app-based solution that their company needs to keep going?” Read more from Mashable http://mashable.com/2014/06/10/business-innovation-software/

Promoting innovation transformation: Interview with innovation officer of $9B healthcare company. “Over the past few years, Cambia Health Solutions has redefined itself from a traditional health insurance company to a cause-oriented total health solutions company with innovation as a core value.” Read more from Forbes http://www.forbes.com/sites/larrymyler/2014/06/09/chief-innovation-officer-of-9b-healthcare-company-reveals-transformation-secrets-mohan-nair/

Five fast innovation insights from fast food trucks – beep beep. “All across the country, trendy food trucks are driving into big cities and setting up shop in our hearts. What can we learn from these fast and agile entrepreneurs? Our research revealed five valuable (and tasty) insights that can be applied to almost any type of business.” Read more from Seed Strategy http://seedstrategy.com/accelerator/5-things-food-trucks-can-teach-us-about-innovation-success/

 

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

3+ Ways of Finding Eureka Moments: Product Development and Innovation Lesson from the News. “Many successful product development ideas have come to people in the shower in a sudden flash of inspiration. Unfortunately, hot water is not a guaranteed idea creator, and you can’t always afford to wait for that one eureka moment.One way to get ideas without running up your water bill is to take what is already out there and use it to help you innovate. Here are a three approaches to find those eureka moments.” Read more from my blog http://www.productmasterynow.com/blog/3-ways-finding-eureka-moments-product-development-innovation-lesson-news/