HOW TO INNOVATE Michael Allen

1. HOW TO INNOVATE
Michael Allen
Ready my blog www.everythingbrilliant.co.uk
@Brillianttideas
http://uk.linkedin.com/pub/michael-allen/0/360/b03/
Learn more about idea management software www.TalkFreely.com
Copyright Michael Allen, EverythingBrilliant.co.uk 2014

2. About me…..
- Innovator
- Speak, blog about and help organisations innovate
- Partner in a idea management software business called TalkFreely
- I ‘walk the talk’ and share all my ideas online
Copyright Michael Allen, EverythingBrilliant.co.uk 2014

3. Copyright Michael Allen, EverythingBrilliant.co.uk 2014
IDEAS STICK

4. How to
Innovate
(in <40 mins)
There’s some BAD
news and some
GOOD news

5. Innovation isn’t
always easy,
BUT it is
simple

7. Solve a problem people care about

12. 3 Innovation Horizons
Copyright Michael Allen, EverythingBrilliant.co.uk 2014

13. What in this photograph of a
colleague’s desk will change in
the next 5 years?
Or ask us to think of the future

14. Provocations
can jolt us into
an emotional
state

15. Or inspire us

16. What processes or process steps do you
take that waste time or add no value?
Or ask questions
that don’t get
asked enough

18. Copyright Michael Allen, EverythingBrilliant.co.uk 2014
First, the basics.

19. Copyright Michael Allen, EverythingBrilliant.co.uk 2014
What are ideas?

20. Copyright Michael Allen, EverythingBrilliant.co.uk 2014

21. Copyright Michael Allen, EverythingBrilliant.co.uk 2014

22. Copyright Michael Allen, EverythingBrilliant.co.uk 2014
It’s as simple as that.

23. Copyright Michael Allen, EverythingBrilliant.co.uk 2014
MORE CONNECTIONS = MORE IDEAS

24. Go where smart people go

25. Be inquisitive

26. Go where ideas thrive

27. Allow yourself to be inspired

28. We can trigger more
connections with
Copyright Michael Allen, EverythingBrilliant.co.uk 2014
- Questions / challenges
- Events
- Tools / training / inspirations

30. #IdeaHacksTake something and hack it by
changing or re-organising some of
the components to create new value
#PainStorming
Go looking for pain or problems and dare
to imagine that just because it hasn’t yet
been solved, that it can be solved
#Differentiation
Take existing products and change the value
proposition by changing the utility,
configuration or customer experience
Blue sky thinking, radical ideas
that can make the World better
#BlueSky
#Reverse InnovationRather than ask for ideas, ask the opposite
then reverse them
#Ideation Tools

31. #DifferentiationTake existing products and make it different by changing the;
- value proposition (what it offers people)
- the utility (how it works / what it does)
- the configuration or (the way it is sold or offered)
- Customer experience (how people use and interact with it)

33. #Your ChallengeTake existing your product or one of your products and seek
ideas by changing the;
- value proposition (what it offers people)
- the utility (how it works / what it does)
- the configuration or (the way it is sold or offered)
- Customer experience (how people use and interact with it)

35. Why I share my ideas
Copyright Michael Allen, EverythingBrilliant.co.uk 2014
- Because all things are difficult before
they are easy
- The idea is the first and easiest step
- The more ideas you have, the more
ideas you have

39. #LeanUXUsing Lean as a strategic
Innovation Tool
#Idea Canvas
6 questions to test any idea
#Dump&Clump
A fast way to evaluate ideas
Understanding the customer
experience through storyboarding
#Storyboarding
Idea Evaluation Tools

40. #IdeaCanvas
A 6 step model to
describe any idea

41. #1. My idea is
..a product that
..a solution to
..a service for
Brilliant Idea #298 is an
app called Trading Places.
It allows people to trade, for
example their seat on a
train or place in a queue
with someone that is
happy to pay for their place

42. #2. My idea solves
the problem that
Brilliant Idea #298 is
an app called Trading
Places. It allows people to
trade, for example their
seat on a train or place
in a queue with someone
that is happy to pay for
their place
My idea solves the problem
that many of the things
we value are over-
subscribed and, if we
could, we’d happily pay
more to jump a queue or
have a seat

43. #3. The Problem affects
Who are your early
adopters likely to be?
Brilliant Idea #298 is
an app called Trading
Places. It allows people
to trade, for example
their seat on a train or
place in a queue with
someone that is happy
to pay for their place
My idea solves the
problem that many of
the things we value are
over-subscribed and, if
we could, we’d happily
pay more to jump a
queue or have a seat
The problem affects
regular users of
public transport
and millennials
that eat out
regularly

44. #4. They care enough to adopt
my idea because
(this is the hardest one)
Brilliant Idea #298 is
an app called Trading
Places. It allows people
to trade, for example
their seat on a train or
place in a queue with
someone that is happy
to pay for their place
My idea solves the
problem that many of
the things we value are
over-subscribed and, if
we could, we’d happily
pay more to jump a
queue or have a seat
My target users
care enough about
the problem because
they value their
time more than
their money
The problem affects
regular users of public
transport and
millennials that eat out
regularly

45. #5. My idea solves
the problem by
Brilliant Idea #298 is an
app called Trading
Places. It allows people to
trade, for example their
seat on a train or place in
a queue with someone
that is happy to pay for
their place
My idea solves the
problem that many of
the things we value are
over-subscribed and, if
we could, we’d happily
pay more to jump a
queue or have a seat
The problem affects
regular users of public
transport and
millennials that eat out
regularly
My target users care
enough about the
problem because they
value their time more
than their money
My idea solves the
problem by
integrating with
other social tools to
link people ‘with’
and people ‘without’

46. #6. I can test my idea by
Brilliant Idea #298 is
an app called Trading
Places. It allows people to
trade, for example their
seat on a train or place
in a queue with
someone that is happy
to pay for their place
My idea solves the
problem that many of
the things we value are
over-subscribed and, if
we could, we’d happily
pay more to jump a
queue or have a seat
The problem affects
regular users of public
transport and
millennials that eat out
regularly
My target users care
enough about the
problem because they
value their time more
than their money
My idea solves the
problem by integrating
with other social tools to
link people ‘with’ and
people ‘without’
I can test the app
by running social
media marketing
campaigns to test
whether people
sign-up

47. BUT remember,
innovation and ideas
are NOT the same

50. BUT it’s worth it.....
- Innovative organisations generate more value
- Solves problems for individuals, organisations and communities
- Makes fortunes, generates value and drives growth
- Innovation has never had a greater currency (but the speed at which
innovation can become obsolete is faster than ever)
Copyright Michael Allen, EverythingBrilliant.co.uk 2014

51. Final Thought
“The way to
get started,
is to stop
talking and
get started”!
1. Choose a problem to solve or
opportunity to exploit
2. Challenge people and help them to
find ideas
3. Build a crowd to help you find the
good from not so good ideas, and
collaborate to turn the good into
great ideas
4. Test and prototype the best
5. Implement to innovate
Ask for help. Connect to me if you want
to know more @Brillianttideas or on my
blog www.EverythingBrilliant.co.uk

52. THANKYOU
Michael Allen
Ready my blog www.everythingbrilliant.co.uk
@Brillianttideas
http://uk.linkedin.com/pub/michael-allen/0/360/b03/
Learn more about idea management software www.TalkFreely.com
Copyright Michael Allen, EverythingBrilliant.co.uk 2014

53. The Idea to Innovation
Business Model Canvas
Copyright Michael Allen, EverythingBrilliant.co.uk 2014

54. Idea
Describe your idea in less than 140 characters. If
you are finding this simple task difficult, the rest
of this process will be difficult.
Function
What problem does your idea solve?
Solution
How does your idea solve the problem?
What are the key features?
How does it work?
How does it differentiate between other existing
solutions?
What makes your idea valuable and compelling?
Copyright Michael Allen, EverythingBrilliant.co.uk 2014
Idea Owner:
______________________________
Date: __________
i2i Business Model Canvas
GO /
NO-
GO

55. Idea
Key Activities
Commercial
Alignment
Key
Resources
How does this idea link to
the organisation’s strategic
objectives?
Idea to Prototype
Strategic
Alignment Describe your idea in less than 140 characters. If
you are finding this simple task difficult, the rest
of this process will be difficult.
What are the key
activities that need to be
done to develop this idea
How does this idea align to
the organisation’s
commercial objectives?
Who is the target user?
How much money will it
make / save
Other than you and your
team, what resources do
you need to develop this
idea
Function
What problem does your idea solve?
Solution
How does your idea solve the problem?
What are the key features?
How does it work?
How does it differentiate between other existing
solutions?
What makes your idea valuable and compelling?
Idea Owner:
______________________________
Date: __________
Help Help
HelpHelp
i2i Business Model Canvas
GO /
NO-
GO
Copyright Michael Allen, EverythingBrilliant.co.uk 2014

56. Idea
Key Activities
Commercial
Alignment
Key
Resources
How does this idea link to
the organisation’s strategic
objectives?
Idea to Prototype
Strategic
Alignment Describe your idea in less than 140 characters. If
you are finding this simple task difficult, the rest
of this process will be difficult.
What are the key
activities that need to be
done to develop this idea
How does this idea align to
the organisation’s
commercial objectives?
Who is the target user?
How much money will it
make / save
Other than you and your
team, what resources do
you need to develop this
idea
Function
What problem does your idea solve?
Solution
How does your idea solve the problem?
What are the key features?
How does it work?
How does it differentiate between other existing
solutions?
What makes your idea valuable and compelling?
Socialising your idea
Some ideas will run out of steam and
never get socialised. The idea raiser is
better informed for next time
Socialising your idea will prompt questions /
insights / improvements so this will be an
iterative process before submission for a go /
no-go decision
GO /
NO-
GO
Idea Owner:
______________________________
Date: __________
Help Help
HelpHelp
i2i Business Model Canvas
GO /
NO-
GO
Copyright Michael Allen, EverythingBrilliant.co.uk 2014

57. Idea
Key Activities
Commercial
Alignment
Business case
to prototype
Prototype
Key
Resources
How does this idea link to
the organisation’s strategic
objectives?
Idea to Prototype
Commercialise
Strategic
Alignment Describe your idea in less than 140 characters. If
you are finding this simple task difficult, the rest
of this process will be difficult.
Do we have the right
distribution partners?
Our key Partners are:
What are the key
activities that need to be
done to develop this idea
How does this idea align to
the organisation’s
commercial objectives?
Who is the target user?
How much money will it
make / save
Other than you and your
team, what resources do
you need to develop this
idea
Build
Build the innovation taking
into account the findings
from the prototype
Perform the prototype /
test and record the results.
Did it meet the
expectations in the
business case?
Do you need to recalculate
the business case?
Are your target users
involved in the testing?
What’s the business case to
prototype the idea?
What will it cost?
Who will sponsor it?
Do we have the appropriate
partners in place to test it?
Is the funding in place?
Function
What problem does your idea solve?
Solution
How does your idea solve the problem?
What are the key features?
How does it work?
How does it differentiate between other existing
solutions?
What makes your idea valuable and compelling?
Socialising your idea
Some ideas will run out of steam and
never get socialised. The idea raiser is
better informed for next time
Prototype to Innovation
Socialising your idea will prompt questions /
insights / improvements so this will be an
iterative process before submission for a go /
no-go decision
GO /
NO-
GO
GO /
NO-
GO
Idea Owner:
______________________________
Date: __________
Help Help
HelpHelp
i2i Business Model Canvas
Help
Help
GO /
NO-
GO
Copyright Michael Allen, EverythingBrilliant.co.uk 2014

58. First steps
- Find your intrapreneurs
- Challenge them
- Support and mentor them
(or get them help and
support)
- Don’t stop. This takes time
Copyright Michael Allen, EverythingBrilliant.co.uk 2014

59. HOW BIG ORGANISATIONS CAN INNOVATE LIKE
STARTUPS