Management, Technology

The IT Planning and Building Controls Department

I love a good metaphor. Equally, I despise a bad one. I've been doing some work recently for a client on what they should have where once stood an Enterprise Architecture team. If you are not familiar with what an Enterprise Architect does, think about what an Architect does. Yeah, it's nothing like that. And … Continue reading The IT Planning and Building Controls Department

Weeknotes

#Weeknotes 441: The Creativator

This week I have learned: Doing new things is scary for everyone. Embrace it. It's lovely when someone you didn't think would remember you does. 30% of the water in the UK water system goes missing. Every glass of tap water contains a free dose of ibuprofen. Making things. It's taken me a while but … Continue reading #Weeknotes 441: The Creativator

innovation, Management

Reframing problems

My younger son can get overly focused on things. A couple of days ago it was the Eight Queens Puzzle. The puzzle is relatively simple to explain. You need to place eight chess queens onto a chessboard in such a way that no piece can take another piece. There are millions of permutations of how … Continue reading Reframing problems

innovation, Technology

The Creativator

"A bit like a fruit machine" were the words that my co-conspirator Simon White muttered as we sat around my dining table planning out an innovation programme for a client. He was describing a technique that he had developed to help people generate ideas, based around using three categories from which random entries could be … Continue reading The Creativator

innovation, Management, Technology

Innovation in 4 diagrams – the summary

Over the past six years, I've been working with all sorts of clients in all sorts of sectors. I'm constantly adapting and iterating my approaches from the work that I do, and here's where I am currently at when it comes to helping my clients to establish models and approaches to do things differently. This … Continue reading Innovation in 4 diagrams – the summary

innovation, Management, Technology

Innovation in 4 diagrams – 4. The Skills of the Bricoleur

Now we have established that there are different approaches required for doing things where we don't know the solution, to those when we do, let's now unpack that skill set. Let's look at the Skills of the Bricoleur. First of all there is a collective mindset required, that which wants to Collaborate. Working Out Loud … Continue reading Innovation in 4 diagrams – 4. The Skills of the Bricoleur

Management, Marketing, Technology

Innovation in 4 diagrams – 3. The Play Matrix

Having taken a look at the products and services that you offer, it's now time to look at how you gear to deliver change and innovation. Essentially all of this is a response to a somewhat oxymoronic question I've been asked on a number of occasions over the years: We want to be innovative. Can … Continue reading Innovation in 4 diagrams – 3. The Play Matrix