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
"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
This week I have learned... From gig to no gig to gig again. Who knows? Getting stuff down helps. Impromptu catch ups are the best. Invoice chasing is dull The week in one photo: Next week: workshopping again
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
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
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
Having explored the drive for change because of changing expectations, the next step one can take is to examine what the current state of products and services look like. Enter the 3P model. At the core of 3P is the old adage, it ain't what you do, it's the way that you do it. It's … Continue reading Innovation in 4 diagrams – 2. The 3P Model
This week I have learned: Solicit opinions from enough people and you'll end up with every possible perspective. That maybe doesn't help much. From abject to overflowing. Welcome to the Free-Range order book. I'm stupidly happy with The Creativator It seems that just bashing out stream of consciousness is the best policy for my Forbes … Continue reading Weeknote 439: engaging workshops
This week I have learned... the rapid bipolar nature of being a micro business is exhilarating and exhausting. One minute everything is wonderful, the next you're on the verge of ruin. And repeat. Rapidly. Seeing how other's businesses have expanded in humbling and makes me feel like I'm playing at it. But play is at … Continue reading Weeknote 438: Taking stock
This week was partly spent planning an innovation event for a client in the utilities sector. We have been developing a few scenarios that can be used as part of the event to help participants to push at the boundaries of what might be possible in the future when thinking about doing things differently. We … Continue reading Carbon Consumers
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