2 min readDigital innovation is a term that all C-level executives know. Technological relevance and customer loyalty are both paramount to staying competitive in the market these days—from a tailored digital experience to ensuring that internal, back-end processes are working quickly and efficiently.
That being said, many are diving headfirst into innovation without having a plan of how to implement it, or how to glean the best insights to drive their company forward. Many ask for ideation without providing mechanisms for it, or urge risk-taking while punishing commercial failure.
This in mind, one of the first steps to adopting innovation is to change your thought process.
Create an Open Environment
Expecting inspiration to strike at random is unrealistic. One of the best ways to uncover a new idea is through collaborating with others.
In Steve Johnson’s TED talk, he describes the human tendency to think of ideas as isolated things, when really “an idea is a network on the most elemental level. Ideas are cobbled together from whatever is lying around.” We form them by taking things we’ve learned or heard or read about and bringing them together in new ways. We form new ideas by making connections, and therefore the best environments for cultivating ideas are ones that feature diverse perspectives and opinions.
Adopt outside-in thinking to welcome new perspectives and diverse opinions to challenge what you already have.
By relying on a collaborative environment, Vodaphone was able to produce 525 ideas in 16 days, and walked away with three projects that turned into new services for the telecom company.
So are you ready to change your company for the better?
To learn more about digital innovation and how to get started, check out our white paper, “What if Innovation Creates a Better Future—Now?”