The document outlines a methodology for innovation that emphasizes problem-solving through defined outcomes and creative collaboration. It provides examples from various sectors, including healthcare and business, highlighting practices that foster innovation, such as using diverse teams and rapid prototyping. The methodology also stresses the importance of supportive environments and iterative processes to enhance creativity and scalability in solutions.

1. Innovation is a methodology for solving problems
See: The Missing Pieces of Innovation – a blog post
This is a summary of the innovation methodology. © Ved Sen

2. Award winning ambulance
design questioned the
purpose of the ambulance
and changed it from
transporting patients to
initiating care, as an
extension of the hospital.
(Link)
Great Ormond Street
Hospital for Children
adopted techniques used
by F1 pit stop teams to
improve the handovers
between surgery and
intensive care. (Link)
Paul Simon travelled to
South Africa and
immersed himself in free
form sessions with
musicians there for
Graceland. He travelled to
Memphis to construct the
lyrics (link)
A number of business
such as Aviva, John Lewis
and others have set up
‘lab’ environments, to
drive innovation projects,
and act as start up
accelerators. (Link)
GE based it’s new
software business for
IOT in Silicon Valley,
rather than at it’s
headquarters. Predix is
an early success. (Link)
Define clearly the problem
to be solved
Define the desired
outcome and what success
looks like
Ask the question in a few
different ways to arrive at
appropriate framing
Define the context for
comparison. Establish the
baseline for current best
of breed solutions. Explore
adjacent & other domains
for how the problem is
solved.
Create conditions for
creative thinking.
Challenge comfort zone.
Use people with varied
backgrounds. Combine
creative thinkers with
deep experts. Encourage
non predictable outcomes
Create physical space for
collocating ‘start up’
team. Use Google Sprints
to rapidly get to
prototypes. Iterate to
MVP. Use design thinking
over expert opinion.
Allow MVP / prototype
to grow within an
innovation network.
Provide support for
scaling, morphing,
merging with other
ideas or pivoting.
Problem Framing Baseline Research Creative Spark Prototyping Lab Scaling Network
SOFT support: Culture, rewards, environment, purpose
HARD support: R&D budget, scientific community, competence, funding, structure,
Innovation in the Enterprise: A Methodology for Problem Solving
Typical
maturity
Stage
Key Steps
Examples
Organization
Support
© Ved Sen

3. If you're not prepared to be wrong, you'll never come up with anything original
– Sir Ken Robinson
Image source: https://www.eurodiaconia.org/