How to be successful at innovation when so many product launches fail - or where products even fail to get launched? The key is to de-risk ideation and the best way I know to do this is to ensure ideas intercept future consumer demand through a trends approach. Find our how to run a trends-based creative process

1. Risk-
proofed
Innovation
Improving the hit rate of
Product Innovation

2. Innovation is hot
These days, innovation
is near the top
of every executive
agenda

3. Innovation is hard
....but few businesses do innovation well

4. Starting with good
ideas
There are many reasons why innovations MAY fail
....culture, process, strategy, execution
BUT
INNOVATION WILL ALWAYS FAIL
IF THE IDEAS ARE NOT GOOD ENOUGH

5. 101 approaches
There are many ways to stimulate ideation
(from TRIZ to regressing to childhood)

6. Trends: risk
proofing
Using consumer Trends as a catalyst for ideation is
THE BEST APPROACH I KNOW
1. Trends give neutral space away from company politics
2. Trends are a dynamic way to kick start creativity
3. Trends are future facing by definition:
there is a higher probability that products
will intercept future consumer demand

7. Creative process
using Trends
Filter of Relevant
Business Briefing
Trends
Trends Creativity Capture of ideation Building business
Workshop(s) outputs case for top ideas
Selection of Build workshop
Brainstorm Group process & content

8. Who should
participate?
Several considerations:
- number – never more than 10
- seniority – a mix including 'young turks' (but need to
avoid people who will dominate due to rank)
- gender - male and female
- departmental – as necessary but want people who think
across the business (not in silos)
- HQ - often important to bring in people
from field operations & customer facing
- creatives – free thinkers and communicators
(but without a political agenda)

9. Who works like
this?
Futures Coaching works with many Blue Chip companies
running ideation processes
using Trends as the jumping off point

10. Successful ideas
Virgin Atlantic used the Trends process to identify 10 key
consumer dynamics across its customer journey in airports
Following ideation, the result was radical changes to its
airport Clubhouses (eg. the Cowshed spa)
A number of prestigeous awards followed....

11. Open for business
If your brand needs any of the following,
please contact Futures Coaching:
- better ideation
- radical innovation
- refreshed pipeline
- risk proofed concepts and products
- consumer-ready evaluation
- ideas filtering
- inter-cultural validation
- future proofing

12. About Futures Coaching
Celebrating 6 years!
Working for great clients Doing great things
Anticipating
* the future of retail
* the future of offices
* the future of banking
* the future of Asian women
Innovating
* new fund-raising offers
* consumer healthcare NPD
Coaching
* trends training for insight teams
* personal rejuvenation training
Speaking
* engagements from Taipei to Toronto
Researching
* management interviews
* expert in-depths
* consumer focus groups

13. Contact
Landline: + 33 1 3908 0542
Skype: futurescoaching
E-mail: chris@futurescoaching.com