Monthly Archives: November 2011
Every year, nearly seventy million people, or 200,000 a day, move from rural areas to urban cities. In South Africa alone, more than 2.2 million homes are currently needed, and an additional 180,000 homes will be needed every year to keep pace with rapid urbanization. Utilizing a Plastic Formwork System, a method of building cast-in-place reinforced concrete structures, the walls of a house can be built in as little as a day by unskilled laborers with locally sourced materials and little waste. Continue reading
Most ideas originate as a few words on a page, or a nascent concept in one person’s head. Developing a physical prototype or representation of the idea will spawn new ideas and new insights. Yet few firms do anything to encourage rapid prototyping as a means to develop and refine ideas. Far too often teams generate ideas in brainstorming sessions, record ideas on a flipchart and fail to develop the ideas in any meaningful way. Continue reading
As originally envisioned, the product development funnel implied that a well-defined product development process exists. However, the original funnel, and others that have followed, are increasingly seen as lacking. This article proposes a new funnel that addresses these missing elements. Continue reading
Problems! Problems! Problems! All day long, I’ve got nothing but problems. Most of us have probably had days like this or can at least identify with the thought. In the past, I stumbled on the admonition that “a problem was just an opportunity in disguise.” I am ashamed to say that I probably used this “bit of wisdom” too often. I was smitten with Pogo who said “We are surrounded by insurmountable opportunities.” I am sure many of my clients cringed when I used either of these short adages. Continue reading
Have you ever noticed how the best leaders also tend to be the most curious leaders? Great leaders simply aren’t satisfied with what they know. They possess an insatiable curiosity for discovery and learning – they are in constant pursuit of what they don’t know, and what lies ahead. Continue reading
Julie Anixter interviewed Professor Robert C. Wolcott and Research Fellow Michael J. Lippitz from the Kellogg School of Management, Northwestern University, about their cutting-edge research on the emerging phenomenon of “INets:” communities of innovation leaders who learn from each other about innovation management, primarily through mutual sharing of experiences and new techniques. Rob and Mike are seeking suggestions from our Innovation Excellence community about INets that should be included in their research. Continue reading
