Author Archives: Chris Dolan
How Bill Belichick returned the Patriots to Super Bowl form through design thinking principles. Continue reading
Insights from the Business Model Innovation Lab at the PDMA 2011 Conference. How to think about innovation beyond product development. Continue reading
I recently watched the amazing Discovery Channel documentary Rising: Rebuilding Ground Zero chronicling the reconstruction of the World Trade Center after the tragedy of 9/11. The show is an awe inspiring mix of engineering marvels, construction complexity, and a healing nation. The documentary, directed by Steven Spielberg, chronicles the entire span of the project, from the initial visions of the architects, to the planning and coordination of the supervisors, to the steel, concrete, and iron workers erecting the skyscraper at jaw-dropping heights. The new World Trade center is designed to be both a memorial honoring the past, and a beacon of hope looking toward America’s future. No matter what project you are working on, there are some impressive takeaways you can apply to your own work. Continue reading
We all like to believe that we are pretty good judges of ideas. We think we can objectively evaluate an idea based on its merits and recognize a creative solution, an innovative breakthrough, or a smart decision. When it comes to spotting the brilliant idea, we, like Potter Stewart, believe we know it when we see it. The reality is that factors beyond our conscious awareness influence how we perceive ideas and make decisions. Social psychology has demonstrated that our perceptions are influenced by a wide array of cognitive biases. (For a great book on the neuroscience of decision-making, I recommend Jonah Lehrer’s How We Decide). Due to these biases, people give disproportionate weight to certain information. In settings where decisions are subject to the persuasiveness of the speaker’s argument–such as brainstorming sessions, strategy meetings, or interviews–the way in which …
We tend to innovate by going off on an island, with lots of Post-its and flip charts, and we end up stuck on Brainstorm Island. How do we escape from Brainstorm Island? Paddy Miller posed this question to the audience at the 2011 World Innovation Forum. In a riveting – and often hilarious – presentation, Miller made the case to try a different path for more effective innovation. He offered four key insights to chart a new approach for innovation architects. Insight #1: Deal with the Disconnect The number one reason innovation fails is lack of alignment between senior managers and those on the operational or project management level. As Miller explains it, there is a huge disconnect between the Higher Ups who talk about innovation and the people below them that have to actually do the innovation. Miller describes it as a pyramid with the …
Tony Hsieh spoke to the World Innovation Forum about the five ways culture is built at Zappos. Continue reading
