Book Excerpt: 50 Proven Innovation Methodologies and Techniques

This piece is excerpted from the forthcoming book Breaking Innovation Barriers: Fifteen Strategies to Win Management Buy-In for Change.

How long will it take to innovate? How can we generate concrete new outcomes? And will the new concepts generated be successful and have any impact?

You might have an answer to these questions, as innovation might be your daily business. For a lot of people and organisations, however, it’s not. For them, one of the main barriers to innovate is that they just don’t know how to it. They lack the knowledge and experience. That’s when applying proven methodologies is of great value.

Using a proven methodology creates confidence and trust among those who work with it, while also lowering the barrier of risk aversion. And as proven methodologies mostly involve diverse multifunctional teams, they will help you break organisational silos as well.

A Proven Methodology Reduces Uncertainty

First, your (client’s) organisation might have little experience, and doesn’t know how to innovate. This could be the case for non-profit or governmental organisations that never had to generate income and were completely financed by governments or financial benefactors. And this also counts for old family companies, where for decades the original products or services and all their adaptations created a prosperous future. It could even apply to scale-ups who became successful with the original concepts, launched a long time ago.

That’s why applying a proven methodology makes a lot of sense, as it will reduce uncertainty. There are five compelling reasons why the use of a methodology can benefit your company’s innovation efforts:

1. Structured approach: methodologies provide a systematic and structured approach to innovation, guiding teams through each step of the process from ideation to implementation. This helps prevent chaos and makes your efforts more effective.

2. Increased efficiency: by following a methodology, teams can streamline their innovation processes, reducing the time and resources required to bring new ideas to market. This ensures resources are allocated efficiently and you can respond to changing market demands more quickly. The rapid development of artificial intelligence will boost efficiency of proven methodologies enormously. Leading companies, such as GE and Nestlé, have showcased applications of AI in new product development with great effects. GE boasts a huge 50 percent reduction in development times, while Nestlé reports a dramatic 60 percent increase in the pace of innovation.

3. Risk mitigation: innovation methodologies often include risk assessment and mitigation tactics, helping companies identify potential pitfalls early in the innovation process. By addressing risks proactively, companies can minimise the impact of failures and make more informed decisions.

4. Enhanced collaboration: many methodologies emphasise cross-functional collaboration and communication, bringing together diverse perspectives and expertise within the organisation. This collaborative approach fosters creativity and innovation by leveraging the collective intelligence of the team.

5. Measurable results: using a methodology enables companies to set clear objectives and key performance indicators (KPIs) for their innovation initiatives. This allows them to track progress, measure success, and make data-driven decisions to optimise their innovation efforts over time.

Especially when you work in a corporate culture characterised by risk aversion and fear of failure, the risk mitigation effect of implementing a methodology will help you to drive growth and stay competitive in today’s dynamic business landscape.

Fifty Proven Innovation-Related Methodologies and Techniques

There are a lot of innovation-related methodologies and techniques around. An innovation technique refers to a specific approach used to generate ideas or solve problems creatively within the innovation process. On the other hand, an innovation methodology is a broader framework or systematic approach that guides the entire innovation process from ideation to implementation. For example, brainstorming is an innovation technique where individuals generate ideas in a group setting, while Design Thinking is an innovation methodology that provides a structured framework for problem-solving, emphasising empathy, ideation, and prototyping.

As founder of innovation-related methods and techniques, like the FORTH innovation methodology or the Innovation Maze, I’ve experienced in practice the power of methodologies as they facilitate innovation teams by creating a shared learning process for team members. By these processes they create an open mind, and a greater awareness of the business, the market, the customers and even themselves. Sharing new insights, exchanging ideas, and co-creating together is at the core of a successful WE-nnovation process. Also, as consultant, project leader and facilitator you benefit from using proven methodologies. They help to guide you, to keep the pace, and to monitor your progress on your innovation journey.

Below you can find ten techniques and methods, from each of the different categories, that I’d like to put in the spotlight, as they are proven ways to empower your innovation process.

The Innovation Focus Workshop Drafts a Clear Innovation Assignment

As highlighted [earlier in the book]: align innovation to strategy, the innovation focus workshop helps executives to transform a vague corporate strategy into a concrete innovation assignment. I have founded this technique as start of the FORTH innovation methodology, to help organisations give innovation a clear direction. It’s used even before the start of the innovation process itself to make clear what the desired outcomes of an innovation process should be. The innovation focus workshop involves five steps in which the main decision makers on innovation formulate the why, what, who, who, where and which for an upcoming strategic innovation project. The typical outcome is a straightforward innovation assignment containing also the criteria the new concepts must meet to be chosen for development and launch. The innovation assignment serves as a North Star for the innovation journey to come. The main takeaway of the innovation focus workshop is a clear understanding of the goals and deliverables of an innovation process by both the decisionmakers and the innovation team.

Customer Journey Mapping to Understand the Customer Perspective

Customer journey mapping is a process of visualising and understanding the experiences a customer has when interacting with a business. This method is widely attributed to Lorraine Kettner, who introduced it in the 1990s. It’s used at the start of innovation to identify pain points, opportunities, and areas for innovation in the customer experience. It’s a valuable technique for when you improve products, services and customer experiences. The customer journey mapping process involves steps like research, persona development, mapping touchpoints, analysing emotions, identifying opportunities, and iterating on improvements. The outcome typically includes a visual representation of the customer journey, insights into customer needs, and actionable recommendations for enhancing the customer experience. Two main takeaways include a deeper understanding of customer perspectives and insights into areas for innovation with great potential.

Six Thinking Hats to Consider Different Perspectives

The Six Thinking Hats method is a systematic approach to problem-solving and decision-making that involves wearing different ‘hats’ to consider various perspectives. The founder of the Six Thinking Hats methodology is Dr Edward de Bono, a renowned author in creative thinking and innovation. It’s used to encourage critical thinking, collaboration, and holistic decision-making in situations where diverse viewpoints are beneficial. This might be brainstorming sessions or strategy meetings. The method works by assigning six different coloured hats to participants, each representing a specific mode of thinking (e.g., analytical, creative, emotional). It guides them to explore ideas from those perspectives in a structured manner. The outcome of the Six Thinking Hats method is well-rounded decisions, creative solutions, and improved communication amongst team members. The three main take-aways are a structured approach to decision-making, the promotion of diverse thinking styles, and enhanced problem-solving abilities within teams.

Lightning Decision Jam for Fast-Paced Problem-Solving in 90 Minutes

The Lightning Decision Jam is a fast-paced approach to problem-solving and decision-making, inspired by design thinking principles. The founder of the Lightning Decision Jam is Jonathan Courtney. It’s used to quickly generate ideas, evaluate options, and make decisions in time-constrained situations, such as product development or strategic planning. A typical Lightning Decision Jam is time-boxed and takes only between 30 and 90 minutes. It works by gathering a diverse group of stakeholders, defining the problem or decision to be made, ideating solutions, voting on the best options, and creating a plan for implementation. The outcome of the Lightning Decision Jam is rapid consensus-building, actionable decisions, and a clear path forward for innovation projects. The main take-aways are speed and efficiency in decision-making.

The FORTH Innovation Method to Win Management Buy-In for Innovation

The FORTH innovation methodology: We-nnovate across silos, is a structured approach to innovation that focuses on finding, filtering, fast-tracking, and fostering innovative ideas for successful implementation. It combines Design Thinking and business thinking. FORTH is used when organisations want to systematically innovate by identifying promising ideas, refining them, and swiftly bringing them to market to stay ahead of competitors. It works by first drafting an innovation assignment and assembling a top team (Full Steam Ahead). Then you gather new insights through exploration (Observe & Learn). It’s followed by generating new ideas and concepts (Raise ideas). Then you filter and select the most promising ones. And you fast-tracking their development through testing (Test Ideas). Finally, you foster their implementation and scale concepts by drafting new business cases at the end of the innovation journey (Homecoming). The outcome of the FORTH innovation method is five new business cases for successful innovations, while sparking a culture for innovation. The three main take-aways are: a structured approach to start innovation, a focus on winning management buy-in for innovation, and a systematic way to foster a culture of innovation. It has proven to double the innovation effectiveness of stage-gate processes.

Pretotyping to Fake It Before You Make It

Pretotyping is a way to test the feasibility and desirability of an idea quickly and cheaply before investing in full-scale development. The founder of the Pretotyping method is Alberto Savoia, a former Google executive and innovation expert. You can use it when you want to validate assumptions and test concepts early in the innovation process to minimise risks and optimise resource allocation. You first create rough low-fidelity prototypes that simulate the core functionality of an idea. Then you gather feedback from users or stakeholders, and iterate your concept based on the insights gained. The main benefit of the Pretotyping method is reduced time to market and cost savings by avoiding investment in ideas that are not viable or desirable. You focus on rapid experimentation and learning, as you fake it before you make it.

Design Sprints to Validate Solutions in a Week

The 5-day design sprint is a structured process for rapidly solving big challenges and testing new ideas in just five days. The founder of the 5-day design sprint methodology is Jake Knapp, a former Google Ventures design partner. It’s used when businesses need to quickly develop and test innovative solutions. For example, you can apply it for launching a new product, improving a user experience, or solving complex problems. It works by bringing together a diverse team, defining the challenge, generating ideas, sketching solutions, deciding on the best approach, prototyping, and testing with real users. The outcome of the 5-day design sprint is validated solutions, clear direction, and actionable next steps for further development or iteration. The three main take-aways are: problem-solving and decision-making in a week, user-centric design approach, and the ability to validate ideas early through prototyping and testing.

Open Innovation Platforms to Co-Create Solutions and Share Knowledge

An open innovation platform is a collaborative approach to innovation that involves engaging external stakeholders, like customers, suppliers, and partners, to co-create new solutions and share knowledge. The concept of open innovation was popularised by Henry Chesbrough, a professor and researcher at the University of California. Open innovation platforms are used when organisations want to tap into external expertise, access new markets, and accelerate innovation by leveraging the collective intelligence of a broader network. It works by establishing an online platform or ecosystem where participants can submit ideas, collaborate on projects, access resources, and share insights. Companies can then evaluate and integrate the most promising ideas into their innovation processes. The outcome of running an open innovation platform is increased innovation capacity, enhanced agility, and access to a wider range of perspectives and resources. The main take-away is leveraging external expertise and resources.

Lean Startup for Rapid Iteration

The Lean startup methodology is an approach to building and managing start-ups that prioritise rapid iteration, experimentation, and validated learning. The founder of the Lean startup methodology is Eric Ries, a Silicon Valley entrepreneur and author. It’s used when new businesses want to reduce the risk of failure and efficiently develop products or services that meet customer needs in a dynamic market. It works by starting with a minimum viable product, testing assumptions through customer feedback, measuring results, and iterating based on what’s learned. The outcome of the Lean startup method is faster product-market fit, reduced waste, and increased chances of building successful, scalable businesses. The three main take-aways are: prioritising customer feedback and learning, embracing experimentation and iteration, and focusing on delivering value efficiently.

The Stage-Gate Methodology to Manage Innovation Projects

The stage-gate method of Cooper is a structured approach to managing innovation projects. It breaks them up into stages and implements gates for decision-making and progression. The founders of the stage-gate methodology are Scott J. Edgett and Robert G. Cooper. You use it when businesses want to efficiently manage the innovation process, reduce risks, and ensure alignment with strategic objectives. Stage-gate works by dividing the innovation process into stages, such as idea generation, feasibility analysis, development, testing, and launch, with gates between each stage where decisions are made to proceed, pivot, or stop the project. The outcome of the stage-gate methodology is improved project selection, resource allocation, and speed to market. The three main take-aways are: a structured approach to innovation management, better decision-making through gate reviews, and improved accountability and control over innovation projects.

Applying proven methodologies, like the ones mentioned above, have a great number of advantages, helping you to win management buy-in. When you start using them, be also aware of some pitfalls like being time-consuming, being perceived as bureaucratic hurdles, or leading to innovation fatigue causing decreased motivation. To help you to prevent the occurrence of negative side-effects, I’d like to end with ten tips to speed up innovation in your organisation when you are implementing a stage-gate innovation process.

By using the proven innovation methodologies above and implementing these tips, you can make your innovation process leaner and faster, enabling you to win management buy-in, and bring new ideas to market more efficiently and effectively.

Gijs van Wulfen is a global authority and trusted advisor on innovation, keynote speaker, author of four innovation bestsellers, one of the top 10 worldwide innovation bloggers, and author of the forthcoming book Breaking Innovation Barriers: Fifteen Strategies to Win Management Buy-In for Change (BIS, November 14^th).

Innovation Methodologiesbookschange agentsdesign thinkingFree for Non-Membersopen innovation