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Leadership

Conversations for Innovation Leaders

Over my career, I have been rewarded by many interesting conversations about innovation.  These discussions have covered the full gamut of why, how, and what.  I think, though, the most important question is who. 

Why Do We Innovate?

The “why” of innovation is the easiest question of all.  We need new products and services to compete in a global marketplace.  Our customers demand new features and technologies.  Manufacturing becomes more automated and offers new approaches to serving the needs of customers.  Competition is accelerating. 

We also pursue innovation because, as humans, we are curious.  We want to find better ways to produce goods and services, and we want to improve the quality of the products we already offer.  Curiosity and quality go hand-in-hand as we seek enhancements that will lower costs and increase benefits. 

How Do We Innovate?

The question of how we innovate is a different discussion.  Some people are deeply wedded to particular processes or frameworks.  Especially for risk-averse organizations, the “how” of new product development (NPD) can become rigid and bureaucratic. 

Innovation management suggests several frameworks.  You can read about these in Chapter 3 of my book, The Innovation ANSWER Book (available at Amazon).  Innovation approaches vary based on the complexity of a project, how much risk is acceptable from a technical standpoint, and the culture of the organization.  Generally, we assess the innovation framework according to two variables:  team structure throughout the project life cycle and the degree to which the scope of work is pre-planned. 

Innovation Framework copyright Global NP Solutions, LLC

Serial innovation uses different teams and team members for each stage of the work with distinct hand-offs between stages.  Integrated teams maintain common membership (of at least a core group) throughout the project.  Traditional waterfall processes use upfront planning while agile project management approaches assume an evolving scope of work. 

What to innovate?

With appropriate customer feedback and market research, we know what products to design and develop.  Market research should include prioritization of customer needs and benefit analysis of all features.  Sometimes it is best to launch a brand-new, full-featured product for a target market segment.  Other times, we choose to commercialize minimally viable products (MVP) and then release next generation products over a subsequent time frame. 

Who?

Really the “who” of innovation is twofold.  First, we have the “for whom do we innovate” and next, we have the “who does innovation”.  Each portion of the “who” of innovation complements the other.

Innovation and new product development are only successful when we are able to match a clearly identified market need with a product technology.  Customers must know that they have a problem and that the given product offers the best solution.  They must exchange less money to purchase the product than they value that particular solution.  That is, the benefit (gain) a customer perceives of a product must be greater than the cost (or pain) of acquiring it. 

We must know our customers.  We learn what they need, how they feel, and why they behave in certain ways through market research.  Every stage or phase of an NPD process (waterfall, agile, or Wagile) must incorporate direct customer feedback.  Consumers and end-users yield the interactions and utility that NPD teams build into product design. 

Of course, that brings us to the second “who”.  The NPD teams and innovation leaders of an organization are crucial to successful product and service development.  Innovation teams must have autonomy to practice their trade skills and to make decisions (within appropriate guardrails) on technology, market, and features.  In Wagile (read more here), we emphasize that leaders practice discipline and understand risks, while teams engage customers and act freely within their areas of expertise, responsibility, and authority. 

Innovation Conversations

Innovation is a dialogue – with your customers, with your teams, with the marketplace.  All conversations involve the questions of why, how, what, and who.  In NPD, the most important question is who.  Always put your customer needs at the forefront and you will be successful with innovation. 

Don’t Know How?

If you don’t know how to learn about customer needs or you don’t know how to approach a disruptive market transition (personal or professional), you need the Life Design Master Mind group.  Join me on 11 November at 11:00 am CST (noon EST, 9:00 am PST) for a free Q&A webinar.  The webinar is about one-hour and you’ll learn why Design Thinking is critical in the Innovation Conversation!  Register here. 

About Me

I am inspired by writing, teaching, and coaching.  I tackle life with an infusion of rigor, zeal, and faith.   It brings me joy to help you build innovation leaders.  Teresa Jurgens-Kowal is an experienced innovation professional with a passion for lifelong learning with a PhD in Chemical Engineering and an MBA in Computer and Information Decision Making.  My credentials include PE (State of Louisiana), NPDP, PMP®, and CPEM, and I am a DiSC® certified facilitator.  Contact me at info@simple-pdh.com or area code 281 + phone 787-3979 for more information on coaching for entrepreneurs and innovators.

Wagile Leadership

I became interested in leadership when I was first appointed to a supervisory position.  My first exposure to leading a team was negative – from my perspective – but my management saw a different view.  I thought that being a manager meant I was not smart enough to continue on the technical ladder.  Little did I know that most technical answers are easy compared to motivating a team toward a common goal. 

Innovation leadership takes many forms.  In all cases, there must be a follower for a leader to exist.  Leaders engender willing followers.  We want to learn from others who have been successful.  We want to take direction from someone who has demonstrated skill at problem-solving.  We want to mimic the behaviors of inspiring people. 

What is a Wagile Leader?

Before we discuss Wagile leadership, I want to take a quick detour to define Wagile.  Wagile is a product innovation process to create and launch groundbreaking new products and services.  The word Wagile comes from a combination of the terms “waterfall” and “agile”.  Waterfall approaches to project management use upfront planning while agile project management acts on an evolving scope of work. 

The Wagile philosophy thus integrates the best of both project management approaches.

  • Move fast
  • Practice discipline
  • Understand risk
  • Engaged customers
  • Provide autonomy

Wagile Roles in Leadership

Each Wagile role serves as a leader.  Being non-hierarchical and flexible, Wagile does not specify one person, one role, or one organization as a primary decision-maker.  Rather, all roles act as leaders to ensure customer satisfaction with new product development (NPD).  As described in detail here, the Wagile roles include:

  • Project leader,
  • Customer representative,
  • Team leader, and
  • Cross-functional team. 

Wagile leadership characteristics focus on engaging customers to deliver high-quality products and services that meet market needs while generating profit for the firm.  Servant leadership traits of putting the team before self are important as are elements of Emotional Intelligence (such as self-awareness and self-control).  I have observed that the most successful teams are mission-oriented to create a common good rather than egocentric to promote a manager’s self-interest. 

In my practice of innovation teaching and coaching, I often used work style assessments to drive the leadership conversation.  An important starting point for product innovation teams is the Innovation Health Assessment™ to benchmark your organization’s NPD maturity against industry standards.  (Take your complimentary Innovation Health Assessment here.)   

Another work style assessment I use is called the Team Dimensions Profile.  As a DiSC-certified management facilitator, I prefer the language of Team Dimensions for innovation team growth.  We identify individual working preferences as Creator, Advancer, Refiner, or Executer.  Note that these are not the same as ingrained personality because each of us can stretch to different work roles as needed to accomplish the project goals.  (Learn more about Team Dimensions here where I spoke with the Everyday Innovator podcast.) 

In fact, it is the capability of team members on a Wagile project to stretch and serve as generalist-specialists that make each of us leaders.  Generalist-specialists are people who have a deep knowledge and expertise in one arena (specialist) but also a desire to learn and help across the board (generalist). 

Learn More

If you want to know more about Wagile and how to apply it in your own organization, join me for a short seminar on 10 November 2020 (2-4 pm CST).  Upon completion of this course, you will be equipped with a set of tools to speed product to market for innovation success.  Register here.  To investigate and expand your personal development style, please join me for the Life Design Master Mind Q&A on 11 November 2020 at 11 am CST (free), followed by subsequent in-depth workshops over the next six months.  Register here for the free webinar.  Contact me at info@Simple-PDH.com with questions about these workshops. 

© Simple-PDH.com

A Division of Global NP Solutions, LLC  

Study.       Learn.       Earn.       Simple.

About Me

I am inspired by writing, teaching, and coaching.  I tackle life with an infusion of rigor, zeal, and faith.   It brings me joy to help you build innovation leaders.  Teresa Jurgens-Kowal is an experienced innovation professional with a passion for lifelong learning with a PhD in Chemical Engineering and an MBA in Computer and Information Decision Making.  My credentials include PE (State of Louisiana), NPDP, PMP®, and CPEM, and I am a DiSC® certified facilitator.  Contact me at info@simple-pdh.com or area code 281 + phone 787-3979 for more information on coaching for entrepreneurs and innovators.

Innovation Workflow

Watch the 37-second video summary and then read on for full details!

For several weeks we have been discussing the Wagile product development process. 

Wagile is a hybrid project management process that blends the discipline of a waterfall system (“W-”) with the adaptability of an agile process (“-agile”).  Customer orientation is a key component of Wagile. 

Like all project management approaches, Wagile follows four primary steps that link to team behaviors.  You can learn more about Wagile in our upcoming 2-hour course on 10 November (2-4 pm CST) and you can learn more about team behaviors in an article here.  The innovation workflow is described below. 

copyright Global NP Solutions, LLC

Generate Ideas

The first step in any project is to define and describe the purpose of the effort.  It may be as simple as “freshen up the garden at my house” to as complex as “build a new petrochemical plant”.  Regardless of the scale of the project, we always start with defining the scope of work.  In innovation, we must also discover customer needs and identify potential product functions and concepts to address those needs. 

When you look around your organization, who is best suited to help generate ideas?  In the language of Team Dimensions, we call these folks “Creators”.  Creators enjoy coming up with new ideas and can formulate concepts that are interesting and creative.  Successful innovation teams balance Creators with other work styles to ensure they capture disruptive ideas. 

Build Support

Once we have generated an attractive product concept, the innovation workflow moves to gathering support for the idea.  This includes negotiating resources and investing in preliminary testing.  Other activities at this stage involve concept testing with potential customers to refine the idea.  A set of tools and an approach called Design Thinking is extremely beneficial at this stage.  You can learn about Design Thinking at our complimentary Q&A webinar on 11 November 2020.  Register here – spaces are limited so we can ensure an interactive discussion!

Team members called “Advancers” are skilled at generating product support at this phase.  Advancers split behaviors of capturing new ideas and putting them into a familiar context.  This is why we want to have team members that are exceptional at listening and promoting as part of the innovation team. 

Create the Project Plan

Some people are really good at planning.  Of course, we want these folks, who we call “Refiners” in Team Dimensions language, to layout the required work to accomplish project goals. 

As history teaches us, no project plan is perfect.  However, we do need to plan the work and convert customer needs into actionable tasks.  That is the real purpose in creating a project plan.  An added bonus of planning is that we are able to better anticipate risks and building quality to both the process and the product.  (Read more about Risk Analysis in a special download for the University of Houston Sustainable Energy Development course materials here.)

Execute the Work

We only earn revenue when we complete a project and commercialize the new product innovation.  We need to do the work of the project!  Team members will build and test the product at scale during the execution stage. 

Folks that are good at executing are usually good at troubleshooting.  Their behaviors are methodical and normative.  They can convert 2D drawings into functional, working equipment.  In Team Dimensions, we call the people that love to get their hands dirty “Executors”. 

Work Styles and Workflow

Successful innovation teams match the preferred work style of team members with the phase of the innovation workflow.  Employees are happiest – and most productive – when they are working on tasks they enjoy.  Each of us can stretch beyond our preferred work style (Creator, Advancer, Refiner, Executor) to do other tasks.  Yet we can accelerate the innovation process the most when we match preferences of work styles with workflows. 

Learn More

Recently, I discussed the benefits of the Team Dimensions model at the Texas ACMP Conference this year and with Chad McAllister on the Everyday Innovator podcast.  You can listen to the podcast here (about 30 minutes). 

When you join the Life Design Master Mind group, we will review your work style assessment in a confidential one-on-one coaching session and you will learn to apply Design Thinking skills to personal and professional decisions.  Register for the complimentary introductory session here (11 November 2020 at 11 am CST). 

© Simple-PDH.com

A Division of Global NP Solutions, LLC  

Study.       Learn.       Earn.       Simple.

About Me

I am inspired by writing, teaching, and coaching.  I tackle life with an infusion of rigor, zeal, and faith.   It brings me joy to help you build innovation leaders.  Teresa Jurgens-Kowal is an experienced innovation professional with a passion for lifelong learning with a PhD in Chemical Engineering and an MBA in Computer and Information Decision Making.  My credentials include PE (State of Louisiana), NPDP, PMP®, and CPEM, and I am a DiSC® certified facilitator.  Contact me at info@simple-pdh.com or area code 281 + phone 787-3979 for more information on coaching for entrepreneurs and innovators.

Wagile Gates

Have you ever jumped ahead of yourself just to realize later that you missed a step?  Have you ever launched a new product to find out that consumers didn’t actually like the feature configuration?  Have you ever made a mistake and then realized it was dejá vu all over again? 

All of us make mistakes.  We learn from making errors and we learn by knowing what not to do.  In product innovation, learning from failure is an important trait for organizations to succeed over the long run.  In fact, learning is at the heart of the Wagile Philosophy (read more here).  However, making the same mistake twice – or three times or four times – is not learning.  Repeated errors demonstrate the lack of quality systems and an absence of a directing process. 

What is Wagile?

Fragile is a hybrid new product development (NPD) process.  Wagile balances the structure of a traditional, waterfall system with the iterative and customer-focused nature of an Agile development process (like Scrum).  The Wagile philosophy emphasizes moving fast while practicing discipline and understanding risks.  Wagile uses both stages of work and gates as checkpoints for product innovation. 

Wagile Gates

Gate reviews in NPD are predominant in traditional waterfall processes, like Bob Cooper’s Stage-Gate™ system.  Gate reviews serve as checkpoints to gauge completion of work-to-date and a plan for future project work.  In practice, there should be no surprises at a gate review and the cross-functional team that approves the go-forward plan should understand the scope, schedule, and budget well before the formal meeting. 

Gate reviews are important elements in any NPD process.  In Scrum, we call this review a “retrospective” (read more about Scrum here).  The purpose of a gate or retrospective is the same:  Do customers want the product as we are designing it?  Can we make a profit?  Is this new product aligned with our strategic goals and objectives? 

Entry and Exit Gates

Entry gates are a pet peeve of mine.  The entry gate is approved simply by showing that work on the previous stage is complete.  That’s a great accomplishment for the team, but what matters more for innovation is whether the go-forward plan makes sense. 

In contrast, an exit gate evaluates both the prior work and approves the product design for future work.  The multi-disciplinary management team approving the project at an exit gate must have appropriate budgetary authority for the next stage of work.  In this way, risk and strategic alignment are addressed throughout the life of the project. 

The Wagile Gate Sequence

Wagile gates are designed as exit gates, to ensure go-forward work will advance product innovation and the overall product portfolio.  The following lists the Wagile gates and the expected outcome of each decision. 

  • 1-Opportunity Gate.  The Opportunity Gate validates that the product idea and concept meet a target market need.  Enough testing has been done to demonstrate customer wants and needs for the new product.  Importantly, decision-makers approve the concept is having a potential profit and fit with the organization’s strategic growth goals.  Passing the Opportunity Gate means a project team is authorized to investigate the scope of design, development, and market impacts. 
  • 2-Business Case.  It is important to justify a project early enough to not waste resources.  While any project will have more information gathered during execution, unattractive projects should be killed early.  Reviewers of the Business Case approve that the new product fits the organization’s growth goals, is strategically aligned, and will meet profitability expectations for the level of innovation involved.  This approval funds the technology and market development efforts. 
  • 3-Technology Gate.  The Technology Gate builds on the Business Case gate.  Cost of development is balanced against anticipated sales and customer needs.  Costs are at the forefront as are feasibility studies.  The Technology Gate grants approval for developing at scale.  This gate may include approval of licensing and early order equipment items. 
  • 4-Constructability Gate.  At the Constructability Gate, the cross-functional decision-makers commit to building production facilities, supply and distribution chains, and marketing collateral.  Bob Cooper often discusses a “money gate” in his work, essentially a point of no return.  In some ways, the Constructability Gate serves as this “money gate”.  Yet the iterative nature of Wagile allows a project to undergo appropriate iterations thereby ensuring quality control and risk are managed within the tolerance level of the organization. 
  • 5-Launch.  The Launch Gate represents the go-to-market decision for a new product.  Measures of profitability will validate earlier decisions (e.g. the business case).  However, the Wagile process encourages continued adjustment of the product offering to meet customer needs.  Engaged customers help the Project Leader and Customer Representative gain market insights for the life of the product and as inputs for next generation products.  Read more about Wagile Roles here.

Using Wagile Gates

Like any project management system, Wagile uses gate reviews as checkpoints to gauge the progress of work .  Unlike traditional waterfall processes, not passing a gate is not a punitive measure for the team.  Instead, the flexibility of learning is built into Wagile and “no” decision at a gate review simply means a better opportunity is available.  Believe me, team members prefer the option of working on a new project over scolding for not meeting entry gate criteria! 

Gates provide discipline in Wagile that is often missing in Scrum or other Agile processes.  Discipline is important for both teams and senior management to increase creativity  and to increase profitability.  Wagile further builds flexibility into gate reviews by the hybrid nature of the system. 

Learn More

  • Learn more about Wagile Product Development in my Webcast with PDMA on 10 September (register here). 
  • Delve into the full Wagile process in a virtual, facilitated workshop on 10 November 2020 (register here).  Workshop participants have access to downloadable templates and tools to fast track innovation!
  • Check out where I’m speaking next (click here) and book me for your next event.
  • Get your copy of The Innovation ANSWER Book available at Amazon (now available on Kindle).
  • Vote on the cover of my next book, The Innovation QUESTION Book here.
  • Reference the new PDMA Body of Knowledge, available at Amazon.
  • Get your NPDP Certification!  Join our October online class (Thursdays) following the brand new, 2nd edition PDMA Body of Knowledge.  REGISTER HERE!

About Me

I am inspired by writing, teaching, and speaking at great professional events.  I tackle life with an infusion of rigor, zeal, and faith.   It brings me joy to help you build innovation leaders.  Teresa Jurgens-Kowal is an experienced innovation professional with a passion for lifelong learning with a PhD in Chemical Engineering and an MBA in Computer and Information Decision Making.  My credentials include PE (State of Louisiana), NPDP, PMP®, and CPEM, and I am a DiSC® certified facilitator.  Contact me at info@simple-pdh.com or area code 281 + phone 787-3979 for more information on coaching for entrepreneurs and innovators.

© Simple-PDH.com

A Division of Global NP Solutions, LLC  

Study.       Learn.       Earn.       Simple.

What Does Leadership Look Like?

Years ago, I recall sitting in a conference room with a senior engineer.   He spent a great deal of time sharing with me and other junior staff that we could – and should – be leaders.  He went on to tell us that we did not have to be managers to be leaders.  The very next month, I was promoted to my first supervisory role. 

To be completely honest, I was devastated at being promoted.  I am not an emotional person (think Spock), but I went home and cried.  What did the company think of me if they were making me a supervisor?  Wasn’t I smart enough?  Why had I spent all those years working hard to achieve high ratings at the company?  Was my graduate research in chemical engineering meaningless?

Later, I came to realize that instead of thinking I was dumb, the company valued my ability to work with diverse groups of people.  They appreciated my aptitude to quickly understand data and make a logical decision.  I also learned that in a managerial role, I was naturally exposed to more technologies and opportunities to learn.  I have an insatiable appetite for education and learning, so being a manager was ultimately a good fit! 

Leadership Characteristics

While I was initially upset at my promotion, I have since (many times over) tried to evaluate what traits I demonstrated so that my boss trusted me with leading others.  I have also looked at all my bosses over time and other managers and leaders in lots of organizations since then.  There are several characteristics that help someone become a successful leader. 

Be A Good Listener

I know my husband would say I talk too much, but being a good listener is an important trait for leaders.  For those of us with technical backgrounds, we often jump to a conclusion early in the conversation and want to shout out the answer.  We also crave recognition for our clever and smart approaches to problem-solving.  Thus, we are excited to offer solutions.

Yet, great leaders don’t make judgments or put forth their own ideas first.  Great leaders listen to their team members.  We ask subject matter experts (SMEs) to present their technical arguments and opinions, including risk assessments before making a decision.  The higher up the ranks you go as a manager, the further away from the facts and data you get.  It’s important to trust (but verify) information from your staff. 

Demonstrate Compassion

For a lot of people, compassion comes easy.  As a kid, I would have called them “bleeding hearts”.  Just give me the data and let’s get moving!  But as a young supervisor, I learned that compassion is one of the differences between being a manager and a leader. 

While I still prefer clear, logical data and a simple plan of action, I now also recognize that other people do not live in a Vulcan world.  Some people make decisions based solely on emotion (eek!).  Some people will only process data when they understand how a decision will impact other people. 

One tool that has helped me comprehend the differences among leadership and teamwork styles is the DiSC® Assessment.  DiSC shows that people have different core working styles leading to various speed of decision-making and varying levels of “compassion”.  Please contact me at info@Simple-PDH.com for additional information on DiSC and a free one-hour work style coaching session. 

Weather the Storm

Finally, leaders must be prepared to weather the storm.  The big puzzle is that we cannot predict when, where, or what storm will hit.  This means leaders, especially innovation leaders, must be flexible, adaptable, and patient.  Understanding the risks and benefits of our decisions allows us to move forward regardless of the circumstances. 

Leaders will face setbacks and failures.  In innovation and new product development (NPD), technologies will fail and potential customers won’t like the final design.  The difference between a leader and manager is how we deal with the failure – e.g. how we weather the storm. 

43693592 – dollar boat in the bad weather

Innovation leaders recognize the opportunity to learn while a manager will entrench to a risk-averse position.  An effective innovation leader will evaluate the data and decide whether to redesign the new product feature or to abandon the project.  A manager will selfishly worry about his bonus and reputation if there is another product failure.  A leader rallies the team after a setback, but a manager punishes his staff for the failure

What Does Leadership Mean?

What does leadership mean to you?  Do you think there is a difference between management and leadership?  How do you view characteristics of listening, compassion, and failure?

Each day, week, and year, I hope I add wisdom with passing time.  Today, instead of crying and feeling disappointed at a promotion, I would ask what could I learn and what outcomes did my boss expect?  Leadership is a learning experience. 

Read more about innovation leadership in The Innovation ANSWER Book and in the recently released PDMA Body of Knowledge (2nd ed.) where I had the privilege to lead an innovative and diverse team.

Learn More

  • Check out where I’m speaking next (click here).
  • Get your copy of The Innovation ANSWER Book available at Amazon (now available on Kindle).
  • Reference the new PDMA Body of Knowledge, available at Amazon.
  • Do you know your strategy?  Is it time to narrow your focus or expand to serve more customers?  Join me for the two-part Reset Your Strategy workshop on 18 and 20 August.  Register here – special discounts for the unemployed.

© Simple-PDH.com

A Division of Global NP Solutions, LLC  

Study.       Learn.       Earn.       Simple.

About Me

I am inspired by writing, teaching, and speaking at great professional events.  I tackle life with an infusion of rigor, zeal, and faith.   It brings me joy to help you build innovation leaders.  Teresa Jurgens-Kowal is an experienced innovation professional with a passion for lifelong learning with a PhD in Chemical Engineering and an MBA in Computer and Information Decision Making.  My credentials include PE (State of Louisiana), NPDP, PMP®, and CPEM, and I am a DiSC® certified facilitator.  Contact me at info@simple-pdh.com or area code 281 + phone 787-3979 for more information on coaching for entrepreneurs and innovators.

What is Emotional Design?

Watch the ultra-short video and then read on for full details.

I am a DiSC-certified facilitator.  There are four primary work styles:  “D” for dominance, “i” for influence, “S” for steadiness, and “C” for conscientiousness.  My own work style is CD, meaning I prefer to focus on data to make a decision and I will generally take action quickly once I have the data analysis in hand. 

People with “i” and “S” work styles tend to focus more on the needs of other people and will make decisions based on emotion even with little or no data.  And while people with strong “C” and “D” work styles might puzzle over such behaviors, as product innovation professionals, we all know that customers make decisions based on emotion (to some degree or another). 

That’s why the theory and practice of Emotional Design is important. 

Emotional Design

Emotional design is part of specifying product requirements within the product design process.  You can learn more about the overall product design process in another post (click here).  Designers use the emotions that customers associate with product usage to identify and prioritize product features.  When customers express positive emotions about a product, they tend to demonstrate more trust and loyalty to a specific product or brand.  This often results in increased revenue. 

Three Types of Emotional Design Information

Emotional design is based on the level of emotion and how individuals process information.  We call thee levels:  visceral, behavioral, and reflective.  Let’s take a quick look at what these mean to product innovation. 

Visceral Emotional Design

According to Dictionary.com, visceral means “characterized by … instinct rather than intellect”.  This is our “animal brain” taking charge.  We process certain emotions using a low level of basic motor skills and senses.  So, visceral design is associated with physical senses, like the aesthetics or color of a product. 

Consider, for example, a red sports car.  It appeals to our basic senses and emotions because the styling is generally pleasing and implies speed (something that humans have craved throughout all time).  Red as a color, in most societies, is associated with power.  Therefore, on a visceral level, a red sports car represents a strong emotional design. 

Behavioral Emotional Design

At a mid-level of emotional design are customers’ responses to an innovation according to memory and learning.  Thus, the behavioral level of emotional design emphasizes the functionality and usability of a product. 

Let’s use the red sports car as an example again.  Many sports cars use a manual transmission to increase performance and to give the driver more control.  However, very few Americans know how to drive a manual transmission.  In order to be satisfied with the design, they would need to learn a new behavior.  Yet, a car enthusiast already knows the skill of driving a stick shift and finds the design even more appealing. 

Reflective Emotional Design

Finally, the highest level of emotional design is related to self-identity.  The reflective level deals with feelings and emotions that determine understanding, reasoning, and interpretation.  A wealthy bachelor feels that the red sports car reflects his personality.  It is an extension of his “self” by showing power, strength, and speed.  On the other hand, a mom with five kids would view the sports car as frivolous and not serving her important tasks of driving to school and soccer practice. 

copyright Global NP Solutions, LLC

Why is Emotional Design Important?

As indicated, customers rarely buy a product based on data sheets and specifications alone.  Emotion – whether explicit or subconscious – plays a role in all of our purchases.  I’m not a fan of the color brown, personally, and I prefer bright colors for clothes and home decorations.  My visceral emotions drive me away from earth tones.  These are deep internal perceptions that have no explanation but are in parts of my subconscious brain (or soul).

Yet, I love learning new things.  For my hobbies, I will test and buy products that I think will make my life easier or tasks quicker to finish.  I am seeking functionalities for to improve behaviors.  I want to use products and services that are easy. 

What complicates product innovation at the behavioral and reflective levels is differentiating between a desire to learn and the status quo.  Oftentimes, new products that add simplicity or convenience for a customer require a level of learning or new behaviors that require too much change.  Customers will only accept a new level of features when the learning curve is a low hurdle. 

Lastly, products that make us feel good are those that can command a price premium.  (More information on pricing strategies is found here.)  Experiences and luxury items appeal to our personal sense of self and identity.  Reflective emotional design builds emotions and personality into product development.  While basic aesthetics and form can be tested for broad market acceptance, reflective design often focuses on narrower target customer segments who share similar values.  You may want to consider a segmentation strategy when your product innovation depends on reflective emotional design. 

Learn More

  • Check out where I’m speaking next (click here). You can book me for speaking by contacting me directly or through Innovation Women.
  • Get your copy of The Innovation ANSWER Book.  Available at Amazon in paperback and Kindle version.
  • Reference the new PDMA Body of Knowledge, available at Amazon.
  • Do you know your strategy?  Is it time to narrow your focus or expand to serve more customers?  Join me for the two-part Reset Your Strategy workshop on 18 and 20 August.  Register here – special discounts for the unemployed.

© Simple-PDH.com

A Division of Global NP Solutions, LLC  

Study.       Learn.       Earn.       Simple.

About Me

I am inspired by writing, teaching, and coaching.  I tackle life with an infusion of rigor, zeal, and faith.   It brings me joy to help you build innovation leaders.  Teresa Jurgens-Kowal is an experienced innovation professional with a passion for lifelong learning with a PhD in Chemical Engineering and an MBA in Computer and Information Decision Making.  My credentials include PE (State of Louisiana), NPDP, PMP®, and CPEM, and I am a DiSC® certified facilitator.  Contact me at info@simple-pdh.com or area code 281 + phone 787-3979 for more information on coaching for entrepreneurs and innovators.

Tools for Product Innovation

I love my hobbies.  Hobbies give us an escape from the stress of daily life and restore our inner peace.  They also allow us an opportunity to explore new ideas and to be creative.  My longtime followers, friends, and colleagues know that my favorite hobby is scrapbooking. 

One of my great pleasures that enriches my hobby is attending craft shows.  I am desperately hoping our newly tyrannical governments will once again allow such crowded, busy, and fun events!  At craft shows, I watch vendors demonstrate new tools and techniques.  I rub shoulders with other creative people sharing my hobby.  This encourages me to try new things and it expands my own creativity.  (Yes, there’s a reason I have glitter on my shoes!)

As product innovation professionals, we also need to expand our creativity and learn new things.  Perhaps more important, we must maintain our ability to generate new ideas and to examine our product portfolios with new perspectives.  And, just like the coolest news stamping platform or die cut machine for scrapbooking, we need to try new tools for creating, designing, and developing new products. 

Ideation Tools

The earliest stage of the product design and development process is ideation – kind of a fancy word for idea generation.  (Read more about the stages in the Product Design Process here.)  Formally, ideation is defined as a “creative process to generate and communicate ideas and concepts within the new product development (NPD) ecosystem”.  Let’s look at a few common ideation tools. 

SCAMPER

SCAMPER (read more here) is an acronym that uses verbs to stimulate new viewpoints toward a product solution.  You can apply the SCAMPER technique to an existing product, a new product, or a general customer problem.  The acronym is:

  • S = Substitute
  • C = Combine
  • A = Adapt
  • M = Modify
  • P = Put to Another Use
  • E = Eliminate
  • R = Reverse

Check out my Skillshare class here for more information and an example of apply SCAMPER.

Brainstorming and Brainwriting

Brainstorming is a traditional method of idea generation, often used in groups.  A problem statement is presented, and the group is encouraged to speak freely about potential solutions.  People are encouraged, but not required, to build from existing ideas and to even come up with ideas that defy science and logic (can anyone say lockdown or facemask?).

On the other hand, brainwriting (read more about this tool in Chapter 2 of The Innovation ANSWER Book) is a quieter activity, still utilizing free association and even wild ideas.  In brainwriting, each individual writes an idea on a sheet of paper and passes the paper to another member of the group.  Each person subsequently builds on the ideas they receive.  The activity is timed to further drive creativity.  After a few rounds, each idea originator shares the “best” idea. 

Mind Mapping

Mind mapping is also a free association method of generating ideas but is often used individually rather than in groups.  (Read more here.)  It is a graphical technique in which a core problem is presented and ideas or concepts are documented as words, phrases, or figures.  Clustering and grouping of ideas are conducted in the second stage.  Usually, each word or concept leads to additional “layers” of words and concepts so that the end result is reminiscent of a spiderweb. 

Customer-Focus

Several ideations techniques directly involve the customer.  This is highly beneficial for new product development since we intensify our focus on customer needs, thoughts, and perspectives without the bias of technology or pre-determined solutions. 

The ethnographic approaches to ideation are based on observing customers in their own environments where they face problems and use product solutions.  Complex challenges are better evaluated when an innovation team examines behaviors, beliefs, attitudes, and preferences at once. 

Another customer-focused ideation method is A Day in the Life.  This is essentially “shadowing” the customer to uncover routines, behaviors, and circumstances they face when using different products and services.  It also captures emotional aspects of product usage for further ideation and analysis. 

Another way to capture emotional inputs is through empathy analysis.  This is a way in which innovation teams connect with and understand customers deeply and share a direct emotional connection with them.  Empathy means understanding the customers problems from their point of view. 

From these customer-focused methods, the innovation design team may develop one or more personas.  A persona is a fictional character based on composite, objective, and direct observations of groups of users.  These personas become “typical” consumers for whom the innovation design team describes in terms of demographics, behaviors, attitudes, styles, and preferences.  Products and services are designed, therefore, to meet satisfy the needs of a specific persona.  This improves long-term product design and launch success. 

Ideation Tools for Design

Designing and developing new products and services is never easy but is always fun!  We use a variety of tools, techniques, and methodologies in the early stages of the product design process to expand creativity and to generate, develop, and communicate new ideas.  We use ideation for all activities and processes that broaden a set of solution alternatives for a consumer problem.  Ideation tools are also applied in risk management, troubleshooting for operations and in any situation where creativity is important in finding an ultimate solution. 

Just like we attend classes, conferences, and exhibits to expand creativity for our hobbies, we also must use similar opportunities to expand creativity for product development.  Ideation tools can be used individually or in combination to generate new alternatives for designing and developing products and services that solve customer challenges.  Many ideation tools use the power of a group to build on ideas and concepts but many of the tools are used independently to help an individual focus on troubleshooting solutions (e.g. SCAMPER, mind mapping, and empathy analysis). 

Learn More

Of course you must start with the vision – or strategy – before you jump into ideation.  I used to have hobbies of quilting, knitting, cross-stitching, and scrapbooking.  I had too many ideas and too little time.  Over the years, I have narrowed my focus and increased my talent in scrapbooking and card-making.  That’s a result of a strategic analysis.  With a strategy in place, new ideas are more cost-effective and lead to greater payoff. 

Do you know your strategy?  Is it time to refocus or narrow your focus?  Join me for the two-part Reset Your Strategy workshop on 18 and 20 August.  Register here – special discounts for the unemployed.

Reset Your Strategy

Reset Your Strategy is a four-hour workshop that will help you independently answer this question.  We will provide the theory, frameworks, and tools so that you will leave the workshop with a specific, actionable strategy to take you out of 2020.  Register here.  We have special discounts for anyone who is unemployed right now.  And, with all the depressing news on television and the radio, I promise to leave you laughing with our top-secret and mega-fun contest during the workshop (attendees only).

© Simple-PDH.com

A Division of Global NP Solutions, LLC  

Study.       Learn.       Earn.       Simple.

About Me

I am inspired by writing, teaching, and coaching.  I tackle life with an infusion of rigor, zeal, and faith.   It brings me joy to help you build innovation leaders.  Teresa Jurgens-Kowal is an experienced innovation professional with a passion for lifelong learning with a PhD in Chemical Engineering and an MBA in Computer and Information Decision Making.  My credentials include PE (State of Louisiana), NPDP, PMP®, and CPEM, and I am a DiSC® certified facilitator.  Contact me at info@simple-pdh.com or area code 281 + phone 787-3979 for more information on coaching for entrepreneurs and innovators.

The Danger of Habits

Dictionary.com defines a habit as “an acquired behavior pattern regularly followed until it has become almost voluntary”.  Every night, before I go to bed, I brush and floss my teeth.  It is a habit.  I don’t have to make a decision whether or not to clean my teeth – it is an automatic behavior.  Even when I travel, I follow the same habit in a hotel or camping. 

I like to consider brushing my teeth every night as a “good” habit.  Unfortunately, habits might also reinforce “bad” behaviors.

Destructive Habits

Following a routine makes life easier because we do not have to think too much about various choices.  Since we can reliably predict the outcome of the repeated behavior, we reduce unplanned or negative risks.  Yet, living a life devoid of unexpected outcomes and minimizing the potential of all downside risk means we miss out on unanticipated pleasant events, too. 

My undergraduate Chemical Engineering (ChE) degree was in a relatively small class, actually a really small class.   There were eight (8) of us at the University of Idaho (Go Vandals!).   Almost all of our junior and senior level ChE courses were taught in the same, single classroom.  Without fail, at the start of a new semester or new school year, each of us chose a seat and then sat in the same place for every class.  We had created a habit.

While this routine was good – if I missed something the professor said, my friend Carmen had captured it in her notes – we may have missed out on other activities because of habit.   Not interacting with the other six students as closely as we did with each other left us without opportunities to teach others, to view course information from a different perspective, or to have our own mistakes corrected. 

Every habit has some degree of “good” and some degree of “bad” incorporated.  Successful innovators and leaders will seek to have the balance of “good” habits outweigh the “bad” habits.

Destructive habits are routine behaviors that are automatic but cause harm to us or to others.  At this point in history, I am particularly worried about the bad habits being forced on us by extreme government regulation.  Not being able to get a haircut during the government shutdown may force us to “creatively” learn a new style, but not being able to interact with our colleagues and religious communities is very, very dangerous over the long term. 

The habit of “social distancing” will build habits yielding unintended consequences for several generations.  We are already seeing negative impacts in which elderly people living in nursing homes are suffering from excess disease and reduced healing rates with forced “no contact” with family members and friends.  Loneliness was already a recognized health risk for the elderly, and government edicts are making this contagion even worse.  My heart breaks for old people dying without last rites and without someone they love holding their hand.

Loss of Creativity

I have spent the majority of my career working in R&D and helping others become more effective within their innovation ecosystem.  I have even written about the benefits of working in virtual teams (Chapter 6 in Leveraging Innovation Constraints) and I offer a training course for global teams on the Virtual Team Model.  

Using globally dispersed teams enhances innovation by providing local market information to the team.  However, without VTM, study after study shows that virtual teams underperform those that work face-to-face.  In stark contrast, the forced division in our professional and personal lives is a destructive habit that threatens our freedom.  A free and independent capitalist economy relies on personal and face-to-face interactions (not masked!).  All of us need personal touches to survive – a smile, a handshake, a hug. 

Moreover, at this time when there appears to be little or no real scientific data supporting societal breakdown, we are losing creativity.  If the government does not permit you to “look over someone’s shoulder,” how can you collaborate and build something new together?  How do we solve problems that require shared skills to build a tangible product?

Fight Your Bad Habits

While I am dedicated to brushing my teeth every night before going to bed, I struggle with the health recommendation to not eat snacks an hour before bedtime.  I have set up systems and memory triggers to fight this bad habit.  This is something I can change on my own time and on my own terms.

The bad habits that society is learning today, cause me to be truly and sincerely frightened.  My husband thought that a picture of chrysanthemums in our church bulletin was a “coronavirus” depiction.  A very bad habit!  I fear that American society will emerge permanently damaged and broken from the government lockdowns. 

People, especially youth, are being taught that distance is a social behavior.  I can’t think of two words that are more opposite!  As a society, we have lost civil rights and social freedoms after every national crisis, such as taking our shoes off as a symbol of airline security.  Today’s bad habits to forcibly eliminate interacting with other people will result in a loss of creativity and innovation.  America’s role as an inventor and economic superpower will be diminished (or decimated) if we do not fight the bad habits imposed upon us. 

What Can You Do?

Honestly, I’m not sure what to do since long-term predictions for economic stability are unavailable and those that are spread in the media are unbelievable.  Many of our cities are further crumbling under mob rule.   It’s difficult to predict what to do next.   I, personally, am changing my focus from where my business has been for 10 years.  I love to travel and interact with committed teams.  It is challenging to replace this interaction with computer screens and video conferences. 

On a societal level, we must have an urgent call to government leaders to open the economy sooner rather than later.  Our way of life, and America’s position as the superpower and financial backing of reserve currency, will die if governments continue to prevent natural human communication and collaboration. 

Reset Your Strategy

While I often feel depressed and beleaguered by the mass media news, I am actively trying to build new habits for myself and my business.  Like all innovation work, the place to start is strategy.  Where do you want to go?  What opportunities are available that give you enjoyment in your work and professional life?  What do your customers want?  How can you rally your team to support good habits?

Reset Your Strategy is a four-hour workshop that will help you independently answer this question.  We will provide the theory, frameworks, and tools so that you will leave the workshop with a specific, actionable strategy to take you out of 2020.  Register here.  We have special discounts for anyone who is unemployed right now.  And, with all the depressing news on television and the radio, I promise to leave you laughing with our top-secret and mega-fun contest during the workshop (attendees only).

© Simple-PDH.com

A Division of Global NP Solutions, LLC  

Study.       Learn.       Earn.       Simple.

About Me

I am inspired by writing, teaching, and coaching.  I tackle life with an infusion of rigor, zeal, and faith.   It brings me joy to help you build innovation leaders.  Teresa Jurgens-Kowal is an experienced innovation professional with a passion for lifelong learning with a PhD in Chemical Engineering and an MBA in Computer and Information Decision Making.  My credentials include PE (State of Louisiana), NPDP, PMP®, and CPEM, and I am a DiSC® certified facilitator.  Contact me at info@simple-pdh.com or area code 281 + phone 787-3979 for more information on coaching for entrepreneurs and innovators.

Have You Missed the Digital Transformation?

I never cease to be amazed at the number of buzzwords that enter our vocabulary.  Good ideas become nauseating when entrenched in bad phrases.  Of course, the idea of keeping sick people away from old people or those with weakened immune systems is good, yet the phrase “social distancing” is oxymoronic and getting very, very old very, very quickly. 

Digital transformation is another phrase that shot off like a firework but really doesn’t have a lot of teeth in its meaning.  The idea of digital transformation is that all businesses should read recognize technology is a constant and growing component of products and services.  Yet a whole lexicon of “digital” words has sprung up to describe a simple evolution in product innovation. 

Digital Innovation

One new phrase is “digital innovation.”  It means applying digital technology to increase operational efficiency, drive customer engagement, or to develop innovation products and services.  Frankly, this is a very broad definition and can hearken back to the good – but simple – idea that computers can do basic calculations faster than humans.  We have been using digital technology throughout my entire life to improve operations.  For example, petrochemical plants are controlled via a DCS (digital control systems) that monitors temperature, pressure, flow rates, and valve positions.  This is not a “new” concept.

What is somewhat different in the past few decades is evolution of a “digital strategy”.  Instead of tacking on an application or programming for a product after it is designed and developed, innovative companies today recognize the importance of integrating technology throughout the development stages. 

Digital Integration

Technology generally allows us to move product innovation at a faster pace.  Using social media and 3D printing to generate prototypes, new product development (NPD) practitioners garner rapid customer feedback.  We conduct many more inexpensive trials before freezing the design. 

Further, when software is fully integrated into a product’s functionality, features can be changed and adapted on an ongoing basis.  We can customize many of the features and functions of products and services for each individual user.  Digital transformation thereby enhances the relationship between the customer and the producer. 

Advance Your Digital Transformation

Did you miss the digital transformation?  Don’t feel bad if you missed the ascension and collapse of a buzzword.  It’s likely your company did not miss opportunities to integrate technology into product design or customer experience.  Using technology to analyze large data sets and to cull insights from qualitative measures is commonplace. 

If your organization is not integrating applications, software, and IT into product and service development, you do need a digital strategy.  The digital strategy also identifies how competitors are using technology to gain market share.  If you are falling short, you may need to consider simple steps such as how to reshape your organization using apps or text messages to gain customer feedback. 

Don’t Miss Another Opportunity

Language, phrases, and buzzwords don’t tell the whole story.  You need to look at your basic processes and systems.  Product innovation starts with proven best practices, customized to ensure competitive advantage.  If you are trying to integrate digital strategy or trying to figure out what to do emerging from the corona-panic, you must join our online Reset Your Strategy workshop.  Click here to pre-register (special rates for unemployed).  Contact me at info@globalnpsolutions.com or area code (281) phone 787-3979 for more information.

© Simple-PDH.com

A Division of Global NP Solutions, LLC  

Study.       Learn.       Earn.       Simple.

About Me

I am inspired by writing, teaching, and coaching.  I tackle life with an infusion of rigor, zeal, and faith.   It brings me joy to help you build innovation leaders.  Teresa Jurgens-Kowal is an experienced innovation professional with a passion for lifelong learning with a PhD in Chemical Engineering and an MBA in Computer and Information Decision Making.  My credentials include PE (State of Louisiana), NPDP, PMP®, and CPEM, and I am a DiSC® certified facilitator.  Contact me at info@simple-pdh.com or area code 281 + phone 787-3979 for more information on coaching for entrepreneurs and innovators.

Do You Have a Capability Strategy?

Everyone working in innovation has more ideas in time.  Every organization has more projects to work than resources.  And all of us truly believe in the purpose and benefits of the ideas and projects we create. 

Yet, we also have limited resources.  There are only 24 hours in a day, seven days in a week.  We have limited budgets and talent to accomplish our innovation project vision.  It is an age-old problem. 

Alongside your business and innovation strategies, it is important to implement a capability strategy.  The capability strategy is an offshoot of product portfolio management, allowing an organization to plan and execute projects with higher productivity and efficiency.  You will learn to schedule and balance resources and talent to ensure effective product innovation. 

Capabilities

In the resource-view of the firm, capabilities and competencies represent the talent and special skills of an organization.  For example, the capability to run ultra-high vacuum electron scanning instruments requires not only specialized equipment but competent and trained users.  Similarly, a successful restaurant requires specialty software to convey orders to the kitchen and well-trained staff that are attentive to diners’ needs. 

Any special equipment or skills of your staff that differentiate your organization are key capabilities.  These are listed as strengths on a SWOT analysis (read about Using SWOT to Reset your Innovation Strategy here).  You also might work diligently to train and acquire staff with unique competencies.  This includes giving employees both formal and informal learning opportunities, on-the-job training, and freedom for idea exploration. 

The Capability Plan

In product portfolio management (PPM), senior management prioritizes a list of innovation projects to maximize value.  Optimizing resources (time, money, equipment, and people) is a key activity of PPM.  In prioritizing active projects (those assigned budgets and resources), the portfolio managers must assess the capability strategy.  Where there are competency gaps, provide training or hire new talent with appropriate skills.  Where there are deep skills without immediate project utility, re-train or release resources for other work. 

“The Toy Box” (an imaginary but representative company) has five innovation projects on the books.  One project is nearing completion and will be launched soon.  The others are at varying stages of completion, from concept development to final prototype testing. 

Because The Toy Box  has only a handful of market researchers assigned to innovation projects, they note a gap in the “motors” and “boats” projects.  Each project needs the attention of three full-time equivalent (FTE) market researchers to conduct prototype testing during the next three months.  The Toy Box employs only four market researchers full-time.  This results in a gap of two FTEs for market research with a crisis level gap in the next three months.

Capability Strategy Choices

In this case, The Toy Box has several choices to balance their project needs with required capacity, as follows.

  • Delay one or both projects
  • Cancel one or both projects
  • Hire more (temporary or permanent) market researchers
  • Re-train other staff to learn market research skills
  • Advance these projects without market research
  • Abandon these projects and work on ones that match availability of market research FTEs

Each of these choices is a strategic decision, since the outcomes impact the ability of the organization to execute projects, generate revenues, and satisfy customers.  Each choice also has both short-term and long-run cost impacts.  Thus, capacity planning is a senior management activity and is a strategic (not operational or tactical) decision. 

Your Capability Strategy

Learning and growth are foundations of successful innovation.  In your strategy, do you account for training, hiring, and development of human resources?  Do you balance talent against project needs in the product portfolio?  Do you have a specific and actionable plan to close capability gaps for innovation?

Learn More

If you answered “no” to any of these questions, you need to join our Reset Your Strategy Workshop.  You can pre-register here and we’ll send you the full details soon.  Contact me at info@globalnpsolutions.com or area code (281) phone 787-3979 for more information.

Additional Resources

About Me

I am inspired by writing, teaching, and coaching.  I tackle life with an infusion of rigor, zeal, and faith.   It brings me joy to help you build innovation leaders.  Teresa Jurgens-Kowal is an experienced innovation professional with a passion for lifelong learning with a PhD in Chemical Engineering and an MBA in Computer and Information Decision Making.  My credentials include PE (State of Louisiana), NPDP, PMP®, and CPEM, and I am a DiSC® certified facilitator.  Contact me at info@simple-pdh.com or area code 281 + phone 787-3979 for more information on coaching for entrepreneurs and innovators.