Leading Innovation - Applying Proven Processes

Test a hypothesis with the minimum viable product, the smallest version used to validate ideas through prototypes, videos, or smoke tests, reducing risk and cost while building executive confidence.

Navigate the innovation pipeline from funnel to stage gate, balancing portfolio risk and payoff across current and new markets and technologies, while prioritizing high-impact, low-risk projects.

Explore how innovation centers, labs and incubators accelerate product development by connecting corporations with startups, detailing center types, metrics, and practical examples from industry leaders.

Design thinking centers on the customer and uses a five-step process: empathize, define, ideate, prototype, test. The design sprint compresses this into a five-day cycle with a prototype and feedback.

Lead innovation by ruthlessly killing weaker projects using five evidence-based criteria: customer appeal, technical feasibility, monetization, competitive edge, and real customer need.

Understand the problem before generating ideas to drive innovation, using seven problem analysis tools to ask questions, explore root causes, and develop better solutions.

Explore open innovation and crowdsourcing, including a four-quadrant model and best practices for engaging external ideas. Learn through real examples from Procter and Gamble, IBM, Threadless, and Kickstarter.

Explore open innovation and crowdsourcing with platforms like Procter and Gamble connect and develop, Unilever open innovation, InnoCentive, and Crowdcube, showing licensing, routes to market, and crowd-sourced problem solving.

Receive closing reflections and recommended books on innovation, including the innovative leader and the leaders guide to lateral thinking skills, plus links to further courses and contact options.