Innovation is…

Innovation is not just problem solving, coming up with whacky ideas or the creation of new technology. It’s not just thinking up new ideas and hoping they will gain traction. 

You can’t just ask customers what they want and then try to give that to them. By the time you get it built, they’ll want something new 

Steve Jobs 

Innovation is the sum of all these parts and as such, it requires a plan. It needs a strategy. 

Innovation is joining the dots… 

Creating successful innovation that delivers impact without creating a strategy is like drawing a picturesque landscape from memory. Chances are key detail will be missed. Your perspective will become skewed as you only apply focus on aspects that captured your attention in the first place.  

Joining the dots 

By joining the dots, you start to identify key elements and make sense of how they all link together.  As your masterpiece starts to emerge and your strategy develops, you enhance your chances of creating a compelling outcome; one which resonates with your audience.  

Too often we become blinded by an immediate trend. The need or want to discover a solution, to tick a box or capitalise on a short-term commercial opportunity.  

Innovation is about connecting, not inventing. 

No idea will make a difference without building around it the networks that will 

support it as it grows, and the network partners with which it will ultimately flourish. 

 
Andrew Hargadon 

Innovations that have the greatest impact are built on a solid foundation. They have a clear understanding of the emotional drivers and sentiments of the audience. They also have an appreciation for socioeconomic models from which the dots can be joined between measurable behaviours (feedback, trends and habits) and the root causes of reactions (values, beliefs and sentiments).  

When innovating we must also not lose sight of the market. As we establish an understanding of emotional drivers, we can now approach trends and new technologies with specific personas and motivations in mind and appreciate their relevancy and impact to the audience.  

We begin to identify meaningful opportunities driven by a deeper understanding of the audience and set ourselves up for an even greater shot at successful innovation.  

When you are able to combine these elements along with organisations needs and objectives, it becomes much easier to establish appropriate strategies and processes to achieve these goals.  

Let’s join the dots and build meaningful and impactful innovations together. 

STRATEGIC. MEANINGFUL. &. APPROPRIATE. 

Your Strategic Design and Innovation Consultancy 

At Smallfry, we don’t just create great products. We channel visions, bring the energy and fire to innovation teams, and blend strategy and creativity to deliver products and services that DEMAND to be bought. 

We do our research. We watch and listen. And we put the customer first. 

Chances are, we will challenge your thinking, but we’re confident the journey and end results will be worth it. www.smallfry.com