Innovation thrives on fresh perspectives and challenging conventional thinking. A toolkit of diverse methodologies sharpens critical thinking, uncovers hidden opportunities, and reshapes strategy.
Let’s review a few helpful tools:
Analytical Techniques: These break a plan or strategy down to its underlying assumptions and pressure-test them before you commit.
1A. Assumptions testing. A technique for identifying and challenging the stated and unstated assumptions a plan or strategy is based on. The method is to review the statements and ask about the underlying assumptions.
1B. The PESTLE tool. Aims to expand your outlook. It guides you to consider varied impacts - political, economic, social, technical, legal, and environmental – ensuring a well-rounded strategy.
2. Imaginative techniques. They examine how plans could fail and then make interventions to ensure their success. They help us imagine how different stakeholders view situations, so we don't use a narrow view or look through one lens. They help us look ahead and see the different ways a situation can play out.
2A. Premortem. Once an idea is agreed upon, ask: if this fails, what does that failure look like? You can work backward and fix potential problems you identify that could lead to failure. Then you can modify your strategy to reduce the likelihood they happen. You can also list them, so you know to apply the brakes and ask questions about continuing down the same path if you see them occurring. How do you want to proceed if you do not get the promised resources and sponsorship? Spending time upfront on how the plan can fail can go a long way toward preventing that failure.
2B. 20 ideas method. Begin by aiming for quantity over quality. In the end, synthesize the ordinary and ridiculous ideas to develop a good one. Resist the temptation to fall in love with a solution early in the process; instead, practice psychological safety and good listening skills. This process helps us move past our first ideas, which are usually not our best. Peter Skillman, Head of Connected Care at Philips, said that multiple iterations almost always beat a single-minded commitment to building your first idea.
2C. Gaining support for wild ideas. Encourage out-of-the-box thinking by creating an environment where even the most audacious ideas receive constructive feedback. It’s about nurturing ideas with the potential to disrupt. If you have a crazy idea, try to get support from colleagues who will build on it or ask clarifying questions rather than tearing it down.
2D. Extreme brainstorming. This concept comes from a Smart Bear article and is meant to spark new and better ideas. It uses the premise that no idea is bad. These prompts are meant to jolt you out of tiny thinking. It stretches some dimension of reality to an extreme, so extreme that it is nearly nonsense. The goal is that dramatically different perspectives can reveal distinctly new ideas.
· 10x Prices. If we had to increase our prices by 10x, what would you do to justify it?
· No Customers. What would we do if all our customers vanished and we had to earn our growth and brand from scratch?
· No Tech Support. What would have to change if you were never allowed to provide tech support?
· Maximize Fun. What would be the most fun thing to build?
· Complete rip-off. If our biggest competitor copied every feature we have, how would we still win?
· No Time. What if we are forced to ship a full, completed MVP new feature, in just two weeks, that would delight and surprise some fraction of our customers?
· Flipped Business Model. What if you were forced to charge customers in a completely different manner? The product isn’t free, but somehow, you have to justify value (and costs) differently. If you’re usage-based, you’re forced to charge a flat monthly rate; if monthly with tiers, you’re forced to measure and charge daily with some formula.
· No Website. How would you still grow your business if you were not allowed a website?
· No Meetings. What if you made your most introverted teammates’ dreams come true: No more synchronous meetings, ever again?
· No Customer Contact. How would we figure out what to build if we could never talk to our customers again?
· Cost is No Object. What if it didn’t matter how unprofitable you were?
· Sociopathic CEO. What if you could change anything, regardless of what anyone thinks or feels?
· Mortal Wound. What externality could kill the entire company?
· Philanthropist. What if our only goal were to create the most good in the world, personally for our customers?
· Only One Thing This Year. What if you could only ship one thing this year?
3. Contrarian techniques. They stress-test strategies and plans to surface alternative perspectives.
3A. Appoint a rotating Devil’s Advocate in critical meetings. Inject intentional disagreement to see all sides. The same person does not have to have this role; you can rotate the position so the hard work does not fall on one person's shoulders, and you can see different approaches to this position. Design as if you are right and test as if you are wrong.
4. Reflection Tools. Are meant to allow space for thinking about how things can go or for looking back and evaluating how they went and what to do differently, so there is always an aspect of learning.
4A. Reflect. Envision the future by imagining exciting possibilities.
· Determine what you care about as a company and team, what drives you, and where your passions lie.
· Make a list of all the things your teams want to accomplish and ask yourself why.
· Use your past experiences for understanding themes in your company’s history, and what you find worthwhile.
· Be curious about what is happening around you, especially things that are not going well.
4B. Conduct AAR (After Action Review) built into every experience. What was supposed to happen, what did happen, why was there a difference, and what can we learn from this? The value comes from the discipline of systematic learning. Solutions emerge when you take time for learning and reflection, rearrange thoughts, and generate new insights.
Innovation is less about a single eureka moment and more about consistently applying diverse tools that stretch, challenge, and refine our ideas. Integrating these tools into your process will pave the way for pioneering breakthroughs and robust strategies.
Quote of the day. "Innovation is the unrelenting drive to break the status quo and develop anew where few have dared to go.” – Steven Jeffes.
Reflection Question. What are some of the best techniques you have used with success? Comment and share below; we would love to hear from you.
As a leadership development and executive coach, I work with leaders to cultivate a culture of innovation, contact me to explore this topic further.
What are your favorite innovative techniques?