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In my last post, I mentioned that I was taking some time to focus on a research and writing project.  In addition to that, the comments section of the blog was getting spammed more frequently, so I felt it was a good time to take a break.  I learned several...

I'm currently working on a couple of projects that require a lot of writing as I develop some new ideas.  As a result, I'm finding that I'm a bit overloaded on the writing thing, so I'll be posting more sporadically for the next month or...

I'm working on a project now where I'm trying to create a clear separation between the multidisciplinary team process for product implementation, vs product innovation.  On paper they look pretty much the same.  All the disciplines are...

Innovation requires your organization to do something new.  Not necessarily new to the world, but new to your company.  If you're doing something truly new to your organization, then it's impossible to know what the end result will be.  Every...

I have repeatedly heard the word insight as something to be observed, as in "We observed several insights on that consumer interview." There are several entries in dictionary.com for the word insight.  In different ways, they all describe insight as an...

What ideas has your company passed up because you lacked the resources to pursue them at the time?  Companies often pursue the ideas they know are achievable.  Once the needs of the market are fully understood, many of those old ideas become viable. ...

If your organization is like most, there are many processes in place that ensure no one can make a mistake that could cost the company vast sums of money, damage its reputation, or do other terrible damage.  While many of these processes are in place for a good...

I talk a lot about learning from your market and applying that insight to grow your business. However, yesterday I realized that it's just as important to be aware of what you are teaching your market. In a recent post on Jeff Jarvis' blog, he referenced a...

When I was in business school, I did an independent study thesis on the fostering design and innovation within corporations.  The process required selecting a department and a professor to sponsor the work.  When I first started business school, I...

Most consumer research focuses on learning about what people do, and most innovation projects focus on developing new technologies into things people will buy. Notice the disconnect? Too little research is focused on how people make decisions, and too few innovation...