Innovation in a nutshell

Innovation is critical to the survival of any business. And while there are now a thousand definitions of the phrase, this one – from Deka Research president Dean Kamen – is telling: ““It’s like getting a Sumo wrestler to look good in a tutu.” Deka, which Kamen established in 1982, numbers the Segway Human Transporter among its innovative developments. The company is organised to promote interaction between and within its electronics and software engineering groups. An on-site machine shop and moulding facility is said to be central to getting the company’s ideas prototyped and tested as quickly as possible. Kamen gave his views on innovation in a keynote address at the recent NI Week, which took place in Austin, Texas. “It’s the unexpected results that make the biggest difference,” he said. “You have to apply lots of effort and have a little bit of luck.” He expounded a number of what he calls the ‘rude realities’ of innovation, accompanied by some helpful suggestions drawn from the observations of others. Rude Reality number one, in his opinion, is: “Great technology alone rarely constitutes innovation.” He also believes that every successful project must feature what he calls the ‘dark night of the innovator’. However, getting through that ‘dark night’ is important if an innovative breakthrough is to be made. Illustrating this point, Kamen borrowed from Winston Churchill: “If you’re going through Hell, keep going.” The bottom line, he says, is to keep at it. “Don’t get discouraged at the beginning of a development project just because you don’t know what you are doing.” This brought up Rude Reality number 2. “Risk, failure and unpredictability are unavoidable.” Kamen’s suggestion? “Fall behind early; the sooner you fall behind, the more time you have to catch up.” Kamen also believes that innovation is not necessarily original. Another suggestion explains: “Innovate as the last resort,” he said. “Innovation is the art of concealing your sources.” In one case, Deka had been asked to improve a stent – a medical device used to open up clogged arteries in patients with heart conditions. The solution came from engineers who applied their knowledge of metallurgy in helicopter rotor design. This led quickly to Rude Reality number 3. “Solving the solution is often the problem.” The thinking behind Rude Reality number 4 – “It’s not what you don’t know that inhibits innovation, it’s what you do know that just ain’t so.” – relates to the pace of technological change. According to Kamen, technical truth changes faster than any other truth. So how does a company create an innovative environment? The quick answer is that everyone needs to be involved. “Innovation isn’t a spectator sport,” he said. “Whilst projects require management, innovation requires leadership.” And he is critical of corporate management styles when it comes to handling innovation. “Management means things come out the same, whereas innovation is all about surprises. Management is all about doing things right; leadership is all about doing the right thing.” Straight into another Rude Reality, this one is Number 6. “To err is human, but it’s not company policy.” Kamen is saying that you have to fail in order to make progress – and admits of Deka: “Sometimes we crash and burn.” If innovation is so tough, why do it in the first place? Kamen’s answer is simple. “We do it to do things that haven’t been done before. When created properly, it can create entire industries.” Nearing the end of his tour through the realities of innovation, Kamen answered the question of who is an innovator. “Innovators can be optimists or pessimists,” he contended. “Optimists think about airplanes, pessimists think about parachutes.” But whether they are optimistic or pessimistic innovators, Kamen believes fervently that everyone needs to be enthusiastic. Concluding, he laid out what he sees as the Rudest Reality of innovation – which is borrowed from Margaret Mead, anthropologist and past president of the American Association for the Advancement of Science. “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. It is the only thing that ever has.” Kamen’s view on changing the world? “Why change the world? To me that's what life is about. If you don’t do that, you might as well hibernate. If everyone thinks what you do is ‘normal’ … it probably is. Why do that? Do something else!” The 10 stages of innovation * Scepticism * Enthusiasm * Brass band and fireworks * Results aren’t visible * Existing business suffering * Is it worth it? * Start to see pay offs * This is taking time * Maybe not a bad idea * It works! The Innovation and Design Excellence Awards (iDEAs), organised by Eureka, New Electronics and Cranfield School of Management, run again this year. They celebrate and reward innovation. Lou Reade, editor of Eureka, was one of last year’s iDEA judges. He said: “We look for factors that set companies apart from their rivals: expertise in a particular branch of technology; an open, collaborative working environment; proven ability to solve customer problems; a desire to lead the market, rather than follow it; a willingness to take calculated risks; and proof of products that are successful in the market. The products themselves are very important. “Companies need to prove their success in the market. It’s not enough that they simply have a good idea.” The iDEA conference, which includes contributions from many of last year’s winners, is held in May. For more information, go to www.ideawards.co.uk