My Book II

Western Digital | My Book II

Innovation Strategy

The word “innovation” has never meant much in isolation. To create innovative offerings and sustainable growth requires the alignment of an organization’s goals, people, resources, and culture. So, when our designers think about innovation as it relates to client objectives, the words “design, “business,” and “strategy” are never far behind.

Designing and launching new experiences and technology is as challenging as it is gratifying. We’ve found that when this work is framed strategically and appropriately supported within an organization, the more focused and fruitful the outcome, be it a single project or an entire portfolio. Beyond this, clients’ cultures—whether top-down, bottom-up, or emerging—benefit from the generative and collaborative methods inherent to design-based innovation strategy: fieldwork, prototyping, implementation, and storytelling. Outcomes include strategic roadmaps, business plans, internal innovations, portfolio strategies, and partnerships.

Innovation at IDEO means being receptive to cultural and market trends, and applying this knowledge in forward-thinking ways to generate groundbreaking and desirable products and services for our clients.

Resources, Partners, Favorites

Innovator’s Solution by Clayton Christensen and Michael Raynor is a book that reveals novel truths about innovation and a set of proven theories managers can use to achieve growth through disruptive innovation.

Innovator’s Dilemma by Clayton Christensen is a groundbreaking book that explains why disruptive innovation is so hard—but necessary.

Entrepreneurial Mindset by Rita Gunther McGrath and Ian McMillian is a book that provides a guide to thinking and acting in environments that are fast-paced, rapidly changing, and highly uncertain.

The Knowing-Doing Gap by Bob Sutton and Jeffrey Pfeffer is a book that explores common obstacles to action in busines—such as fear and inertia—and profiles successful companies that overcome them.

Evidence Based Management by Bob Sutton and Jeff Pfeffer is a book that suggests businesses take cues from evidence-based medicine and its practitioners, who hone their craft through constant practice, experience, and knowledge seeking.

Made to Stick by Chip and Dan Heath is a book on the art of making ideas unforgettable through effective storytelling.

The Future of Management by Gary Hamel is a book that invites organizations to shed age-old systems and processes and think differently.

Payback: Reaping the Rewards of Innovation by James Andrew, Harold Sirkin and John Butman is a book that looks at different innovation models and how organizations can optimize returns by better analyzing where, what, and how to spend.

Emotional Design by Donald A. Norman is a book that looks at the role emotion plays in human-centered design.

"The Challenges of Innovation" is an article by Irving Wladawsky-Berger on BusinessWeek Online about the major obstacles to a healthy innovation environment.

Points of View

Innovation, Growth, and Getting to Where You Want to GoInnovation, Growth, and Getting to Where You Want to Go
Design Management Review
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