But, it depends… Whether or not a regulation process (including inspection, audit and any other ‘control’ method you can think of) actually ‘drives’ innovation depends on a lot of things. For me, the biggest influence is ‘purpose’. If your main purpose is to ‘enforce’ compliance with clearly defined rules or standards it could be a […]
Safe to Fail Pilots, Well Managed Risk, Context is Everything and a bit of SenseMaker
I don’t usually mix work and what I write here (well not in any sort of way that is too obvious). For the next three posts I’m crossing the line. These posts are all about some work using SenseMaker to get into the area of attitudes towards risk. In particular how ‘well manged risk’ works […]
Failure* should be part of your CV (*= fast intelligent failure)
Now that’s a statement that might cause a few recruitment consultants and career coaches to splutter into their skinny macchiato. Surely its all about winning and trumpeting your success, isn’t it? Admitting to failure, and claiming it as some sort of achievement is a pretty alien concept. In many organisations the approach to failure is […]
Expatiation, Innovation, Adaptation, Continuous Improvement and Hyperbole. It’s dictionary time
If hear another person loudly proclaim that their incremental improvement to an existing activity, process or product is ‘INNOVATION!’ I will scream (quietly to myself…..). Small enhancements are not innovation. To be fair the language is a bit confusing and I’m not alone. This article on the British Quality Foundation blog by Paul Sloan draws […]
Jefferson’s Taper. A 200 year old perspective on the internet?
This is a real gem from 200 years ago that has a great deal of relevance today. Thomas Jefferson made the following reference to the ‘taper’ (a candle) in a letter to Isaac McPherson, August 1813. “He who receives ideas from me, receives instruction himself without lessening mine; as he who lights his taper at […]
Encouraging Innovation. Use some Naive Experts, Belbin Resource Investigators and send them ‘back to the floor’.
Here is something you may have encountered. Situation: A major problem with a service not meeting the needs of customers. If you don’t innovate you will be deeper in trouble or out of business. Answer: Assemble a team of subject matter experts to promote innovation. Result: A deep focus upon improving what already exists but […]
Experts are great……. you just have to keep them in their box.
This is something a former boss of mine used to say. I realise it has the potential to upset a few people (particularly experts); please don’t get offended just yet. This post Is Best Practice the Enemy of Innovation generated a bit of discussion that got me digging deeper into the role of experts in […]
Is Best Practice the Enemy of Innovation?
Here’s a confession. Before I go to bed I like to watch an episode of How It’s Made. There is something very soothing about manufacturing processes. The logical sequence, efficient systems, robotic arms, complete repeatability, high levels of certainty and quality products are like a comfort blanket before I go to sleep. Unfortunately the world […]
What's the PONT 