Why most open innovation efforts fail
A conversation today with a top expert in the world of Open Innovation helped me understand why most open innovation efforts fail. He explained that most Open Innovation efforts are “Tech Mining” efforts at the end of the innovation process. Companies use open innovation tech mining to find a technical solution for an existing product concept. In effect – tossing darts at a dart board. Sadly, many times solutions are found that are “next door” to the requested challenge however because they don’t “fit” the exact request (and it’s too painful to have a corporate bureaucracy change direction) they are discarded.
In contrast, at the Eureka! Ranch we coach companies on using Open Innovation as a “Tech MINING” process at the FRONT END of the innovation process. Technologies are used to inspire new products and services. That’s why we focus so much energy at www.PlanetEureka.com on the translation of technologies into product concepts.
I believe that 90% of the value of Open Innovation is as inspiration at the front end – 20% is in problem solving at the back end – and even then it’s usually more for finding manufacturing capability not technical solutions.
I also find that when Customer/Consumer Insights AND Technology Mining are brought in at the FRONT END of the innovation process the ideas developed are richer, more unique and massively more feasible.
Filed under: Science of Creativity
Hi Doug,
I heard you speak at a THINC conference a couple of years ago, and I bought your first book when it came out, so I’ve followed you for a long time.
I think there is a far more serious reason why most innovation efforts fail. As you know, most corporations are managed by left-brain analytical individuals, who are also SJ temperaments. The entire drive of an SJ is to keep things stable. They excel at operations, but they are diagnoally across from the innovators, who are usually NT temperaments and right-brain thinkers in terms of the Herrmann model. These two temperaments are totally at odds with each other.
Every change made by an innovator is resisted (unconsciously or consciously) by the SJ stabilizer. Even the visionary CEO has trouble passing down through the organization his/her ideas because most mid-level managers resist change.
I can see this in Obama, who is a visionary. His changes will be resisted by the control-freaks in our congress.
I’ve been thinking about this for over 35 years myself, first as an engineer, then as a psychologist/trainer. I do not yet see a solution. Pink thinks the right-brain individuals will eventually rule the world. I think he is himself a right-brain dreamer (as am I).
Warm regards to you,
Jim Lewis, PhD
I believe that VISIONARY RIGHT BRAIN can’t do it. LOGICAL LEFT BRAIn can’t do it. REPUBLICAN’S Can’t do it. DEMOCRATS can’t do it.
As Franklin said, “We must all hang together or most assuredly we will all hang separately,”
Great success only comes from collaboration – from whole brain thinking – from working together for the common good.