Fostering innovation is more than a trendy marketing ploy. Innovation is a business strategy that encourages a culture of creativity and insightful problem solving. Meeting real needs with simple and elegant solutions is the essence of innovation. Innovation inspires humans to think differently about ordinary problems. Innovation is a constant, ongoing process that materializes in the form of new products, processes and information.
A handful of successful companies are consistently studied by academics and are highly regarded as innovators. These include Apple, Google, Toyota, GE, Microsoft, and many more [1].
Since innovation is about creative problem solving, it seems to reason that a problem must be detected in order to be solved. Hence, those who are the best at detecting problems and identifying real needs will succeed as innovators and will be rewarded for their efforts.
The proven process for detecting problems and identifying needs is relatively simple and universally applicable. Toyota and the Lean Manufacturing movement refer to the process as scientific problem solving. In the most fundamental terms, scientific problem solving involves the following six steps:
1. Observe, assess and measure the environment or situation
2. Record observations and measurements
3. Analyze data
4. Interpret results
5. Act
6. REPEAT THIS PROCESS!
Companies with the most accurate measurements and insightful interpretations will reap large rewards. Companies that act quickly on the results will reap large rewards. However, the companies that repeatedly combine accurate measurement, insightful interpretations, and timely response will sustain continuous growth. Fostering innovation is an ongoing process that requires dedication, accurate measurement and interpretation, process discipline and responsiveness!
engineeringhelper.com is experienced with measurement and scientific problem solving. engineeringhelper.com can help your company develop and improve in all areas of fostering innovation.
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