Evolutionary vs. Revolutionary Innovation

If your innovation improves an existing product 10%, it is evolutionary. Evolutionary innovation arises when we project our R&D goals from the origin of existing products with a focus on near-term improvements.

If your innovation is a 10x improvement, and especially if it creates a new market, it is revolutionary. Revolutionary innovation is much harder to come by for a few reasons.

Revolutionary innovation rarely happens in large organizations where higher level management specifies stiff R&D targets with the goal to generate quick returns. And it rarely happens in risk-averse environments where resentment follows failure.

Revolutionary innovation often requires a generalist mindset to collect and connect the dots. Allow creative and technical people from diverse backgrounds with a broad range of skills to collaborate on playful experiments in antidisciplinary space, and marvel at the magic that unfolds before your eyes.