As extracted from a class taught by Processional Uche…
Innovation has to do with change, finding new methods for doing things.
A little short background story:
We used to make a fire by striking two pieces of stone together. One day, we had Oil and with oil, came trains and ships… Steamliners.
Lamps came and then Electricity, another wonder of the world.
The telephone, the mobile phone, the computer… And everything else. All were born out of Innovation.
Through my journey here on this planet, I’ve been privileged to work in a Technology hub where the buzzword was and is Innovation. Sometimes, Innovation seems to be one very hard thing to do, the process tough and you feel you’d be a genius to come up with that groundbreaking idea or product. Here’s what I’ve found-
The Key to innovation is *keeping an open mind.* Innovation is about disruption, Change and we all know that most times, the systems in place- in the world, in the workplace, inside our heads- seem to be built to resist Innovation and Change.
Here’s one method to stay innovative.
1. List out the factors involved in a process.
2. Divide them into two- convergent and divergent. The convergent factors are those we are used to. The information everyone knows. On the other hand, Divergent information is raw, strange. This is the spice. It could really appear irrelevant.
3. Now, put together the convergent info about the object or project in mind and one little divergent information. Viola!
4. Keep refining them till you get a near-perfect (in your mind) idea.
Here’s a quick example:
Suppose I have a furniture business. I would love to list the convergent and divergent information about my business as follows-
Convergent Info
- I will hire workers
- I will work with wood
- I will make designs myself.
Now, let’s create some divergent information from this-
What if-
- Instead of hiring workers, I have the clients who need the furniture come make it themselves?
- Instead of working with wood, I work with Iron, plastics, aluminum, iron or some other fancy material?
- Instead of making the design myself, I have my customers design what they want and I make it for them?
Now, as simple and a crazy as this sounds, these ‘divergent’ information we just generated are what make some furniture businesses unique. They let customers choose furniture designs they want and then send the customers the materials and a guide to assemble them.
What product or service do you offer? Go through this process. What disruptive idea do you think you could generate for yourself?
Always ask the ‘What If ‘ question.
Here’s a TEDx video on creative thinking I’d love to recommend…
