Employees face dilemmas everyday: Should I find out where the biggest innovation opportunities are, or should I just build a solution we think customers would like? Should I explore many ideas for this customer problem or should I just run with the idea that first came to mind? Should I first test some of myRead more
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What makes a great innovation? Is it a shiny new product? An improved method of service delivery? An updated business model which sends your profit margins through the roof? The fact is, a great innovation is something new or different, that adds value to your customers. Far too often, I see organisations devote their resources (namelyRead more
In 1997 a lone bottlenose dolphin was observed generating bubbles to drive fish to the surface so it could more easily catch them. Prior to this there were only three sea mammal species that were known to use this hunting technique. Dolphins are well known for their playful nature and a common form of playRead more
Is your idea being rejected? You might be on to something… In 1975, two years after graduating from the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Steven J. Sasson invented the world’s first digital camera. It was 3.4 kg and images took 23 seconds to be captured in black and white on a cassette. When he presented his ideaRead more
There are many creativity tools that we research at Inventium that, although sound great on the surface, actually have inconsistent scientific evidence behind them. One such tool, which involves showing people surprising images such as: an Eskimo on a beach, or a hipster on the moon, or a footballer on an ice-hockey rink, has beenRead more
In his first year of University Steve Jobs dropped out. Instead he decided to just ‘drop-in’ to calligraphy classes. Jobs learnt all about typefaces and beautiful lettering despite the fact he had no application for it. Several years later, Jobs was toiling away trying to come up with the next big thing in computers. AfterRead more
When you google ‘How to act like a tortured artist’ Wikihow gives you seven easy steps towards reaching your goal. You start with working on your look; the sloppy “I-Just-Rolled-Outta-Bed” look, the “Romantic” or “Could Be Sane but Not-All-There” look and after that you mainly focus on being misunderstood and acting gloomily. Under no circumstanceRead more
A common concern that gets raised when I help clients during experimentation and prototyping in the field is, “but what if our competitors find out about what we are doing and STEAL our idea?!”. I’m always worried when I hear this type of thinking because it activates a prevention focus and a motivation to avoidRead more
Have you ever found yourself in a meeting with some ‘bad moods’ in the room? Or perhaps you have been that person who has felt a bit flat? In a recent ideation workshop I noticed one person who appeared a little down and withdrawn. They struggled to contribute ideas and also impacted the group dynamic.Read more
At Inventium, we frequently boast about that fact that last year, Inventium was awarded the BRW Client Choice Award for “Best Management Consultancy”. We were up against the “big guys” such as PWC and Ernst & Young, so we were pretty stoked at this win. And the win was pretty exciting for us because oneRead more