1.
Where
innovations
go to die,
and how
to avoid it
@bobbywatson

2.
Hello!
I’m Franco
@bobbywatson

3.
WTH is innovation?
Finding root problems that affect people’s lives, &
Solving these problems, through
The creation of a differentiated product / service / system that
Captures value (commercial and social),
Gives a sustainable competitive advantage
Underpinned by a stable and viable organization

4.
WTH is innovation?
Finding root problems that affect people’s lives, &
Solving these problems, through
The creation of a differentiated product / service / system that
Captures value (commercial and social),
Gives a sustainable competitive advantage
Underpinned by a stable and viable organization

5.
6
Explore
Future
Craft
Details

6.
4 traps to innovation

7.
4 traps to innovation
Accept the
problem space
as given
1
Neglect tech
breakthroughs
2
Design the
product, ignore
the business
3
Innovate in
isolation
4

8.
Trap Tips
Broaden perspective
to re-frame the
problem space
Involve non-customers
Define the role of the product
Accept the
problem space
as given
1

9.
12
Involve non-customers in
your research, to uncover
radically different needs
People who lack skills,
access, money or time to
use current solutions

10.
13

11.
14
Contextual inquiries with people with no
time for traditional courses

12.
15
Create a sense of
competence with
colleagues
Identify topics
to appear
cosmopolitanitan
Feel natural &
mingle with locals
when traveling
Give confidence
to sustain a conversation
in moments when the guard is down

13.
16
Define what is the
functional and emotional
role that a product should
have in the life of a person
Identify situations where
this role would be crucial

14.
17
A language learning
product to help people
nurture human
connections…
…by prioritizing
authenticity and practice
over structure.

15.
Trap
Neglect tech
breakthroughs
2
Tips
Explore the
potential of tech as
part of research
Capture snippets from
the future
Define the narrative arc
Stumble upon the
potentials of tech

16.
21
Stumble upon the
potentials of tech

17.
22
Snippets from
the future

18.
23
Define the
narrative arc
Attract Reveal Make
complicit
Bond Spread

19.
24

20.
24

21.
Trap Tips
Make business
model decisions
tangible and
humanised
Business Model cards
Customer Journeys &
Scenarios
Design the
product, ignore
the business
3

22.
27
Business Model
Canvas

23.
28
Business Model
Innovation -
Pattern cards
Give ideas on
elements of the
business model
Help raise questions
and challenge
assumptions

24.
29
Customer
Journey
Maps +
Business
Model
Wrapper

25.
Trap Tips
Balance autonomy
& continuous
engagement
Open Ideation
OneTeam
Innovate in
isolation
4

26.
32
Open Ideation
Company-wide
Briefs defined from
company MGMT
Follow-up support to
create business case
Place on roadmap
and funding for
validation

27.
33
+

28.
34
OneTeam
Reverse team
augmentation
Co-location
Daily and weekly
critiques over large
presentations
Common voice

29.
35
From Innovation
to Transformation
OneTeam as a
method to create a
cultural
transomrmation
Knowledge transfer -
in practice

30.
36

31.
So…

32.
38
Designers’ role in
innovation initiative is
to help make progress
and reduce risk
at speed

33.
39
For all our successes,
there’s more work ahead
of us

34.
40
Broaden perspective to re-frame
the problem space
Explore the potential of tech as
part of research
Make business model decisions
tangible and humanised
Balance autonomy & continuous
engagement
Accept the problem
space as given
Neglect tech
breakthroughs
Design the product,
ignore the business
Innovate in isolation
Traps Tips

35.
41
Risks trigger our
lizard-brain
We disengage
or attack

36.
42
Innovation
not a spectator sport:
engage, connect and open

37.
43
Happily, here’s a toolkit:
Involve non-customers
Define the role of
the product
Snippets from the future
Define the narrative arc
Business Model cards
Customer Journeys &
Scenarios
Open Ideation
OneTeam

38.
Thanks!
Talk to me for questions
and ideas
@bobbywatson