Prototyping

One of the most significant challenges faced by businessmen and entrepreneurs is to decipher which innovation or business ideas are worth developing and which ones they must discard. As it is generally recognized, the problem is not to have new ideas but to discover in which it is worth investing time and money. The recommended mechanism is to test the relevance and value of the concept with the user through a series of progressive, simple, fast, and cheap experiments. The instrument of experimentation par excellence is the prototype in its different manifestations, which allow discovering the relevant design for the market. This chapter explores prototyping.

Innovation Initiatives

Innovation is associated with inspiration and creativity. While this affirmation is true, it is incomplete because innovation is a process that can be planned and systematically programmed and reproduced with specific methodologies, not just for the “chosen one.” But we have a problem. There are dozens of innovation methodologies, all of them theoretically presume to have the “key” for innovation. Many of these methodologies give very interesting information with similar approaches, but some other propose contradictory paths. For an executive, it is simple: too much information to decide which approach would be more appropriate or where to start can be a problem, so a common behavior is to try to use the business fashion almost by faith. However, among all these amorphous and even contradictory information, if we combine three basic methodologies: design thinking (DT), quality function deployment (QFD), and inventive problem-solution theory (TRIZ: Russian acronym for Теория Решения Изобретательских Задачque), we have a powerful proven process for a successful innovation, increasing the innovation rate of success for any company. This is explored in this chapter.

Lean Operation

When introduced a new solution, be it a product, a process, or a business model, the problem for the startup is the absence of a business foundation while for the established company it is precisely its existence. As discussed, market competition occurs at the level of the business formula, while company's value capture occurs through the unique arrangement of operational capabilities, strategic resources, and established relationships with key partners of the value chain; that's what we call business foundation. If the value created by the company must be captured and multiplied, it will be necessary to design a repeatable, scalable, and automatable system based on the adjustment of the business formula with the business foundation. This chapter explores lean operation.

Validation

Stragile, like customer development and the methods derived from it, adheres to the principles of the scientific method. When it is said that an idea has been validated, it means that the results are empirical, measurable, repeatable, and falsifiable. Moving from an idea to reality requires moving from concepts to data, from speculation to facts, through observation and experimentation of any innovation proposal or initiative. Organizations and entrepreneurs must have a systematic method to experience new products and concepts on a routine, formal, and disciplined basis. In this chapter, the authors propose that failure in the results of the experimentation is good when it happens quickly and at low cost.

Integrating Human Talent

This chapter deals with the integration of high-performance work teams aligned to the structure defined by the leading team based on the inclusion of the staff. For this it is necessary to consider and implement concepts of leadership, collaborative work, and corporate decision-making processes, selection, and evaluation of personnel; but, above all, it is necessary to develop and implement appropriately concepts such as coaching and empowerment. The key to the success of the agile corporate innovation strategy lies precisely in this pillar, the empowerment of human talent. The literature regarding the topics of leadership, coaching, mindfulness, and empowerment is coarse and powerful; these are the central themes to support the launch of agile corporate innovation initiatives. This chapter explores the integration of human talent.

Evolution

Once the DNA of the organization has been defined, once the culture and organizational structures required for conscious corporate innovation have been defined, once these are aligned these with the appropriate human talent, and once the processes of evaluation, control, and continuous improvement of the innovation initiatives proposed in the company have been underway, the next step is the construction of the company's evolution strategy (in some cases it can be identified as escalation, depending on the type of company or the stage of the life cycle in which it is found). This chapter focuses on proposals for a strategic approach to marketing, given that we assume that it is necessary to sell appropriately (internally and externally) the products that are worthwhile. As an important element of evolution, it is also suggested to consider issues related to revolution 4.0, specifically those related to artificial intelligence and innovation ecosystems.

The Definition of DNA

The importance of defining a central purpose (or DNA as we call it in this book) is to have an idea, as clear as possible, of what motivates us in life (personal and corporate). Knowing who we are and where we want to go is the first step, as we saw in the previous chapter. However, when we talk about agile corporate innovation, the first step is to define a guiding team: a small group of 4-5 people who start with the work of strategic focus for the company, in whose number lies precisely the strength of the agile approach. This group of leaders needs to build a vision that later leads to the generation of an organizational structure that allows achieving the mega goals and objectives set for each proposed innovation initiative. The selection of the appropriate human talent and the execution and correct measurement of the proposed actions are the third and fourth steps. This chapter explores the authors' definition of DNA.

Ignition

Every process of transformation—human, institutional, or community—begins with the stage of consciousness. Can we evolve without being fully aware of what we want to achieve? Of course! However, this implies going as a wind vane, waiting for the wind to indicate the direction to follow, with the respective risks and consequences of lack of control or defocusing. A second step involves making decisions, which implies risk, which generates fear, which ultimately paralyzes the decision-making processes; preparing ourselves consciously for this stage is highly relevant. The third stage, action, involves a lot of discipline; the problem with this is that comfort also paralyzes us as human beings. This is perhaps the biggest challenge to overcome. Transited the previous three, evolution involves two different types of challenges: 1) how to continue adding value to what we have achieved and 2) how to restart the cycle reinventing us again and again. This chapter explores these beginning steps.