Tips for Generating Innovations in Electronic Product Development

ign="center">order to stimulate innovation and establish priorities,
Successful organizations, world-wide, realize howoutline actions to build the innovative process in your
important it is to their success to nourish creativity andorganization and start! Re-evaluate your innovation
innovation. Innovation is after all, the vanguard tooutline every year.
increased competitiveness. Yes, competitiveness, thatGet Outside Help if Necessary
all important factor, for companies to be able toThere are plenty of professional groups whose main
weather storms like current economy, globalization asbusiness, like Advantage Electronic Product
well as rapidly evolving and disruptive technologies. MyDevelopment, is the development of new and
years of experience in the development of innovativeinnovative products.
electronic products, innovation challenges haveLook Right Underneath Your Nose
necessitated the gathering and practice of techniquesEvery time a team or company believes that its
from many arenas.device is about as good as possible, someone else
Here are a few ideas that we have developed in mycomes out with a better idea or product. Many
company. I hope you enjoy the following suggestions,overlooked discoveries were right beneath their noses.
and that they help expand and enable innovation inKey discoveries that are frequently overlooked are
your organization, too.not necessarily difficult, so question every assumption
Environment for Innovationand look again with a fresh pair of eyes.
To build an environment good for innovation thereSimplify
must be an organizational climate that encourages,Keep in mind that technological elegance is simplicity,
supports and rewards innovative effort. Executivesnot complexity. Review ideas and innovations
must say and show, through incentives, rewards andspecifically for ways to simplify. Then, consider this
recognition that the organization needs and will listen tosimplification idea throughout the full life cycle of the
the ideas of every one of its people.product, manufacturing, upgrades and so forth.
Add UrgencySet Goals For It
Capturing markets is urgent for companies –People accomplish more when they’re trying
pass it on. Adding a sense of urgency to and makingfor goals which are challenging, (even
innovation a key to the company’s security“impossible”) and clear, than they do
and growth can generate great new ideas.when trying for any other type of goal. Goals drive
Embrace the Obstacles.action directly by affecting what people pay attention
It could mean your ideas aren't yet groundbreakingto, how hard they work, and how long they work at
enough to invigorate the organization, let alone capturesomething. Assigning creativity goals is as effective as
a market if there is nothing in the way of a new idea.other types of goals, such as productivity goals.
Keep pushing; it is frequently a new approach to major“Re Package” Borrowed Ideas
obstacles that ends up resulting in real innovation.The insufferable cocklebur inspired the idea for Velcro
Create Your Own Evaluation Tools.for the space program. Pringles Potato Chips were
Create simple tools such as a list of 10 questions ofconceived after seeing wet leaves, which stack
factors to vet your innovations. Have everyone onecompactly without being damaged
on the team participates. This lets everyone get in onQuestions like these should be part of any innovation
the action and have buy-in while keeping evaluationprocess:
costs down. Chances are you're making the evaluation"Where can I find an idea?"
process too easy if more than 1 or 2 out of 20 ideas"What ideas can I modify to fit my problem?"
make it through the gamut.“How is something similar done in
Find Ways to Nurture Volunteerism.nature”
Many people are willing to give up some of their time"What else is like this?"
for great ideas. Find ways to nurture willingness, it is a"What have others done?"
powerful asset. Sometimes that means givingBrainstorm
volunteers a project they have been interested in, orBrainstorming is considered a group technique, but an
re-delegating tasks in order to free-up their time soindividual can brainstorm alone. A small group, with 10
they can help a project that could use their expertiseor 12 members is recommended. The most effective
and other times it is as simple as giving them kudos inway to brainstorm is to have everyone leave any
the company news letter.though of criticism at the door. Even preposterous
Promote itwithin the organization, keep it out in theideas have later been groomed into fabulous
open instead of a secret project or “skunkinnovations.
works”. Secret projects run counter to theSubstitution
idea that everyone can have great ideas. InnovationIdentify the key characteristics, or attributes, of the
rarely happens behind closed doors.product. Then think up ways to change, or improve
Innovation Pipelineeach of these, (called the “Substitution
Innovation is not magic. Peter Drucker has called itMethod” in design engineering). "Disassemble"
“hard, focused, purposeful work.”a product into its various characteristics for example, it
Make innovation a permanent part of the everydayfunctions, physical characteristics size, shape, color.
process. Build it in to checklists for everyday effortsMake a game out of inventing alterations for each of
and carve out time in strategic planning specifically forthese characteristics and carefully address obstacles.
it. Use tools like an intranet to keep people current onInnovation doesn’t have to be complicated or
what's new and exciting so that they can contributeexpensive. Care needs to be taken to ensure your
too. The company that competes through innovation iscreative strategy evolves in a way that will fit your
one that has made the process of innovation a part oforganization. Then your organization can achieve its
its daily operation.creativity objectives. Developing and improving good
Begin With Self-Appraisalideas can net breakthrough advances and the reward
It’s not enough to wait for others to act;these efforts.
individual initiative is must to initiate the process ofIf you have enjoyed this article, click here for more.
innovation. Gather data on what must be changed in