Not long ago a new client asked our team to lead an innovation project to create a product. As always with a new client, we did a quick survey. It’s important to understand what the client knows and has attempted in the name of innovation.

In this case the client had adopted another consulting firm’s innovation methodology. In fact, the client brought out a binder full of information for a step-by-step innovation process. From the look of things, it was relatively straightforward and complete.

Every consulting firm has its own ways of doing things, but at the heart of the matter, innovation is always about:
• Defining challenges
• Understanding future market needs and conditions
• Gathering customer insight on unmet needs or jobs to be done
• Generating solutions

That’s the basic front end. No matter how you spin it or package it, all innovation programs have some elements of these steps.

Anyway, back to the client. They presented sample deliverables and a sample work plan. I began to wonder: What do they need us for? All the step-by-step instructions, all the information necessary to innovate, was there.

“Have you adopted this methodology?” I asked.

 …