Last week in our How to Be an Innovator series, we talked about how strategic planning can help in the innovation process. This week we’ll go a step further and talk about how to get the information you need to choose the right problems and build a solid plan. Part 25: Get Your Facts Straight When it comes to strategically growing an organization or an idea, many times we feel like we have a good, general idea of where things are out – how productive we are, or how profitable, or how successful. But to develop an effective strategic plan, you …

Last week in our How to Be an Innovator series, we discussed identifying real needs and choosing the right problem/opportunities for your organization. This week we’ll go a step further and delve a little bit into the strategic planning process. Part 24: Prepare to Plan At first glance, the whole idea of strategic planning seems counterintuitive to the creative process. And maybe the actual planning part of it is – or can be. But preparing to plan is like preparing a creative brief. The process gives you the tools you need to create a framework by identifying the problem you …

How to Be an Innovator is an original series by Creative Perch. Last week we talked about the importance of identifying where you are and where you are going by asking the right questions. This week we’ll clarify true needs and show you how to identify real opportunities for innovation in your organization. Part 23: Choose the Right Problem A few weeks ago we talked about how every great innovation starts with identifying a need. I’d like to revisit that for a bit to clarify what exactly a need is and why it is important to choose the right ones to …

How to Be an Innovator is an original series by Creative Perch. In the last post in this series, we looked how reinventing an old medium can fulfill a market niche in a way that wasn’t possible before. This week we’ll look at how sometimes finding the right solutions starts with learning to ask the right questions. Part 22: Ask the Right Questions When an opportunity for innovation and creativity arises, it usually means there is a problem or challenge that must be tackled. At first, the prospect can be a bit daunting, but then as one begins the process …

I’ve been catching up on the TED talks that were posted this month and last, and so far, this one by Golan Levin is my favorite. Levin is both a software engineer and an artist. He combines technology and art in a unique way, hopefully a way we’ll begin to see more of in the future.

How to Be an Innovator is an original series by Creative Perch. For the last few weeks we’ve been addressing various ways of looking at a problem to discover new solutions. We’ve talked about understanding the backstory, looking for loopholes, and looking for repetition. This week we’ll address the kind of tunnel vision that is rooted in fear – either of the unknown or of failure. Part 21: Don’t Be Afraid to Reinvent I’ve have been so pleased to watch Uppercase Magazine develop and grow, gain support, and become a raving success over the last several months. If you’re unfamiliar …

How to Be an Innovator is an original series by Creative Perch. Last week we discussed how trendwatching can reveal new and untapped possibilities. This week we’ll learn how to take a cue when when we receive repetitive answers. Part 20: Look for Repetition I admit it, I’m a researcher. Google is my friend. So is the library. I’m also a do-it-yourselfer. Nine times out of ten, I would rather figure something out and do it myself than ask someone else to do it for me. For example, when it came to building this blog, or creating my own Twitter …

How to Be an Innovator is an original series by Creative Perch. In Week 18 we discussed how uncovering a problem’s back story can help reveal new answers and solutions. This week we’ll tackle how trends can reveal new and untapped possibilities. Part 19: Be a Trendwatcher Over the last few weeks we’ve looked at current or past problems and how they have been approached by ourselves and by others. We’ve looked for loopholes and uncovered the back stories of these problems. This week we’ll go in a different direction – identifying new problems and opportunities. New Problems? There are …

How to Be an Innovator is an original series by Creative Perch. Last week we discovered how asking questions and looking for loopholes can unveil unique opportunities for creative problem-solving and innovation. This week we’ll look at how uncovering a given product, idea, or challenge’s back story can provide clues to the answer. Part 18: Uncover the Back Story If you’re unfamiliar with the term, back story refers to history, or the “story behind the story.” For example, you may meet someone who seems to have achieved overnight success. However, the individual’s back story may be years of of living …

The Tour de France is the highlight of the year for many cyclists and enthusiasts. However, the team behind the event struck gold this year by engaging social media and thereby a wider section of the global community. The New York Daily News reports, “A robot is touring through France painting Twitter messages on the road for competitors and cancer survivors, CNN reports. The Chalkbot paints messages with letters facing the cyclists on their route through France. Chalked messages have been an important part of the Tour for a long time but the Chalkbot helps create a more global fan …