Return on Ideas is a practical guide to getting more from the resources you put into your innovation process. David Nichols clearly shows why current innovation funnel models stifle rather than encourage new ideas, and offers a new methodology, ‘rocketing’, to tackle the problem. The first book to look in detail at innovation as a business-driving imperative, Return on Ideas provides the tools, techniques and processes to actually upgrade the way you tackle innovation, illustrated with examples from innovative companies such as Yo! Sushi, Apple, Vodafone, Unilever, P&G, Danone, Amex and Ben & Jerry’s – as well as unconventional sources such as theatre and comedy.
Table of Contents:
About the Author xiii
Acknowledgements xv
1. This is getting us nowhere 1
What is the problem? The Funnel 1
2. How to navigate this book 5
Segmenting users 7
PART I: The Case Study 11
3. The Calippo Shots story 13
Headlines 13
The Ice Cream scene 14
Starting with a clear vision 15
Generate lots of high quality ideas 16
Quickly getting down to the best ideas 18
Building the best ideas into winning mixes 19
After launch 20
Key takeouts 20
Handover 21
PART II: The Challenge 23
4. Innovation isn't working 25
Headlines 25
Innovation's the thing 25
Innovation isn't 28
Funnels Don't Work 29
Ten ways funnels stifle innovation 32
A dizzying conclusion 46
Key takeouts 53
Checklist: Is innovation being stifled by your funnel? 53
Handover 54
PART III: The Core Idea 55
5. A new innovation paradigm: The Rocket Motor 57
Headlines 57
Innovation is, in fact, Rocket science 58
Key takeouts 66
Handover 67
6. Rocketing: Destination 69
Headlines 69
Being clear 69
Hamster-wheeling 73
Begin with the end in mind 74
Key takeouts 91
Checklist : Destination 91
Handover 92
7. Rocketing: Combustion 93
Headlines 93
Not enough good ideas 93
7.1 Continuous Insight Fuel 95
From insight to fuel 95
360-degree Insight 96
360-degree Insight Sources 97
7.2 Multiple Ignition In Parallel 110
Igniting the insight fuel 110
Parallel processing 110
Lisa and Mac 114
Practical Ignition Tools 115
7.3 3 Bucket Principle 128
What it is 128
Grave-robbing 131
7.4 Coda: A whole year view of Innovation 134
The 15% rule 134
Your typical year 134
Key takeouts 136
Checklist: Combustion 137
Handover 137
8. Rocketing: Nozzle 139
Headlines 139
From Whittle to 'Wow' 139
Picking winners is a lottery 140
Show business: Theatre Rules 143
Poor external screening 150
Show business: Idea Power 150
Key takeouts 157
Checklist: Nozzle 157
Handover 158
9. Rocketing: Expander 159
Headlines 159
Keeping positive 159
Innovation Antibodies 160
Expand not evaluate 161
Be a builder not a knocker 162
Execution is everything 170
Get real feedback 170
Launch then tweak 176
Key Takeouts 177
Checklist: Combustion 177
Handover 178
PART IV: The Entertainment 179
10. Ten innovations that make it look easy 181
Innovation shortcuts 181
New brands are innovations too 182
The 10 Innovations 183
PART V: The Practicalities 205
11. Doing it faster 207
Headlines 207
It always takes longer than you want it to 208
Case Study: Project Blues for Unilever Foods 209
The Approach 209
Plan in decisions 210
Smaller teams 212
Parallel Ideation 214
Real-time insight 216
Fast agencies 217
Blues: The result 218
Key takeouts 218
Checklist: Doing it faster 218
Handover 219
12. Avoiding the pitfalls 221
Headlines 221
Pitfalls and Pratfalls 222
Nine innovation pitfalls 223
No. 1: Oops, the product is useless 223
No. 2: 'Not invented here' syndrome 226
No. 3: The 'could it be. . . ?' killer 229
No. 4: Over-testing 231
No. 5: Killing by proxy 233
No. 6: The off-guard boss 235
No. 7: 'Yes, but. . .' 237
No. 8: Poor casting 238
No. 9: Giving up 240
Handover 242
Appendix: Rocketing toolkit 243
Index 255
