innovation, learning, and learning spaces eli web seminar october 2008 malcolm brown, dartmouth...
TRANSCRIPT
Innovation, Learning, and Learning Spaces
Innovation, Learning, and Learning Spaces
ELI web seminarOctober 2008
Malcolm Brown, Dartmouth College
1
2
“If I’d have asked my customers what they wanted, they would have told me ‘A faster horse.’ ”
“If I’d have asked my customers what they wanted, they would have told me ‘A faster horse.’ ”
attributed to Henry Fordattributed to Henry Ford
FindingsFindings
• Knowledge is constructed• Expertise / competency =
– factual matrix or manifold– conceptually organized– retrieval and application
5
6
Expertise: range and limitsExpertise: range and limits
where are the knights? where are the rooks?
FindingsFindings
• Knowledge is constructed• Expertise / competency =
– factual matrix or manifold– conceptually organized– retrieval and application
• Student control of learning
7
It feels like innovationIt feels like innovation
• No formula• Adoption to rapidly changing
circumstances• Working with teams• Often handed odds & ends• Funding can be uncertain• New ideas not always received well
20
But is it innovation?But is it innovation?
• What does it “look” like? Feel like?• How does it work?• How can we be better at it?• What are all the moving parts?
21
ImplementationImplementation
27
“The elaboration of idea into function… [is]‘the one that takes up the most time and involves the hardest work.’ ”
Berkun, Myths of Innovation, p. 13
Also…Also…
28
Innovation ≠ SerendipityInnovation ≠ Serendipity
Percy Spencer (1896–1970)Percy Spencer (1896–1970)
Innovation
Innovation
30
EpiphanyEpiphany==≠≠ ++
lots of hard
lots of hard
work, trial and
work, trial and
error, research,
error, research,
etc. etc. etc. etc.
etc. etc. etc. etc.
What influences diffusionWhat influences diffusion
• Relative advantage• Compatibility• Ease of use• Trialability• Observability
33
following Rogers, Diffusion of Innovationsfollowing Rogers, Diffusion of Innovations
Analyzing diffusion’s prospectsAnalyzing diffusion’s prospects
34
relativeadvantagerelativeadvantage
very highvery high
compatibilitycompatibilitysomewhat lowsomewhat low
Example 1Example 1
Analyzing diffusion’s prospectsAnalyzing diffusion’s prospects
35
relativeadvantage
relativeadvantage
modestmodest
ease of useease of use
very lowvery low
Example 2Example 2
Analyzing diffusion’s prospectsAnalyzing diffusion’s prospects
36
compatibilitycompatibility
very highvery highrelativeadvantagerelativeadvantage
very highvery high
ease of useease of use OKOK
Example 3Example 3
Analyzing diffusion’s prospectsAnalyzing diffusion’s prospects
37
relativeadvantagerelativeadvantage
moderate/highmoderate/high
compatibilitycompatibility somewhatlowsomewhatlow
trialabilitytrialability
lowlow
Example 4Example 4
3Understand the challenges of
disruptive innovation
3Understand the challenges of
disruptive innovation
38
ThoughtThought
39
“If, at first, the idea is not absurd, then there is no hope for it.”
Albert Einstein
40
““I can’t waste my time on this stuff.”I can’t waste my time on this stuff.”
Disney exec on Pixar, c. 1987 (NYT review)
41
“…we just cannot divert ourselves from the business at hand.” — GM vice chair
www.wired.com/cars/futuretransport/magazine/16-01/ff_100mpg
Sustaining vs. disruptiveSustaining vs. disruptive
43
Sustaining innovation
Incremental improvement
Established paradigm
Valued by current customers
Predictable
Underperform
New paradigm
“I didn’t ask for this”
Unpredictable
Disruption is hardDisruption is hard
• Limited market capacity for disruption
• Disruptive tech won’t fit• Our orgs our less flexible than we
want to believe• Failure and iterative learning are
keys• Reluctance to invest in disruption
44
following Christensen, Innovator’s Dilemmafollowing Christensen, Innovator’s Dilemma
Managing for disruptionManaging for disruption
• Align disruptive tech with the right customers so there’s tangible demand
• Align to small, independent units for small growth
• Fail early and inexpensively• Search for markets not
technological breakthroughs45
following Christensen, Innovator’s Dilemma, p. 113–114following Christensen, Innovator’s Dilemma, p. 113–114
ThoughtThought
47
“If I have a thousand ideas and only one turns out to be good, I am satisfied.”
Alfred Bernhard Nobel
Learning to seeLearning to see
• Don’t rely on surveys and focus groups
• Focus on what they do not on what they say
• Experts may know too much• Customers may lack the vocabulary
to say what is wrong or missing
52
ConsequencesConsequences
54
many can’t be foreseenmany can’t be foreseen
not all are goodnot all are good
55
The desirable and undesirable consequences of an innovation cannot usually be separated.
The desirable and undesirable consequences of an innovation cannot usually be separated.
Roger’s generalization 11-1, p. 445Roger’s generalization 11-1, p. 445
ExamplesExamples
• Clipper ships• Malaria • The machine-harvested tomato• Laggard’s revenge: 2,4-D weed
spray
56
58
“…your customers may lack the vocabulary or the palate to explain what’s wrong and especially what’s missing.”
Kelley, Art of Innovation, p. 27
59
“We all had cell phones. We just hated them, they were so awful to use. Everybody seemed to hate their phones.”
Steve Jobs on the idea of the iPhone
Team buildingTeam building
• Lone genius most often a myth• Team’s charge and frame• Not about defending status quo• Sense of something is at stake• Flatter the better• Select for ability not seniority• Create energy: fun
61
Team motivationTeam motivation
62
“A specific performance challenge that is clear and compelling to all team members is the greatest motivator.”
“A specific performance challenge that is clear and compelling to all team members is the greatest motivator.”
Wisdom of Teams, p. 269Wisdom of Teams, p. 269
Towards better brainstormingTowards better brainstorming
• Sharpen the focus• Number your ideas• Build and jump• Write it out: “space remembers”• Get physical: draw a diagram,
make a model• Mental yoga & warm-up exercises
64
following Kelley, The Art of Innovationfollowing Kelley, The Art of Innovation
Towards “badder” brainstorming
Towards “badder” brainstorming
• The boss speaks first• Everybody gets a turn• Experts only• Gotta do it off-site• Write everything down• No silly stuff; “we’re
professionals”
65
following Kelley, The Art of Innovationfollowing Kelley, The Art of Innovation
Getting thereGetting there
• More is less• Rigorous limits on user options• One click is better than two• Give users feedback• Don’t trust your interface entirely• Emphasize essentials
68
69
“If I’d have asked my customers what they wanted, they would have told me ‘A faster horse.’ ”
“If I’d have asked my customers what they wanted, they would have told me ‘A faster horse.’ ”
attributed to Henry Fordattributed to Henry Ford