I have been asking Google’s Gemini a series of questions about innovation, how it has evolved in the past twenty-five years, and where it seems to be heading.
This is the third and final part of my questioning on looking towards the future and how innovation will evolve, starting from the original thread of looking over the evolution of innovation in the past twenty-five years, since 1999.
This post is about what has evolved and then what will evolve. There is a very different innovation pathway ahead of us, and then I touch upon a vastly different future at the end of this post.
Innovation will evolve very differently, linked tightly to the organization’s future design, no more cutting it loose, housed separately or outside the core.
Then, my question here is asking Gemini to go deeper into what has changed since 1999, more specifically, looking at the impact of Ecosystems, technology, and platforms.
I have shifted my thinking about innovation to Innovation and Business Ecosystem applications. I wanted to understand how this has evolved.
“Going deeper since 2019, innovation has certainly become more complex, interconnected, and driven by a diverse range of factors. Organizations must embrace a continuous learning, collaboration, and experimentation culture to thrive in this dynamic landscape. Ecosystems, Technology, Platforms, Cross-collaborations- how?”
“Sure, here is a breakdown of how ecosystems, technology, platforms, and cross-collaboration have changed since 2019:
Ecosystems
- From Closed to Open Ecosystems: Historically, innovation ecosystems were often closed, with companies operating within their own silos and collaborating with a limited set of partners. However, there has been a shift towards open ecosystems, where companies collaborate more openly with a wider range of stakeholders, including startups, research institutions, and even competitors. This openness fosters innovation by bringing together diverse perspectives and expertise.
- From Hierarchical to Decentralized Ecosystems: Traditional ecosystems were often hierarchical, with a few dominant players controlling the flow of information and resources. However, there is a trend towards decentralized ecosystems, where power is distributed more evenly among participants. This decentralization creates a more agile and responsive ecosystem that can adapt quickly to changing market conditions.
- From Linear to Interlinked Ecosystems: In the past, innovation ecosystems were often linear, with ideas flowing in a single direction from research to development to commercialization. However, there is a growing trend towards interlinked ecosystems, where ideas flow in multiple directions and cross-pollinate between different industries and disciplines. This interconnectedness accelerates innovation by breaking down traditional boundaries and fostering cross-fertilization of ideas.
Technology
- From Isolated Technologies to Convergent Systems: In the past, different technologies operated in isolation, with little interaction between them. However, there is a trend towards convergent systems, where different technologies are converging to create new and more powerful capabilities. This convergence is driving innovation by enabling the development of more sophisticated and integrated solutions.
- From Programmable Technologies to Data-Driven Technologies: Traditional technologies were often programmable, with limited ability to learn and adapt. However, there is a growing trend towards data-driven technologies, which can continuously learn and improve based on the data they receive. This data-driven approach is driving innovation by enabling the development of more intelligent and personalized solutions.
- From Physical Products to Digital Experiences: Traditional innovation focused on developing physical products, but there is a growing trend towards digital experiences. These experiences are delivered through software, hardware, and data, creating immersive and interactive experiences that are transforming industries such as entertainment, retail, and healthcare.
Platforms
- From Single Platforms to Multi-Platform Ecosystems: Platforms were once standalone entities, but there is a trend towards multi-platform ecosystems. These ecosystems integrate multiple platforms, enabling seamless user experience and cross-platform collaboration. This integration is driving innovation by expanding the reach of platforms and creating new opportunities for collaboration and innovation.
- From Centralized Platforms to Decentralized Platforms: Traditionally, platforms were centralized, with ownership and control concentrated in the hands of a few companies. However, there is a growing trend towards decentralized platforms. These platforms are built on distributed ledger technology, giving users more control over their data and privacy. This decentralization is driving innovation by creating new business models and enabling more secure and transparent transactions.
- From Closed Platforms to Open Platforms: In the past, platforms were often closed, with limited access and proprietary standards. However, there is a trend towards open platforms. These platforms share their data and APIs, enabling developers to create new applications and services. This openness is driving innovation by fostering a community of developers and creating a more vibrant ecosystem of innovation.
Cross-Collaboration
- From Intra-Organizational to Inter-Organizational Collaboration: Traditionally, collaboration was limited within organizations, but there is a growing trend towards inter-organizational collaboration. This collaboration is breaking down silos and fostering innovation by bringing together different perspectives and expertise from across different organizations.
- From Hierarchical Collaboration to Horizontal Collaboration: In the past, collaboration was often hierarchical, with clear lines of authority and decision-making. However, there is a trend towards horizontal collaboration. This collaboration is more egalitarian, with participants working together as equals to solve problems and share knowledge. This egalitarianism is driving innovation by creating a more dynamic and creative environment.
- From Tacit Collaboration to Explicit Collaboration: Historically, collaboration was often tacit, with knowledge and ideas exchanged informally. However, there is a trend towards explicit collaboration. This collaboration is more structured and formalized, with knowledge and ideas shared through documentation, data sharing, and joint projects. This explicitness is driving innovation by making it easier to capture and share knowledge, accelerating the pace of innovation.
I was looking for a validation here and got this summary:
“These changes in ecosystems, technology, platforms, and cross-collaboration are shaping the future of innovation. Organizations that can adapt to these changes and embrace these new approaches will be well-positioned to succeed in an increasingly complex and interconnected world”
Of course AI, immersive technology, the Metaverse are huge in their impact
Perhaps I have guided the answer to the question I asked, but it was asking more about the changes that we are grappling with so as to thrive in innovation in the future and whether it “confirms” my focus shift in the last few years.
As we look towards the future, we need a different perspective
Much of innovation will lie in our effective use of all that technology can provide and how we deal with it in the future. AI is the elephant in the innovator’s room, and we are currently figuring out how to harness it or let it loose. Is this going to be artificial intelligence or augmented intelligence?
Gemini touched on the shifts in human and data that will potentially combine to give us a different ability to visualize, experience, connect and explore a vastly different world of immersive and interactive exploration and experiments. Will ecosystems, platforms and collaborations just fade away in the background, just accepted as what is needed and expected?
I think we are badly positioned today to open up and collaborate in sharing environments and going through the orientation and differences is essential. Open innovation, championed by Henry Chesbrough, took years to establish.
We need to leverage the Open Ecosystem Innovation establishment, more interconnected and aligned to collaborative partners all working towards a common aim or solution, using technology and combining resources but this needs more integration with all parts of the business. Innovation is an Innovation Ecosystem play for future prosperity.
We have learnt that innovation cannot stay as the island of internal experts and highly skilled people are not able to deliver the “connected” needs of customers as the solutions are often complex and require multiple players contributing to the solutions needed. It needs to be thrown open” to the diversity of opinions and knowledge and connect to many dynamic strategic and operational interactions through interactions between organizations and individuals.
We can achieve this by enabling technology and platforms to be more central to the collaborating and partnering environment. Yet, the management methods and practices will need this network-type thinking, where value co-creation fosters sustaining growth. Interactions and concurrent collaborations require a different management comprehension.
There is a very different innovation pathway ahead of us
The network effect, collaborating spaces, and how we delineate innovation are all “up for grabs” as we figure out how to solve problems, more complex and challenging ones, that will find technology managing human interactions increasingly.
I need to look forward from today, 2024, and that needs a very different thinking and recognition of the many changes that have occurred but also in earlier stages of understanding their value ( example AI). What you do recognize that we are on a journey to a radically different pathway towards innovation. Still, looking to the past to see future patterns is always good.
One big difference “What gets old is certainly pretty quickly“, and that is why we all need to be interconnected to learn, adapt and respond in a rapidly challenging and complex world to find what is valued and needed. Scale, scope and speed will dominate and we need to master these.
