Jeffrey Phillips

FEBRUARY 2, 2024

As the concept of digital transformation takes root, you may frequently hear comparisons between data and oil. After all, both are abundant commodities that can create value. This comparison was strong enough to lead Wired magazine to define data as the new oil in a magazine article some years ago. On the surface, this comparison seems to make some sense.

Data 157

Data Comparison Artificial Inteligence Company 157

Jeffrey Phillips

MAY 23, 2023

I am going to go out on a limb. Not a big limb, but any time you make a written prediction that people can come back and check, you put yourself at risk. My prediction has to do with innovation. Predicting innovation will seem unusual and risky for many people, because innovation seems so random and difficult to anticipate, like a lightning strike. But if you understand the conditions that make a lightning strike possible, suddenly the strikes don't seem so surprising.

Artificial Inteligence 157

Artificial Inteligence Technical Review ChatGPT Technology 157

Jeffrey Phillips

MAY 22, 2023

I think a re-introduction is in order. I've been leading innovation work for close to 20 years, writing about it on this blog and in my book (Relentless Innovation). I've made some great friends along the way and been influenced by a range of great innovation thought leaders. Over the last year, I needed to take a step back, to focus on some other things, and to get a new perspective.

Artificial Inteligence 157

Artificial Inteligence ChatGPT Innovation Generative AI 157

Jeffrey Phillips

MAY 15, 2023

In uncertain times, where do you turn for insight and answers? Most often, it seems, we turn to what we know and trust. Older tools and models that have proven themselves over time. In the uncertainty we face today (this post was written in May 2023), many business leaders are facing uncertainty about what strategies to implement, what plans to make.

Tools 144

Tools Technical Review Analysis Learning 144

Jeffrey Phillips

JANUARY 24, 2023

There are a lot of folks thinking about the implications of ChatGPT, the new AI that has many writers worried about losing their jobs. I've seen posts online where people provided prompts to ChatGPT and found the resulting document to be comparable to a well-written, college level paper. Which has led, inevitably, to the claim that AI will replace humans and take their jobs.

ChatGPT 215

ChatGPT Training Creativity Technology 215

Jeffrey Phillips

JANUARY 16, 2023

I grew up in Scouting and really enjoyed my time as a scout. What I think most of us enjoyed the most were the weekend campouts, where we could sleep in tents, roam in the local forest and, best of all, build fires. I've never fully understood why boys are so attracted to fire. Perhaps it is fire's potential destructive nature. Perhaps it's the concept of controlling such an awesome power.

Idea Generation 167

Idea Generation Innovation Culture Competition 167

Jeffrey Phillips

DECEMBER 21, 2022

There's a famous quote about tools we use, which says that we first shape our tools, and then they shape us. Meaning, I think, that we are natural creators, meant to solve problems, to create new things. When we create new things, they become valuable and in demand, and to a great extent, at least initially, unattainable until produced in mass quantities.

Underperforming Technical Team 273

Underperforming Technical Team Artificial Inteligence Innovation Tools 273

Jeffrey Phillips

DECEMBER 5, 2022

There's been a significant number of posts on LinkedIn and other social media about innovation lately, especially focused on the type of innovation that companies perform. The traditional way of thinking about this, which is really just a loose rule of thumb, is to suggest that companies SHOULD plan for 70% of their innovation efforts (and hopefully, results) to be focused on incremental innovation, and 20% on transformative innovation and 10% on disruptive innovation.

Disruption 144

Disruption Innovation Industry Marketing 144

Jeffrey Phillips

NOVEMBER 8, 2022

I'm diverging a bit from my normal focus on innovation and strategy to write a brief piece on planning. You see, planning is vital for strategy and for innovation, and is so ubiquitous that no one in corporate America believes that they lack for planning. Planning is vital for innovation because planning is the concept of thinking ahead - getting ahead of the market, of competition, of customers.

Agile 265

Agile Competition Strategy Strategy 265

Jeffrey Phillips

SEPTEMBER 20, 2022

I've been a consultant most of my working life, doing all kinds of consulting - starting out in software development, moving on to process improvement, data analytics, new product development and strategy. To paraphrase an old saying, all consulting is good, and some of it is useful. I want to talk today about a point I keep seeing get repeated in many of my strategy and innovation customers, a problem that should be easy to solve but it isn't.

Engagement 144

Engagement Artificial Inteligence Software Review Software Developers 144

Jeffrey Phillips

SEPTEMBER 9, 2022

I don't know why, but I am a huge fan of Monty Python. Perhaps my favorite film of theirs is the Search for the Holy Grail. If you've never seen it, take a few minutes to watch it now. I'll wait. Some of my favorite parts are the over-the-top instances in the film where, for instance, the Black Knight has his arm cut off but insists on fighting. He claims "it's only a flesh wound".

Innovation 236

Innovation Company Competition Learning 236

Jeffrey Phillips

AUGUST 16, 2022

In a previous blog post, I wrote about the differences between working "in" the business for strategy and innovation versus working "on" the business for strategy and innovation. This dichotomy is a somewhat classic way of thinking about how people spend their time - either "in" the business doing the day to day work that propels the company forward, or time spent "on" the business, thinking about how the business is positioned, its strategy, how it operates.

Data 157

Data Strategy Strategy Roadmap 157

Jeffrey Phillips

AUGUST 12, 2022

In what is probably one of the most revered books among innovators, Edward De Bono wrote about six "thinking" hats. The point of his book is to recognize and acknowledge that many people, either intentionally or often unintentionally, play roles or "wear hats" that represent a specific point of view. De Bono identified six perspectives or "hats" that people wear.

Disruption 259

Disruption Innovation Idea Generation Meeting 259

Jeffrey Phillips

AUGUST 2, 2022

I've been thinking for years that we have innovation all wrong. We treat innovation as it if requires years of experience, deep knowledge of an industry or a technology, or mastery of a specific subject. I think far too often we fall into the fallacy of expertise, and look for great ideas from people who are deeply experienced in one technology or field.

Innovation 258

Innovation Technology Marketing Industry 258

Jeffrey Phillips

JUNE 27, 2022

After years, no decades, of working in and on the margins of innovation, I think I had an epiphany recently. It's interesting to know that the more you work in a field, you become more aware of the things that you don't know, rather than confident in the things that you do know. For me, one epiphany that happened this week was when I was thinking about how valuable truly disruptive innovation is, and why it is done so rarely.

Disruption 228

Disruption Innovation Industry Training 228

Jeffrey Phillips

MAY 31, 2022

One of my favorite questions when I work with software teams is this: given a choice, would you rather work on existing systems in a support and maintenance role, or would you rather work on developing or implementing new systems with new technology? The answers are always the same. About 30% of the group I'll survey is comfortable with the existing systems and code and is happy extending it and maintaining it.

Survey 130

Survey System Technology Software Developers 130

Jeffrey Phillips

MAY 24, 2022

In the Matrix, Morpheus offers Neo the choice of a blue pill or a red pill. Take one, and you remain as you are. Take the other, and the scales fall from your eyes. Those of us who watched the movie or have seen it on ubiquitous reruns, know what happens next. As an innovator, it would be awesome to pop into a completely different meta-world to understand the hidden workings of the metaverse I just left.

Underperforming Technical Team 282

Underperforming Technical Team Disruption Data Idea Generation 282

Jeffrey Phillips

MAY 12, 2022

I'm lucky to have the opportunity to read and review a number of books in the innovation and strategy space, and I find many of the books have interesting insights or promote new ideas but often aren't overly actionable. However, I've always found the insights of Roger Martin useful. His book - Opposable Mind - is a great book about capturing and merging two disparate ideas or opinions to form new viewpoints, products or services.

Strategy 111

Strategy Strategy Competition Project 111

Jeffrey Phillips

FEBRUARY 23, 2022

I've been thinking a lot about innovation and it's "place" in a corporate structure. Innovation is often so different, so unique and so unfamiliar that many companies aren't quite sure where to place it. Does it belong with product teams, since some innovation is logically focused on new products? Does it belong in a strategy organization, since innovation is often focused on growth?

Innovation 167

Innovation Agile Culture Tools 167

Jeffrey Phillips

FEBRUARY 1, 2022

Time was, a few hundred years ago, that a pioneer was a person who left the civilized areas and moved to new lands in search of a better opportunity or a new way of life. When we in the States think of pioneers, we think of people like Daniel Boone, who led people into Western Virginia and then on into Kentucky to find new opportunities and new lands further west.

Design 157

Design Resources Engagement Change 157

Jeffrey Phillips

JANUARY 19, 2022

One of the big challenges to innovation is that many people think of it as a big program, like implementing the quality programs of the 1980s, or rethinking everything, like the re-engineering programs and right sizing programs of a more recent vintage. Thus, innovation is often "too big" and too disruptive, because it is seen as a platform change, or is defined too narrowly to create real results.

Design Thinking 251

Design Thinking Innovation Tools Creative Thinking 251

Jeffrey Phillips

DECEMBER 28, 2021

Over the last few weeks, Paul Hobcraft and I have developed a series of short videos. The purpose of these videos is to explore a tool that Paul and I created, which we call the Executive Innovation Workmat. The Workmat is meant to help executives understand their role in innovation activities, and to identify the key attributes of a business that must be aligned and in synch for innovation to flourish.

Video 130

Video Innovation Project Design 130

Jeffrey Phillips

NOVEMBER 11, 2021

I've been asked a number of times, by companies large and small, how to create an innovation capacity that lasts. This is a really interesting and important question, with a distinction. Note that what my clients are asking for is to create an innovation capacity that outlasts a product need, or market gap, or executive team member. After all, most (probably 90%) of all innovation projects undertaken in large corporations are reactive projects trying to respond to a market threat or competitive

Innovation 157

Innovation Culture Training Project 157

Jeffrey Phillips

NOVEMBER 10, 2021

GE, once a large conglomerate, has announced that it will divide itself into three companies , a healthcare company, an energy company and an aviation company. There are a few things I'd like to comment on about this announcement, but what is really interesting (at least from an innovator's point of view) is that we get to have a live experiment about the innovation capabilities and capacities of three sister businesses, all entering the market at the same time.

Agile 144

Agile Innovation Culture Leadership 144

Jeffrey Phillips

NOVEMBER 1, 2021

I found an article today on the web that was published by the Wall Street Journal in September 2021 , that claims to explode the myths about innovation. I was excited to read it, because 1) I like things that explode 2) I like myth-busting and 3) I am always curious to see what people who aren't in the actual corporate innovation space believe about innovation.

Technical Review 144

Technical Review Innovation Technology Trends 144

Jeffrey Phillips

OCTOBER 12, 2021

Since innovation is a difficult and often misunderstood word, or perhaps just because it is used to mean different things in different contexts, it can be difficult to understand why innovation at an entrepreneurial company or a startup is different from innovation in a corporation. I think the matter is obvious, but I wanted to explore the challenges and issues of innovating as an entrepreneur and contrast them with the challenges and opportunities of innovating in a larger corporation.

Innovation 271

Innovation Project Tips Marketing 271

Jeffrey Phillips

OCTOBER 6, 2021

For many years, in writing this blog, and in leading innovation projects for my clients, I tried to advocate for the benefits of innovation. After all, as the saying goes, sell the sizzle, not the steak. Benefits that could be achieved from innovation seemed the right way to convince business executives and government officials that they should commit to innovation projects, and eventually to innovation capacity.

Innovation 167

Innovation Project Culture Disruption 167

Jeffrey Phillips

SEPTEMBER 27, 2021

For years, actually almost two decades now, I've been working with corporations, government agencies and non-profits to help them generate new ideas and create new products and services. From new medical devices to new banking products, to new consumer appliances and more, I've worked on a number of innovation projects in a wide range of industries.

Agile 261

Agile Innovation Course Data 261

Jeffrey Phillips

SEPTEMBER 17, 2021

Lately, when I talk to people in large organizations, universities and corporations, I feel like I'm in the middle of a country western song, or a Dickens novel. People and leaders tell me they are distracted, dismayed, disappointed, exhausted, and wondering what the future will hold. It seems difficult to make decisions in the era of COVID, where every peak we reach seems to be a false peak.

Technical Review 167

Technical Review Software Review Innovation Marketing 167

Jeffrey Phillips

SEPTEMBER 14, 2021

I've been thinking a lot lately about innovation in corporations, first, because that's what I've been doing for close to twenty years, and second, because I kept wondering when the switch would flip and we'd see more consistent innovation from large corporations on a continuing basis. After all, innovation isn't really all that hard - good ideas will pop up all the time.

Agile 157

Agile Innovation Marketing Culture 157

Jeffrey Phillips

AUGUST 26, 2021

I've been writing, speaking and consulting about innovation for over 15 years, and I'm constantly amazed by the different perspectives and definitions about innovation. What can be a real positive force in an organization often turns into a neutral or even negative, because it is over-hyped, or does not deliver on unrealistic expectations, or is considered a one hit wonder.

Project 209

Project Underperforming Technical Team Innovation Training 209

Jeffrey Phillips

AUGUST 20, 2021

I have friends who work for IBM and other large corporations in the Research Triangle Park, some of whom are experiencing whiplash. After all, they've been sent to work from home, returned to the office and then sent back to work from home several times. All before Covid struck. Covid has only caused the process to repeat. When they were sent home, the argument was that it did not matter where people worked and the company could save money by downsizing buildings.

Collaboration 130

Collaboration Innovation Industry Technology 130

Jeffrey Phillips

AUGUST 17, 2021

I'm a fan of military history, and it is always striking to me to see how much new product development and innovation can learn from the military and vice versa. When we look at the military, we often don't think of innovation, or perhaps we think of the wrong kinds of innovation, like super expensive hammers or weapons systems that sound great but don't work.

Underperforming Technical Team 144

Underperforming Technical Team Innovation Training Disruption 144

Jeffrey Phillips

AUGUST 13, 2021

As a writer, you are at risk of "jumping the shark" when you start quoting your own material. However, I could not help going back into my archives to dredge up a post I wrote almost ten years ago, which was entitled Innovation Fast and Slow. At the time I was writing this post, I was concerned that too many companies were under too much pressure to speed up their innovation activities and generate some interesting new ideas.

Underperforming Technical Team 167

Underperforming Technical Team Innovation Tools Training 167

Jeffrey Phillips

AUGUST 11, 2021

I've been thinking a lot about how innovation, both how it is done, and who does it, has changed. Going back into history, innovators were the rare people (Newton as an example) who had time and talent to innovate. The vast majority of the population were so occupied with simply living, or so uneducated, that they did not have time to imagine a new way of working.

Underperforming Technical Team 144

Underperforming Technical Team Innovation Tools Creativity 144

Jeffrey Phillips

AUGUST 3, 2021

I grew up on a farm, so to some extent it's no surprise that I have always been fascinated by plants. When I hike in the woods, or work in my garden, I can see how the trees, flowers and other plants position themselves for the sun. Even in the densest forest, where you would think the undergrowth has no chance of direct sunlight, you will find plants that find small patches of sunlight.

Company 130

Company Underperforming Technical Team Culture Strategy 130

Jeffrey Phillips

JULY 21, 2021

Right now, as we (hopefully) emerge from the COVID pandemic in late summer 2021, there is a real debate underway in a lot of corporations. The debate is about whether or not to fund innovation work, and if the decision is positive, how much to spend or invest in innovation. The debate is fueled by the fact that during COVID few really new or interesting products were created, and by the sense that customers are beginning to demand something new and different from the same old products and servic

Underperforming Technical Team 176

Underperforming Technical Team Innovation Product Development Marketing 176