Innovative Thinking Compass

The Innovation ImperativeIn today’s innovation-driven business world, bold,

game-changing ideas are the currency of success. Those companies that continually pursue innovation, thrive and dominate their markets—while those who don’t, slip into irrelevance.

And this “innovation imperative” doesn’t only apply to organizations—it applies to individuals, as well. Every one of us, no matter what industry we work in or what our job function may be, is under continuous pressure to de-liver fresh, innovative solutions to our customers, clients or employers—or risk being left behind.

Unfortunately, many of us only have a vague notion of what it is we’re striving to achieve.

Just what is innovation, anyway?

Innovation can be defined as “the introduction of something new or different that provides greater value or benefit.”

But what do you actually have to do in order to in-novate? Just what is needed in order to deliver “greater value or benefit?”

How the innovative thinking compass works

This innovative thinking tool can help you, your team, or your group explore new ways to increase the value proposition of your products, services, processes, or ideas—new ways to make them better, simpler, faster, cheaper, easier to use, more reliable, more satisfying, more beautifully designed, or even more emotionally en-dearing.

This “value-adding” compass points to a variety of different directions (ways) in which you can drive innova-tion by adding or providing greater value.

To get the most out of this tool, while generating ideas we encourage you to postpone all judgments about what is or is not practical; think as spontaneously as possible; and write down every idea that comes to mind.

We have included instructions for how use the com-pass when generating ideas on your own (see next page), and also instructions for how to lead a team or group idea generation session (page 3).

©2016 SmartStorming LLC. All rights reserved. SmartStorming.com 1

®

Simpler Better

Faster

MoreReliable

More Benefits

More Comfortable

More Features

Better Tasting

BetterDesign

Easier

25 Ways You Can Innovate Any Product, Service, Process, or Idea

1. Focus on the product, service, process, or idea you wish to innovate.

2. Select a direction (an attribute or feature) on the compass.

3. Your challenge is to generate as many new ideas as possible for ways to dramati-cally improve, innovate, or reimagine that specific attribute or feature in regard to the product, service, process, or idea.

4. Set a five-minute time limit for each direction you select. For example, if the direc-tion you have selected is “Simplicity,” ask yourself, “In what ways can this prod-uct, service, or process be dramatically simplified?”

5. Next, select another direction on the compass and repeat the idea-generation process. Again, allow five minutes for conceptualizing ideas.

6. Explore as many different compass directions as possible in the time you’ve al-lotted for this activity.

7. When you have finished exploring directions on the compass, select the best or most promising ideas you’ve generated in each category (compass direction).

Instructions for solo idea generation

2©2016 SmartStorming LLC. All rights reserved. SmartStorming.com

1. Focus on the product, service, process, or idea you wish to innovate.

2. Instruct the team/group to select a direction (an attribute/feature) on the compass.

The goal is to generate as many new ideas as possible for ways to dramati-cally improve, innovate, or reimagine that specific attribute or feature in re-gard to the challenge. (Set a five-minute time limit for each direction selected.) For example, if the direction selected is “Simplicity,” ask, “In what ways can we dramatically simplify some aspect or feature of this product, service, process, or idea?”

3. When the time is up, ask the team/group to quickly note their most promising or interesting ideas with a check mark or asterisk.

4. Next, instruct the team/group to select another direction on the compass and repeat the idea-generation and selection steps. Again, allow five minutes for con-ceptualizing ideas.

5. Have the team/group explore as many different compass directions as possible in the time allotted for the activity.

6. When finished exploring directions, instruct the team/group to review the promis-ing ideas they noted after each round, and select the best ones. Have a volunteer write down those ideas.

Instructions for team or group idea generation

3©2016 SmartStorming LLC. All rights reserved. SmartStorming.com

The People Behind SmartStorming®

Mitchell Rigie and Keith Harmeyer are authors, speakers, consultants, and trainers on the topics of innovative thinking, idea generation and creative problem solving. The SmartStorming Partners have a combined 50+ years of experience working in the fields of advertising and strategic marketing com-munications, persuasive communication, and personal development.

Through their workshops, keynotes, and consulting practice, Mitchell and Keith have shared their insights with an international audience of thousands of corporate professionals from companies like Google, Under Armour, NBCUniversal, Pfizer, Siemens, Diageo, Omnicom Group, WPP, E! Network, Telemundo, Macmillan Publishing, as well as with graduate students at the MIT Sloan School of Management.

To learn more about SmartStorming’s live training programs, eLearning courses, keynote presentations, and consulting services, please contact us at: Partners@SmartStorming.com, or visit us at SmartStorming.com.

The SmartStorming BookSmartStorming: The Game-Changing Process for Generating Bigger,

Better Ideas is one of the most comprehensive how-to manuals and idea generation toolkits ever published on the subject of brainstorming. Readers are introduced to a totally new approach to group ideation. Not just another creative-thinking technique, SmartStorming is a powerful brainstorming system, combining the essential structure, leadership skills, tools, and tech-niques necessary for success.

Plus, it includes a valuable toolkit filled with planners, checklists, “cheat sheets,” and detailed instructions for 20 super-productive, idea-generation techniques, many of which are unavailable anywhere else.

Order your copy today at: SmartStorming.com/book, Amazon.com, or BarnesAndNoble.com.

eLearning Program: SmartStormer Innovative Thinking & Idea Generation

This breakthrough, 5-session, learn-at-your-own-pace online course in-troduces you to an empowering new process for unlocking your innovative thinking skills and strengthening your ability to generate fresh, creative ideas whenever you need them—whether you’re working on your own or in a group.

You will learn a set of proven innovative thinking principles, tools and tech-niques that will provide you with greater confidence, and allow you to gener-ate ideas far more efficiently and effectively than ever before.

To learn more and try a FREE SAMPLE of the course, visit http://bitly.com/smartstormer-ecourse today!

Stay ConnectedJoin our email list (on our website below) to receive advance notices, offers, and discounts on future SmartStorming programs and events, plus a compli-mentary subscription to our newsletter— a $99/year value—free!

Website: SmartStorming.comTwitter: Twitter.com/SmartStormingYouTube: www.youtube.com/user/SmartStormingFacebook: Facebook.com/SmartStormingLinkedIn: Mitchell Rigie, Keith HarmeyerInstagram: Instagram.com/smartstormingEmail: Partners@SmartStorming.com

“Rigie and Harmeyer have created the ultimate idea-creating machine. It’s going to be the textbook for the concept for decades to come.” –Al Ries, bestselling author of Positioning and Marketing Warfare

Mitchell Rigie, Partner Keith Harmeyer, Partner

H H H H H

4