25 years of Innovation- how has it evolved? Has it been successful?

I decided to hold a conversation with Google’s Gemini about how innovation had changed and hopefully progressed since I first became involved 25 years ago, when I lived in Singapore and was heavily involved in my MBA, which had innovation as an elective.

The MBA elective “hooked” me on innovation, and here I am 25 years later, still going on about innovation, championing, cajoling and encouraging innovation to be more central, disciplined and structured.

So I have taken the educational looking back from Gemini lense of perspective and broken this into three parts. I find it interesting and reaffirming. This is the first of these posts looking at the development, thinking and design of innovation from 1999 to today 2024, twenty-five years.

Innovation can be both highly frustrating and rewarding. It is good to gain a real sense of progress in these past 25 years; otherwise, where have I been?

I often feel innovation has not advanced in these past twenty-odd years, but having all the changes nicely summarized here makes me feel there has been a shape and purpose to be so actively involved in the evolution of innovation over these 25 years and been part of that evolution.

Firstly, this post outlines how innovation has evolved since 1999 and does a further recheck for 2019 until today. So, it covers a twenty-five-year period but recognizes that the last five years have seen a very different set of innovation accelerants.

The second post, coming next, focuses on how organizations have become more collaborative, open and agile and deal with ideation and what tools and technologies seem to have emerged as the leading ones.

The third post following, is where I see it heading: into Ecosystems and Platforms to drive innovation performance. I see this collaborative and co-creation of innovation will be in business ecosystem partnerships, and I wanted to “validate” this, with a little bias thrown in!

My question to Gemini was, “Since 1999, what main aspects of innovation in its management, design and thinking?”

So, in 1999, I switched to innovation consulting in Singapore, finding my own way.

Gemini’s reply: “Innovation has undergone significant shifts in its management, design, and thinking since 1999, driven by technological advancements, evolving business landscapes, and a growing emphasis on human-centred approaches. Here’s a breakdown of the key aspects that have shaped innovation in recent decades:

1. Embedding Design Thinking into Innovation Processes:

Design thinking has emerged as a powerful tool for innovation, emphasizing user empathy, rapid prototyping, and iterative refinement. This human-centred approach has revolutionized how organizations approach innovation, moving from top-down, linear processes to collaborative, iterative ones.

2. Embracing Open Innovation:

The traditional model of innovation, relying solely on internal R&D, has given way to open innovation, which actively seeks knowledge and collaboration beyond organizational boundaries. This collaborative approach taps into external expertise, reduces development costs, and accelerates innovation cycles.

3. Harnessing the Power of Data and Analytics:

The rise of big data and analytics has transformed innovation by providing unprecedented insights into customer behaviour, market trends, and competitive landscapes. Data-driven innovation enables organizations to make informed decisions, identify new opportunities, and optimize product development.

4. Accelerating Innovation Speed:

The pace of innovation has accelerated dramatically in recent years, driven by technological advancements and the shortening of product lifecycles. Organizations are embracing agile methodologies and continuous improvement processes to shorten innovation cycles and bring new products and services to market faster.

5. Embracing Human-Centered Innovation:

Traditional innovation often focused on product features and technical specifications, overlooking the human experience. Human-centred innovation emphasizes understanding user needs, emotions, and behaviours to create products and services that are truly valuable and usable.

6. Embracing Failure as a Learning Opportunity:

In the past, mistakes and failures were often seen as setbacks, but a shift is underway towards embracing failure as a learning opportunity. Organizations are fostering a culture of experimentation and learning from failures to drive continuous innovation.

7. Democratizing Innovation:

Innovation is no longer confined to experts or large organizations. The rise of digital tools, online communities, and makerspaces has democratized innovation, enabling individuals and small teams to contribute to groundbreaking ideas.

8. Embracing Collaboration and Ecosystems:

Innovation increasingly occurs within ecosystems of interconnected organizations, including startups, universities, research institutions, and industry partners. These collaborative ecosystems facilitate knowledge sharing, cross-pollination of ideas, and accelerated innovation.

9. Embracing Sustainability as an Innovation Driver:

Environmental and social considerations are now integral to innovation, driving the creation of sustainable products, services, and business models. This shift is not only driven by ethical considerations but also by the recognition that sustainability is a key factor in long-term success.

10. Embracing Ethical Innovation:

As innovation continues to accelerate, there is a growing emphasis on ethical considerations to ensure that new technologies and advancements are used responsibly and for the benefit of society. Organizations are adopting ethical guidelines and frameworks to ensure that their innovation efforts are aligned with societal values.

These innovation shifts have transformed how organizations approach new ideas, products, and services. By embracing design thinking, open innovation, data-driven insights, accelerated innovation cycles, human-centred approaches, and a willingness to learn from failures, organizations can navigate the complex and ever-changing innovation landscape and drive sustainable growth.

My 2nd question to Gemini was, “Since 2019, what main aspects of innovation in its management, design and thinking have changed?

“Innovation has continued to evolve since 1999, driven by technological advancements, shifting business landscapes, and a growing emphasis on human-centred approaches. Here are some of the key aspects that have shaped innovation in recent years:

1. The emergence of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML): AI and ML are playing an increasingly prominent role in innovation processes, from ideation and prototyping to testing and deployment. These technologies are enabling organizations to analyze vast amounts of data, identify patterns and trends, and automate tasks, leading to faster and more efficient innovation cycles.
2. The ubiquity of Digital Technologies: The pervasiveness of digital technologies, including smartphones, cloud computing, and the Internet of Things (IoT), has democratized access to information and tools, enabling individuals and organizations to innovate at unprecedented scales. This has created a more distributed and collaborative innovation ecosystem.
3. Rise of Startups and Venture Capital: Startups have become a driving force for innovation, disrupting traditional industries and introducing groundbreaking products and services. Venture capital has fueled this growth, providing funding and support to innovative startups that may not have access to resources within established organizations.
4. Emphasis on Customer Experience and User-Centric Design: The focus on customer experience has become paramount in innovation, with organizations striving to create products and services that truly resonate with users. User-centred design principles are widely adopted, emphasizing empathy, understanding user needs and behaviours, and iterative testing to refine and improve user experiences.
5. Accelerated Innovation Pace and Continuous Improvement: The pace of innovation continues to accelerate, driven by technological advancements, market dynamics, and the need for organizations to stay ahead of the curve. Agile methodologies and continuous improvement processes are essential for organizations to adapt and innovate quickly in response to changing market conditions and customer demands.
6. Cross-Functional Collaboration and Silo-Busting: Innovation often requires collaboration across different departments and functions within an organization, breaking down silos and fostering a culture of shared learning and knowledge exchange. This collaboration is crucial for bringing together diverse perspectives and expertise to address complex challenges and develop innovative solutions.
7. Embrace of Diversity and Inclusion: A diverse and inclusive innovation team brings a wider range of experiences, perspectives, and ideas, leading to more innovative and creative solutions. Organizations recognise the importance of fostering an inclusive culture that encourages participation from all team members, regardless of background or identity.
8. Focus on Societal Impact and Social Innovation: Innovation is increasingly expected to positively impact society, address social issues and contribute to sustainable development. Social innovation initiatives are gaining traction, addressing challenges such as poverty, education, healthcare, and sustainability, leveraging innovation to create positive change.
9. Responsible Innovation and Ethical Considerations: As innovation continues to impact society, organizations are facing increasing scrutiny regarding the ethical implications of their technologies and practices. Responsible innovation emphasizes ethical considerations throughout the innovation process, from ideation to deployment, to ensure that new technologies are used responsibly and aligned with societal values.
10. Embrace of Data-Driven Decision Making: Data analytics plays a critical role in informing innovation decisions, providing insights into market trends, customer preferences, and competitor activities. Organizations are leveraging data to identify opportunities, refine product development, and optimize their innovation processes.

These trends indicate that innovation is becoming more complex, interconnected, and driven by a diverse range of factors. To thrive in this dynamic landscape, organizations need to embrace a culture of continuous learning, collaboration, and experimentation, while staying mindful of ethical considerations and their broader societal impact.

The next post on the evolution of collaboration might be helpful recognizing the roots of today might be holding us back.

My next post will include the answers from Gemini on the focus shifts on how organizations have become more collaborative, open, and agile, how they deal with ideation, and what tools and technologies seem to have emerged as the leading ones. Perhaps we are still far too internally driven.

Once you have working through the second post on the collaborative evolution you might recognize some of these changes or simply shrug your innovative shoulders and say “this does not really matter where it has come from, I’m up to date and well into the future.” Really?

Then perhaps the third post recognizing the changes we are undertaking for more open, collaborative partnering holds more of the need to think about your future innovation structure and approaches.

A Question for YOU

So does this reflect a fair evolution of innovation over the past 25 years? Does it matter? Perhaps you are still stuck in innovation thinking, which has been established over the past ten to twenty years, and need to take a more radical look at what and how you undertake innovation.

Whatever your thinking, innovation must evolve. Do we make it harder for ourselves or open up to new designs and thinking?