"Innovation" is popular word in management-speak but IMO it's often overused, abused, or misused: "The IT organization needs to deliver more innovation" or "We need to think innovatively about this challenge." To rather incestuously quote a previous blog, innovation is about so much more than just coming up with creative or wacky ideas:
"… not enough of us stop to realize that innovation isn't just being creative (or *coughs* "thinking outside the box") — I'm sure many businesses have failed despite having more than their fair share of great ideas."
Then there is also the difference between innovation and improvement, most commonly described by the example of Henry Ford introducing the Model T Ford rather than delivering the faster horses he believed his customers would have asked for. I personally find that these definitions help:
- An improvement that only meets the market standard or reacts to innovation that your competitors have already introduced into the market is NOT innovation. It's playing catch-up.
- An improvement that does not significantly differentiate you from your competitors is NOT innovation.
But for the corporate IT organization it's not just the inappropriate use of the word "innovation" — where innovation should be "The act of introducing something new" — there is also another dimension, the need to differentiate between technology and business innovation.
Technology versus business innovation
So introducing new technology or technologies is not necessarily innovation from a business point of view. It was innovation for the creators and sellers of the technology but not necessarily for the customers, unless it delivers new ways of operating that deliver new revenue streams, new business opportunities, or perhaps operational efficiencies. Again, definitions can help understanding:
- Innovation does include improvement—it has to, but improvement is just a small part. Innovation is much more. Innovation is about creating that breakaway differentiation.
- Invention is the formulation of new ideas for products or processes. Innovation is all about the practical application of new inventions into marketable products or services
The second of which really works for me — that innovation is all about doing something tangible and beneficial with new ideas or inventions.
ServiceNow Innovation of the Year 2014
Are you wondering why I'm talking about innovation? Well it's that time of the year again — the ServiceNow Innovation of the Year, with the winner to be selected and announced at Knowledge 14. Last year we had over 45 entries from which five were shown at Knowledge13 before Target were announced as the overall winner.
So get thinking about how you have used the ServiceNow Service Automation Platform and CreateNow Development Suite to deliver custom business apps that make a difference. As I outline above, innovation can be difficult to pin down; but the bottom line for me is whether you made a difference to business operations. You probably have a great story to tell to your peers, and as the winner you will win a year's worth of bragging rights and some form of prize — last year the prize was two free passes to Knowledge14.
So start thinking about your company's ServiceNow-related innovation or innovations and consider submitting to the ServiceNow Innovation of the Year.
For more information please visit ServiceNow Knowledge14 - Innovation
Definition sources: http://www.innovationtools.com/Articles/EnterpriseDetails.asp?a=571 and http://tutor2u.net/business/production/invention-and-innovation.htm
