The Innovation Boot Camp is loosely organized around Tom Kelley’s book: The Ten Faces of Innovation. Each week we’re going to learn about (and experiment with) one of these faces. Here are some brief descriptions of the ten faces.
The Anthropologist (“see with fresh eyes”)
- Develops a deep understanding of how people interact
- Observes human behaviour and interaction with products, services and spaces
- Watches subjects in their natural environment
The Experimenter (“learn by doing”)
- Learns by trial and error
- Prototypes and tests new ideas
- Takes calculated risks
- Expects to fail often (to succeed sooner)
The Cross-Pollinator (“connect cultures”)
- Explores other industries and cultures
- Translates findings from other environments into the current context
- “Works the metaphor” (every object has the capacity to stand for something else)
- Nurtures curiosity
The Hurdler (“see through constraints”)
- Overcomes obstacles and roadblocks
- Knows organizational processes and hierarchy
- Bends the rules to accomplish tasks
- Seeks forgiveness not permission (thrives on constraints)
The Collaborator (“break down silos”)
- Brings eclectic personalities and diverse individuals together
- Encourages and enables cooperation among the team members
- Helps generate multi-disciplinary solutions
- Thrives in the messy spaces of people working together
The Director (“showcase the team”)
- Gathers talented crew and inspires them to perform
- Harnesses the creativity of others
- Allocates resources, keeps people on tasks, showcases the team
- Draws people out – motivates and encourages
The Experience Architect (“make the ordinary extraordinary”)
- Designs compelling experiences
- Connects with customers and users at a deeper level than mere functionality
- Surprises and delights in unforgettable experiences
The Set Designer (“shape the spaces”)
- Creates a stage on which members can do their best work
- Uses the physical environment as a tool
- Finds hidden performance improvements by reshaping space
- Builds spaces for creative play
The Caregiver (“show more, tell less”)
- Anticipates customer needs
- Demonstrates empathy toward the plight of the customer
- Strives for “intimacy not scale”
- Makes people feel good about themselves (smile!)
The Storyteller (“collect compelling narratives”)
- Builds internal morale through stories
- Creates external awareness through compelling narratives
- Reinforces organizational culture through firsthand accounts
- Uses a variety of tools to communicate
