10 TECHNIQUES FROM TOM KELLY'S BOOK: THE ART OF INNOVATION
1. Learn to Find Rule Breakers
Kelley states that observing the right people can prove to be beneficial. He explains that the right people are not those who follow the directions but are instead the rule breakers. The rule breakers are the ones who use a product in an unintended way, which ultimately may fuel ideas for innovation and future products.
2. Brainstorm
Kelley seems to be very passionate about brainstorming and says that brainstorming can be a skill that one is always learning and can continuously improve through practice. He explains seven secrets for better brainstorming and advises the optimal amount of time spent brainstorming is sixty minutes. The seven secrets for better brainstorming are sharpen the focus, playful rules, number your ideas, build and jump, the space remembers, stretch your mental muscles, and get physical.
3. Observation Exercises
Kelley encourages the reader to observe an environment such as at a company or even an airport as an exercise. He poses many thoughtful questions but the point of the exercise is to observe any flaws of the environment and ask yourself and answer the overall question of ‘How would I do things differently if I were running the show?” By practicing this exercise we may turn minor flaws of our organization into improvements.
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PHOTO: TOM KELLY
to observe an environment such as at a company or even an airport as an exercise. He poses many thoughtful questions but the point of the exercise is to observe any flaws of the environment and ask yourself and answer the overall question of ‘How would I do things differently if I were running the show?” By practicing this exercise we may turn minor flaws of our organization into improvements.
4. Cross-Pollinate
Kelley refers the term Cross-Pollination as the process of observing people encountering a problem in action. He describes the Cross-Pollination approach as “a kind of alchemy of innovation” because only by observing the problem in action are we able to fully understand it so that we may discover an innovative solution to the problem.
5. Learn To Get Physical
The seventh secret for better brainstorming is get physical. Kelley informs readers that visuals such as sketching, mind mapping, diagrams, and stick figures are used for good brainstorming but the best brainstormers get physical in three ways: by bringing in supplies, building a rudimentary model out of foam, tubing, or tape, and “bodystorming” in which the brainstormers act out the usage of the product to detect useful improvements.