What is innovation? What would I like to learn beyond new technology application and more about gamification while attending Innojam @Sap TechEd Las Vegas 2011?
The Rockefeller foundation quotes the Economist magazine with this definition of innovation:
“New Products, business processes, and organic changes that create wealth or social welfare”. (source Rockefeller Foundation: Advancing Innovation Processes to Solve Social Problems)
Innojam to me has the connotation of business cases, using technology to enhance business processes (and as many of you know, I like my business cases to be "good business cases", profitable and purpose-driven.
Innovation: "A fresh thinking that creates value." (Rockefellar Institute)
Business processes: By nature, these should be repeatable forms of efficiency.
Is there a clash here? Fresh? Repeatable?
Here's a definition that might help. "Innovation: Change that creates a new dimension of performance "(Peter Drucker)
Apparently, a sound business practice would be one where there is balance between performance and innovation. This idea is articulated well by Tom Stevens when he describes the leadership challenge of managing performance, innovation and change.
There will be a number of us reporting from Innojam and capturing attendees impressions, following the dynamics of the groups, summarizing the outcomes.
I won’t hide the fact that I’d really like to see collaboration there that is inclusive and both performance driven as well as innovative.
I’d like to have visible proof points that: participatory collaboration (including a bit of chaos coupled with structured practices) plus very inclusive and diverse collaboration teams, creates superior new products.
I'd like to see some of that in action please.
I’d like to see how the dynamics of “fresh thinking”, married to new and emerging technologies, incorporating diverse team demographics, plays out in the next 30 hours of intense activity with some very smart and professional minds.
There will be a number of us keeping you posted.
