Smooch

From Innovationclass

(Difference between revisions)
Line 60: Line 60:
much so that we hope to create a lifelong bond with each and every one
much so that we hope to create a lifelong bond with each and every one
of them. We want our employees to see "us" in their future.
of them. We want our employees to see "us" in their future.
 +
 +
=Innovative Company- Pixar/Blogs=
 +
 +
I chose to look at Pixar and their attitudes towards innovation as a
 +
company. Pixar, cofounded by Apple Computer's Steve Jobs, is an
 +
American computer animation studio that was recently (2006) purchased
 +
by Disney. The company caught my attention because of my interest in
 +
innovative environments. Everything, including the company's work
 +
environment, is carefully designed to encourage creativity and
 +
innovation in every one of their employees. I like their approach to
 +
encouraging employees to interact with their environment instead of
 +
merely existing in it. I also really like the idea of "Pixar
 +
University" in which a variety of classes, from Pilates and tai chi to
 +
sculpture and improvisation, are offered to foster creativity. I'm
 +
really excited to delve deeper into this extremely innovative and
 +
creative company.
 +
 +
Sadagopan's Weblog Fostering Creativity and Innovation @ Pixar:
 +
http://123suds.blogspot.com/2005/01/fostering-creativity-innovation-pixar.html
 +
 +
http://www.pixar.com/index.html
 +
 +
Article from CNN - Incredible: The Man Who Built Pixar's Innovation
 +
Machine:
 +
http://money.cnn.com/magazines/fortune/fortune_archive/2004/11/15/8191082/index.\\
 +
htm
 +
 +
 +
1. http://blog.futurelab.net/2008/02/comfort_shopping_sad_customers.html
 +
I found this blog about how your mood affects how much you spend when
 +
shopping particularly interesting. A recent study showed that "sad"
 +
customers are likely to spend more, suggesting that it is vital for
 +
innovative marketing strategies to take into account situational
 +
aspects such as mood.
 +
 +
2. http://blog.futurelab.net/2008/02/nielsen_buys_into_neuromarketi.html
 +
This blog was about the rise of neuromarketing as a way of pleasing
 +
the consumer. One company, NeuroFocus, uses brainwave eye-tracking
 +
and skin conductance measurements to measure consumer reactions to ads
 +
and products. This is relevant in better understanding the elements
 +
of successful consumer engagement through the innovation of the
 +
technologies available.
 +
 +
3. http://ideaflow.corante.com/archives/2008/01/18/innovation_of_a_tradition.php
 +
This blog was really fun! Its all about the nationwide search the
 +
American Floral Industry Association conducts each year for the
 +
best-decorated Christmas tree. The trees are judged on their creative
 +
use of product and trends, originality, and ease of re-creation. This
 +
is relevant because it is taking something relatively traditional and
 +
using innovation to make something completely original.
 +
 +
4. http://ideaflow.corante.com/archives/2008/01/18/innovation_of_a_tradition.php
 +
I really enjoyed this blog about a couple of entrepreneurial-minded
 +
wedding photographers who are trying to add the ipod as an accessory
 +
to the 80 billion dollar wedding industry. They offer custom-engraved
 +
his-and-hers video iPods with music, photos and slideshows of your
 +
wedding. What's next, exchanging iPods instead of wedding rings? You
 +
never know!
 +
 +
5. http://www.steveshapiro.com/2008/02/07/do-we-get-less-creative-as-we-age/
 +
This blog questions our ability to maintain our creativity as we age.
 +
It is something I had never given a lot of thought before this
 +
intriguing article. Like we talked about in class, the blog talks
 +
about expertise as the enemy of creativity. The more we know the
 +
harder it is to see things differently. This is relevant to the
 +
continuation of innovation.
 +
 +
6. http://thalasar.com/archives/marketing/agloco_encourag.html
 +
Although not explicitly about innovation, this blog is relevant to
 +
innovation in that it is about a recent scam created to increase
 +
revenue called click fraud. The company Agloco has been linked to the
 +
fraud by encouraging its members to use the ask.com search engine
 +
advertisements to generate revenue for the company. It's sneaky but I
 +
would argue, very innovative.
 +
 +
7. http://www.tinygigantic.com/2008/01/28/cloud/
 +
This blog is about one company's unique response to mark the entrance
 +
to British Airway's new luxury lounges at Heathrow. They used an old
 +
approach, flip dots conventionally used in the 70's and 80's, in an
 +
innovative new way by covering a five meter long digital sculpture.
 +
Each of the 4638 flip dots can be individually addressed by a central
 +
computer to animate the sculpture in a creative new way.
 +
 +
8. http://www.designsojourn.com/2008/02/06/awesome-new-motion-controller-may-just-k\\
 +
ill-the-nintendo-wii/
 +
Watch out wii! This innovative technology in motion sensor
 +
controllers is hoping to take on a "challenger" marketing strategy in
 +
order to compete directly with the Nintendo wii. The Motus
 +
Corporation claims their controller, the Darwin, is a lot more refined
 +
in sensing motion than the wii controller. If you are interested in
 +
new technology this is really interesting.
 +
 +
9. http://www.talk2myshirt.com/blog/archives/406
 +
UV sensing bikinis? SmartSwim and Solestrom are just two of the
 +
companies banking on this new technology. One approach is to use
 +
photo-chromatic material on the swim suits that let you know how
 +
strong the UV light is. This innovation is much needed in a time
 +
where skin cancer is on the rise.
 +
 +
10. http://blog.cestudios.ca/2008/01/01/innovation-strategy-%e2%80%93-move-through-t\\
 +
he-boundary/
 +
This blog is appropriately about innovation and developing the right
 +
innovation strategy to ensure success. They provide a model for
 +
developing such a strategy, highlighting the interaction between
 +
offering, environment, people and time. This blog has everything to
 +
do with what we talk about daily in our class.
 +
 +
=HBR Breakthrough Ideas=
 +
 +
I found "the list" to be fascinating. One of my favorite breakthrough
 +
ideas of 2008 was The Board Meeting of the Future. As we've been
 +
discussing in class, an environment that is not only conducive to work
 +
but to creativity and originality is crucial in any workplace. I like
 +
how the article refers to "the standard cubical" as accomplishing the
 +
exact opposite of what the brain is designed and equipped to do.
 +
Instead, Author John J. Medina offers a new standard, incorporating
 +
"brain-friendly" exercise to help stimulate the mind. This was an "ah
 +
ha" moment for me. Why not have board meetings in a gym setting?
 +
 +
Exercise has been shown to increase serotonin levels, which can only
 +
prove beneficial in what is stereotypically a stressful situation. It
 +
increases productivity and cognitive performance and one study even
 +
showed that you learn 20% faster immediately after exercise rather
 +
than after sitting still.
 +
 +
According to Medina, exercise stimulates the production of a sort-of
 +
cerebral Miracle-Gro for neurons in the brain. It is also critical in
 +
healthy oxygen flow to overworked tissues, resulting in absorbed
 +
toxins. But we all know exercise is good for you. The question then,
 +
is why bring exercise to the work place, and I say why not!
 +
 +
=NIKE=
 +
 +
Check this out! I was watching TV the other night and this MSNBC
 +
special came on about Nike... very interesting and, I would assume,
 +
also very helpful for those of you who have chosen Nike as your
 +
innovative company. But to everyone else as well, I would highly
 +
recommend you check it out. There are articles and clips from the
 +
show. Basically, it has everything to do with innovation and thus
 +
everything to do with our class!
 +
 +
=IBM=
 +
 +
Innovation Man!
 +
 +
Check these out!  They are a collection of IBM spots I found on youtube highlighting innovation.  My favorites are the ones with the innovation man!  Maybe we can get him to come in and teach us a thing or two ;)
 +
 +
[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PNkcMzLqQl8 Innovation Man 1]
 +
[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xXrIoF-sVi8 Innovation Man 2]
 +
 +
[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ziOG_GHNVq0 Ideating]
 +
 +
[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QG8fzAI_6mY Innovation Matters]
 +
 +
[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4uMXJ_Wqdos&feature=related Innovate or Die]

Revision as of 05:39, 27 February 2008

Contents

Innovative Oranization Proposal

Innovation, as defined by our class, has to due solely with change. Therefore, in creating an innovative environment of 25 people, change will not only be implemented as a major theme of the organization, but the name of the company as well. The company will focus exclusively on creative advertising, offering their services to many different firms much like a traditional contracting service.

The environment in which the employees exist together is one of the most important aspects to consider. In this case, I imagine a completely freewheeling surrounding in which everyone feels comfortable and inspired to create and share original ideas. The employees themselves will be broken up into teams of five. Each team with have their own space (a large room) to furnish and flourish. They will be encouraged to bring items that inspire them, for example, an old desk passed down to them or even their ratty old love sack from college. Having the freedom to create a space in which they feel comfortable will evoke creativity and originality. This will also create an environment in which change of surroundings, moving or swapping furniture for example, will most definitely be encouraged and implemented. We like to look at it as if it were your childhood bedroom. When you think about it, your bedroom grew up and changed along side you; so will the business and its surroundings. In addition to the five separate team rooms, there will be a large common area (a break room/meeting room) for all of the employees designed to inspire conversation as well promote collaboration among the separate teams. In addition to the collaboration room, every room (even the bathrooms) will have a large flat screen TV that will act as source of communication between the teams. Employees can post simple questions or comments, scan new ideas, or even text in ideas when away from the office. Each contribution will be displayed on the screens throughout the building and will act as a running collaboration of ideas.

As far as the chemistry of the individual teams goes, diversity will be the key component in the initial decision making process. Each team will be a melting pot of different genders, ages, ethnicities, backgrounds, etc. Diversity of thoughts and ideas is an extremely important value of this organization and therefore is just as important in the consideration of whom we want in our lineup.

The workweek will look nothing like that of a typical nine-to-five corporate job. Instead, every employee will have a set number of hours that can be completed at anytime within the full seven-day week. Again, this allows for growth and change of individual's schedules as needed. It will be up to the teams to decide on times when they can all get together. In addition, teams will be encouraged to meet outside the work place once a week. At first glance, the lack of structure may seem negligent. However, because there is no hierarchy among the employees, each person will not only be responsible for himself/herself but their team and the company as a whole. We are confident that by giving each person the same amount of authority, it will allow different individuals to rise to the position of power at different times, again promoting change and ultimately innovation.

We plan of sustaining innovation by keeping our roster at 25 employees as to not upset the balance of the environment and, of course, continually encouraging as well as implementing change. This is the kind of environment we want our employees to grow in love with, so much so that we hope to create a lifelong bond with each and every one of them. We want our employees to see "us" in their future.

Innovative Company- Pixar/Blogs

I chose to look at Pixar and their attitudes towards innovation as a company. Pixar, cofounded by Apple Computer's Steve Jobs, is an American computer animation studio that was recently (2006) purchased by Disney. The company caught my attention because of my interest in innovative environments. Everything, including the company's work environment, is carefully designed to encourage creativity and innovation in every one of their employees. I like their approach to encouraging employees to interact with their environment instead of merely existing in it. I also really like the idea of "Pixar University" in which a variety of classes, from Pilates and tai chi to sculpture and improvisation, are offered to foster creativity. I'm really excited to delve deeper into this extremely innovative and creative company.

Sadagopan's Weblog Fostering Creativity and Innovation @ Pixar: http://123suds.blogspot.com/2005/01/fostering-creativity-innovation-pixar.html

http://www.pixar.com/index.html

Article from CNN - Incredible: The Man Who Built Pixar's Innovation Machine: http://money.cnn.com/magazines/fortune/fortune_archive/2004/11/15/8191082/index.\\ htm


1. http://blog.futurelab.net/2008/02/comfort_shopping_sad_customers.html I found this blog about how your mood affects how much you spend when shopping particularly interesting. A recent study showed that "sad" customers are likely to spend more, suggesting that it is vital for innovative marketing strategies to take into account situational aspects such as mood.

2. http://blog.futurelab.net/2008/02/nielsen_buys_into_neuromarketi.html This blog was about the rise of neuromarketing as a way of pleasing the consumer. One company, NeuroFocus, uses brainwave eye-tracking and skin conductance measurements to measure consumer reactions to ads and products. This is relevant in better understanding the elements of successful consumer engagement through the innovation of the technologies available.

3. http://ideaflow.corante.com/archives/2008/01/18/innovation_of_a_tradition.php This blog was really fun! Its all about the nationwide search the American Floral Industry Association conducts each year for the best-decorated Christmas tree. The trees are judged on their creative use of product and trends, originality, and ease of re-creation. This is relevant because it is taking something relatively traditional and using innovation to make something completely original.

4. http://ideaflow.corante.com/archives/2008/01/18/innovation_of_a_tradition.php I really enjoyed this blog about a couple of entrepreneurial-minded wedding photographers who are trying to add the ipod as an accessory to the 80 billion dollar wedding industry. They offer custom-engraved his-and-hers video iPods with music, photos and slideshows of your wedding. What's next, exchanging iPods instead of wedding rings? You never know!

5. http://www.steveshapiro.com/2008/02/07/do-we-get-less-creative-as-we-age/ This blog questions our ability to maintain our creativity as we age. It is something I had never given a lot of thought before this intriguing article. Like we talked about in class, the blog talks about expertise as the enemy of creativity. The more we know the harder it is to see things differently. This is relevant to the continuation of innovation.

6. http://thalasar.com/archives/marketing/agloco_encourag.html Although not explicitly about innovation, this blog is relevant to innovation in that it is about a recent scam created to increase revenue called click fraud. The company Agloco has been linked to the fraud by encouraging its members to use the ask.com search engine advertisements to generate revenue for the company. It's sneaky but I would argue, very innovative.

7. http://www.tinygigantic.com/2008/01/28/cloud/ This blog is about one company's unique response to mark the entrance to British Airway's new luxury lounges at Heathrow. They used an old approach, flip dots conventionally used in the 70's and 80's, in an innovative new way by covering a five meter long digital sculpture. Each of the 4638 flip dots can be individually addressed by a central computer to animate the sculpture in a creative new way.

8. http://www.designsojourn.com/2008/02/06/awesome-new-motion-controller-may-just-k\\ ill-the-nintendo-wii/ Watch out wii! This innovative technology in motion sensor controllers is hoping to take on a "challenger" marketing strategy in order to compete directly with the Nintendo wii. The Motus Corporation claims their controller, the Darwin, is a lot more refined in sensing motion than the wii controller. If you are interested in new technology this is really interesting.

9. http://www.talk2myshirt.com/blog/archives/406 UV sensing bikinis? SmartSwim and Solestrom are just two of the companies banking on this new technology. One approach is to use photo-chromatic material on the swim suits that let you know how strong the UV light is. This innovation is much needed in a time where skin cancer is on the rise.

10. http://blog.cestudios.ca/2008/01/01/innovation-strategy-%e2%80%93-move-through-t\\ he-boundary/ This blog is appropriately about innovation and developing the right innovation strategy to ensure success. They provide a model for developing such a strategy, highlighting the interaction between offering, environment, people and time. This blog has everything to do with what we talk about daily in our class.

HBR Breakthrough Ideas

I found "the list" to be fascinating. One of my favorite breakthrough ideas of 2008 was The Board Meeting of the Future. As we've been discussing in class, an environment that is not only conducive to work but to creativity and originality is crucial in any workplace. I like how the article refers to "the standard cubical" as accomplishing the exact opposite of what the brain is designed and equipped to do. Instead, Author John J. Medina offers a new standard, incorporating "brain-friendly" exercise to help stimulate the mind. This was an "ah ha" moment for me. Why not have board meetings in a gym setting?

Exercise has been shown to increase serotonin levels, which can only prove beneficial in what is stereotypically a stressful situation. It increases productivity and cognitive performance and one study even showed that you learn 20% faster immediately after exercise rather than after sitting still.

According to Medina, exercise stimulates the production of a sort-of cerebral Miracle-Gro for neurons in the brain. It is also critical in healthy oxygen flow to overworked tissues, resulting in absorbed toxins. But we all know exercise is good for you. The question then, is why bring exercise to the work place, and I say why not!

NIKE

Check this out! I was watching TV the other night and this MSNBC special came on about Nike... very interesting and, I would assume, also very helpful for those of you who have chosen Nike as your innovative company. But to everyone else as well, I would highly recommend you check it out. There are articles and clips from the show. Basically, it has everything to do with innovation and thus everything to do with our class!

IBM

Innovation Man!

Check these out! They are a collection of IBM spots I found on youtube highlighting innovation. My favorites are the ones with the innovation man! Maybe we can get him to come in and teach us a thing or two ;)

Innovation Man 1 Innovation Man 2

Ideating

Innovation Matters

Innovate or Die

Retrieved from "http://editthis.info/innovationclass/Smooch"
Personal tools