Slow-complex-hard vs. fast-easy-simple innovations
Discussing approaches to innovation
The first ‘business and design thinking’ class happened today. The course is part of the first semester of the Strategic Foresight and Innovation program, and an important one at that. The crux of the course is to explore the design ecosystem and its relation to business activities. It also focuses on the commercialization of innovation, as well as the application of business and design thinking beyond the commercial realm.
At the outset, I learned what innovation means by understanding what it is not.
Invention is not innovation — innovation requires a whole system. It uses a process to be effective.
We discussed many ideas today, but one that stuck with me is this concept of fast-easy-simple innovations vs. slow-complex-hard innovations. Given its definition, an innovation is by nature slow (process-oriented), hard and complex (considers systems impact). It goes against the flashy ‘move fast and break things’ idea that is normalized in our culture.
There is definitely a time and place for fast-easy-simple innovations — crises and emergencies. However, there is immense value in adopting the fast-easy-simple philosophy to prototyping ideas. Rapidly cycling through ideas based on existing parameters.
Notes on slow-complex-hard innovations
- Understand how stakeholders in the system are impacted. Not only primary stakeholders but also bystanders and excluded groups
- Take time to deeply unpack the problem space
- Offers room to look into how the innovations impact nature and consider and test sustainability implications
- Closely examine how innovation is influencing other interconnected systems, and stakeholders and resources with them (example: an innovation in the public transit system can impact safety, urban life, food supply chain)
- Look for solutions in unlikely places, other industries and communities around the world (for example: adopt indigenous philosophies to a problem)
- Help to stay with what is emerging in the system
- Adopt a strategic mindset towards bringing lasting change into society
This is a blog documenting my reflections, ideas, learnings and projects from my MDes (Masters of Design) journey in Strategic Foresight and Innovation (SFI) at OCAD University. Check out other stories here.
