Unique Methodology - Fluid Innovation Thinking™
Building on the theories of fluid intelligence, diffusion of innovation and crossing the chasm, we introduce an original innovation methodology called Fluid Innovation Thinking™ (FIT), with particular emphasis on disruptive technical innovations. FIT is our unique predictive analytical approach to humans-first disruptive innovation. It is all about trends, stories, journeys and deliverables and it is based on the neuroscience of intelligence, the psychology of productivity and the mystery of storytelling. In addition to its scientific basis, FIT is based on over two decades of applied hands-on experience across several high-tech verticals.
Background research
Thanks to Raymond B. Cattell we've known for decades that intelligence is not just one thing. He showed us there are two main parts: crystallized intelligence, which is what we learn from our experiences, and fluid intelligence, which is our ability to solve new problems and think logically without needing to use knowledge we already have. This means being smart includes both learning from the past and being good at figuring out new things.
Cattell, Raymond. (1963). Theory of fluid and crystallized intelligence: A critical experiment. Journal of Educational Psychology.
Everett M. Rogers developed his theory Diffusion of Innovation Rogers explains through his theory how an idea or a product gains adoption and spreads (diffuses). The theory posits that adoption is diffused throughout five key segments of adopters and understanding each segment is critical to every successful product innovation initiative.
Everett M. Rogers. (2003, 5th edition). Diffusion of Innovations.
Then In the early 1990s, Geoffrey Moore showed that the first two segments (Innovators and Early Adopters) are significantly different then the following three. He introduced the theory of “The Chasm” between Early adopters and the Early Majority. His concept of “Crossing The Chasm” becomes the mission - the ultimate north star, in early innovation initiatives. To succeed, an innovation must “cross the chasm”.
Geoffrey A. Moore. (2014, 3rd edition). Crossing the Chasm.
Fluid Trends™
The primary concept in FIT is the concept of “Fluid Trends”. In post-chasm we can rely on data analytics based on actual product usage and we can produce usage trends that inform further innovation decisions.
We may call these “Crystallized Trends”. But pre-chasm, where the innovation is in a state of high fluidity, yet to be massively adopted, we do not have troves of data we can analyze at our disposal. Thus crossing the chasm is mostly a walk in the dark, poking, probing, experimenting.
FIT introduces the concept of pre-chasm patterns of adoption as “Fluid Trends”. These are potentially crystallizing trends that might or might not gain adoption (“get crystallized”). They represent informed decisions leveraging our inherent human Fluid Intelligence to recognize patterns and use abstract logic to identify and discover potential paths to adoption. Identifying and discovering these Fluid Trends early on, is the first state of a FIT-driven innovation initiative.
Fluid Stories
As humans, we think in stories and stories have the power to unleash our inherent Fluid Intelligence. We use our Fluid intelligence to reason, analyze, and solve problems, without relying on any pre-existing knowledge. Instead, we employ logic, recognize patterns, and apply abstract thinking to solve novel problems.
The Fluid Stories act as backbone of the narrative, forming an ongoing, adaptive (fluid) operational blueprint that informs human-centric decision making. The initial Fluid Trends collected are infused into the Fluid Stories and keep each story laser focused on the needs of the stakeholders (the heroes) as they interact with the trends.
The vision and mission are continuously updated as well as the heroes of the stories. The Fluid Stories describe foundational concepts that define the innovation and answer key questions about who the innovation serves, why it serves those people, how it serves them and What it doe to serve them.
Fluid Journeys
The Fluid Stories become alive when told from perspective of the heroes of the stories, the stakeholders. Each story centers on a hero and each hero has a transformation journey to undergo. The hero transformation journey guides the hero through a continuous flow of choices and information, leading to a continous (fluid) transformation.
As each journey is planned, a high level map results, with all the stories intertwining across the business domain. The journeys all center on the people for whom the innovation exist and who remain the primary focus of the entire innovation effort. The innovation serves them by helping them accomplish their transformational goals.
They journeys outline the main challenges stopping the heroes from growing and achieving their transformational goals as they interact with the Fluid Trends. Including in the journey map, are proposed solutions meant overcome the hero challenges. The journeys allow the innovation team to accompanying the heroes on their transformation while analysing behavioural trends and delivering continuous value to them.
Fluid Deliverables
The innovation team, the right people, in the right roles, with the right operational structure in place, are continuously responsible for accompanying the heroes on their transformational journeys. The team remains in a constant state of discovery and pattern recognition, as they interact with the market and they pay attention to how the heroes progress on their journeys.
As new information is gathered and new insights are collected, the team adjusts continuously and remains in a fluid state of flow as they deliver value in small, targeted release cycles. The ultimate purpose is to deliver constant value concentrated on analysing how the heroes behave against the Fluid Trends.
The deliverables are the tangible elements of the innovation that are produced, used and sold. They cut across different technologies, domains and areas of expertise. All moving pieces working together to deliver seamless experiences, abstracting the techonology and bringing the benefits to the forefront.