REVIEW: "Launching innovations" - about how important it is to create something new

I don’t know if there have been people in the history of mankind who have done something new without facing the indignation, contempt and misunderstanding of the crowd. At the same time, it is foolish to deny that innovation is needed. This is the cornerstone of any activity, and therefore we want to introduce you to the book "Launching Innovation" by Geis van Wolfen, the creator of FORTH.

Since the author's main achievement is the creation of the FORTH methodology, I think it would be logical to talk about what it is. It is a method that transforms the process of creating innovation from chaotic to structured and step-by-step. FORTH consists of five stages and stands for Full Steam Ahead, Observe & Learn, Raise Ideas, Test Ideas and Homecoming. Translated into Russian, these stages sound like this:

Full speed ahead.
Observations and Conclusions.
Development of ideas.
Testing ideas.
Homecoming.

Chapter 1. Famous pioneers

The book itself consists of nine chapters, five of which take the steps of this method. But that doesn't mean that the rest of the chapters are uninteresting! On the contrary, most of all I remember the first chapter, which tells about the main innovators in the entire history of our existence. For example, about Columbus and how he discovered you-know-what. Or Magellan, who tried to open a new path to the Spice Islands, and instead proved that the Earth is round, although he did not live up to the moment of his triumph.

Or about Roald Amundsen and his incredible expedition, which was the first in the world to conquer the South Pole. And finally, about Edmun Hillary, who was the first in the world to conquer Mount Everest. All these people were innovators, and the book tells about their tasks, failures, what helped them achieve the goal where everyone else failed. The first chapter of the book may not be as practical as the rest, but it is insanely interesting!

Chapter 3. Full speed ahead

I missed the second chapter for a reason. First, it sums up the story of travelers and their innovations, and second, you don't want me to retell the entire book, right? The third chapter introduces us to the FORTH method, namely the first step, which is that we focus on the problem and make rough sketches of how to solve it. Key points of this stage:

Is the assignment well thought out?
Have the right team assembled?
Do we have a clear idea of the target audience?

This stage is key, and it is here that the question of whether your idea makes sense is decided. And believe me, even if this is so, you will have to spend a lot of effort to prove it to others. If you still don't have an idea, the author offers many tips for finding them on the Internet. For example, using advanced search on Google, searching in different languages, scooping up ideas in related or other areas, and brainstorming ideas.

At the end of the chapter, there is a list of 18 sites that introduce us to new trends. By the way, many of them are very interesting and useful.

Chapter 5. Developing Ideas

I skipped the chapter again and hope you are not too upset about this. Developing an idea is the third stage of the FORTH method, and if you get to it, then your idea is definitely worth something. The key event of this stage is brainstorming. Total brainstorming of everything and everyone!

By the way, the term "brainstorming" was invented by the American Alex Osborne, co-founder of the advertising agency BBDO. The term was born because of Alex's opinion that in the process of discussing an idea, people do not want to express their thoughts, fearing to seem stupid or incompetent. By the way, this term was introduced already in the 1940s, and in 1948 Alex published the book "Your Creative Power", with the help of which he popularized brainstorming as a tactic. In it, he talked about how important it is to express your ideas and that it is from the process of discussing stupid, at first glance, ideas that sometimes incredible discoveries are born.

A few rules for perfect brainstorming:

Formulate a hot topic.
Give an initial impetus to the discussion.
Create an atmosphere in which each participant will feel comfortable.
Do not under any circumstances brainstorm in your office.
Keep pace or the process will be boring.
Include in the process those people who think outside the box.

Chapter 6. Testing Ideas

This time, I decided not to skip the chapter, as the idea testing phase is very important. In this chapter, Geiss van Wolfen talks about how to test an idea. Actually, there is nothing more effective than just leaving the office and start polling your target audience. However, you shouldn't blindly follow the lead of the clients either.

You can't just ask your customers what they need, because by the time you do, they will want something new. Steve Jobs

The book provides five questions to ask the client in order to test the concept:

Have you ever faced the indicated problem?
Is the concept clear to you?
Do you like the concept?
Does the concept fit into the brand?
Are you interested in purchasing the final product?

Chapter 8. Do it

After completing the process of creating an idea, you need to move on to its implementation. Whether it's prototyping or a full-fledged product, it doesn't matter, it all depends on your specific situation. And this stage is the most difficult. Right now you need to move from words to deeds and implement your idea. But you can congratulate yourself. Not many people get to the stage where they really need to work, and not shout at every corner that you have a brilliant idea, but there is simply no money to implement it.

It's time to act. Start trying and prototyping your future product, research, modify and test it. It is unlikely that you will be able to create the perfect final product the first time, but there will be no result without errors.

Chapter 9. Atlas of innovations

The Atlas of Innovations is the most practical and helpful chapter in the entire book. It contains 37 methods and tools that can be used at the start of the innovation process. There is also a list of great books on innovation and travel at the end that inspired the author.

Launching Innovation can be a reference book for anyone who loves their job and tries to bring something new to it. This book takes the reader by the hand and guides them through all the stages of creating an innovation, thereby avoiding the pitfalls and mistakes that innovators most often face.

Each page of the book contains a wealth of useful information in the form of short lists with tips. Despite this, it is very interesting to read it: one gets the feeling that one is reading a fiction and an educational book at the same time. I would recommend reading it primarily to those who want to learn more about the process of creating innovation, as well as to those who are crazy about travel!