The Innovation Race

4 PICASSO AND THE PARADOXICAL INNOVATION PROCESS Understanding the challenges of the innovation journey, from imagination and ideation to implementation

As we launch into discussing the complete innovation process, it will become clear that making the connection between the initial stage of imagination through to ideas and finally to full implementation is of critical importance. We may dream up novel concepts, but how do we then turn them into realities? And how do we harness the creative tension built up in the process for the most innovative results?

This chapter will help you to:

• identify the different stages of the innovation process
• appreciate the importance of using imagination as a springboard towards innovation
• recognise the tension between the ‘open action mode’ of ideation and the ‘closed action mode’ of implementation
• manage this initial tension effectively to help to fuel the innovation process
• learn the importance of navigating between the relevant innovation ‘paradox pairings’ effectively
• develop the flexibility needed to follow through on the whole process.

Key challenge: How to balance the paradoxes of purpose at each stage of the innovation journey.

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