The Innovation Expedition: A Visual Toolkit to Start Innovation

by Gijs van Wulfen

Overview

The Innovation Expedition does for innovation what Alexander Osterwalder's mega bestseller Business Model Generation did for business modeling: it makes a complicated business subject very accessible by telling the story in a visual way and by presenting a method that is tested and works!

Gijs van Wulfen was chosen in 2012 by LinkedIn as one of the 150 thought leaders and was listed on the International Top 40 Innovation Bloggers of 2012.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9789063693138
Publisher:	Laurence King Publishing
Publication date:	09/17/2013
Edition description:	New Edition
Pages:	248
Product dimensions:	7.50(w) x 9.60(h) x 0.90(d)

About the Author

Gijs van Wulfen is an international acclaimed innovation specialist, author, speaker and blogger. He is founder and facilitator of the FORTH innovation method: a structured effective way to ideate new products, services and business models. (www.forth-innovation.com).

Gijs is a both presenter and chairman at several (international) innovation conferences, like the ISPIM Conferences and the European Conference on Creativity and Innovation.

In 2012 he was chosen by Linkedin as one of the 150 thought leaders and he is number 2 on the International top 40 Innovation Bloggers of 2012.

Read an Excerpt

The Innovation Expedition

A Visual Toolkit to Start Innovation

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By Gijs Van Wulfen, Christine Boekholt DeLucia

BIS Publishers

Copyright © 2013 Gijs van Wulfen
All rights reserved.
ISBN: 978-90-6369-313-8

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CHAPTER 1

Famous Explorers Innovate

Columbus Had to Make a Profit

In 1492 Columbus sailed off the map and assumed he had discovered a western route to the East. He named the inhabitants Indians as he was sure that he had reached the Indies. Actually he had landed at Watling Island in the Bahamas and discovered the Americas. It made him one of the most famous explorers of our times.

Columbus was a great navigator. Unfortunately though his estimates on the distance he needed to travel were wrong. He estimated the distance from the Canary Islands to Japan to be about 3,000 Italian miles (3,700 km or 2,300 statute miles), while in fact it was 19,600 km (12,200 miles).

Columbus left Palos de la Frontera (Spain) on August 3, 1492 with three ships: the Nina, the Pinta and the Santa María, carrying provisions for a year. Columbus deliberately misinformed his crew about the distances they sailed, to give them the impression of being closer to home than they actually were. After several weeks, having sailed off the map for some time, the fleet's crew began to panic. The men were terrified of never making it back home. Columbus faced a revolt only days before reaching the shore of what he believed were 'The Indies'.

Unfortunately for Columbus he did not discover a new sea route to China. Nor did he find gold on the island of Hispaniola (present-day Haiti and Dominican Republic). Nevertheless, returning to Castile (Spain), Queen Isabella gave Columbus all the royal titles he had demanded. Columbus persisted in his pursuit of finding a passage to the Indies by sailing west. He made four journeys; sparking Spanish colonization in the west. Meanwhile, it had become clear to everyone except Columbus himself that it wasn't the Indies that had been discovered, but a 'New World'. So, what were the conditions that gave Columbus the courage to sail off the map?

1. Columbus came from Genoa with unclear roots and was somewhat of an outsider. He was a passionate sailor who had nothing to lose.

2. Potential profits were a strong motive. His trip was an investment and not an exploration journey. Columbus had an agreement with the monarch that if he succeeded, he would get a share of the profits from his discovery.

3. The road to the East was cut off to European traders after the fall of Constantinople to the Turks. If you wanted to seek your fortune you had to find a new route.

4. New techniques of navigation, better knowledge of the Atlantic Ocean currents and the development of the caravel made it possible to sail much closer to the wind.

5. A new era of Renaissance, which originated in Florence, encouraged new ideas.

So, if you find that small steps within your organization are not working anymore, what will it take to sail off your own map successfully?

1. Urgency. There must be urgency otherwise any innovation will be considered playtime. People are only prepared to go outside the box when there is urgency. If this is not yet the case: be patient until the conditions are right for your organization.

2. Courage. Once you feel the urgency you must follow your passion and this will carry you beyond your presumed limits. Innovate like you have nothing to lose; just like Columbus did.

3. New Technology. The development of the caravel made it possible for Columbus to sail much closer to the wind. To reach your goal you must look to experimental tools in the fields of new technology, new media and new business models.

4. Teamwork. Invite people who have a vested interest in the challenge. Also invite people for both their input on the content and in the decision-making process. This will help create internal support. The more people involved in nourishing a new idea to conception; the better the new idea will flourish.

5. Perseverance. Along the way, you can expect major setbacks. And just like Columbus and his men, there will be moments you and your team will be scared shitless. Persevere just as Columbus did before you. Sometimes what explorers first thought was a small island proved to be an enormous continent afterwards.

So, when your organization is ready; the time is right to sail off the map like Columbus did. True for any innovator: "Man cannot discover new oceans unless he has the courage to lose sight of the shore (André Gide)."

How Columbus Discovered America

The Explorer

Christopher Columbus (c. October 31, 1451 – May 20, 1506), an explorer, navigator, and colonizer, was born in the Republic of Genoa, in what is today northwestern Italy. Under the auspices of the Catholic Monarchs of Spain, he completed four voyages across the Atlantic Ocean that led to general European awareness of the American continents.

The Challenge

Columbus's personal goal was to seek wealth by establishing a new trade route and reach the East Indies by sailing westward. He eventually received the support of the Spanish Crown, which saw in this venture a promise of gaining the upper hand over rival powers in the contest for the lucrative spice trade with Asia.

The Journey

August 3, 1492, Columbus departed from Palos de la Frontera (Spain) with three ships: the Nina, the Pinta and the Santa María. After a stopover in Gran Canaria, it took him five weeks to cross the Atlantic Ocean. On the morning of October 12, 1492 a lookout on the Pinta sighted land. Columbus called the island San Salvador (in what is now The Bahamas). He called the inhabitants Indians being sure that he had reached the Indies.

The Setbacks

• Columbus incorrectly estimated the distance he needed to travel. He guessed the distance from the Canary Islands to Japan to be about 3,000 Italian miles (3,700 km, or 2,300 statute miles), while the correct figure is 19,600 km (12,200 miles).

• After several weeks and having sailed off the map, the crew was actually terrified. Columbus faced a revolt. His men were afraid that they would never be able to get back.

• The Santa María ran aground on Christmas Day 1492 in Hispanolia (present-day Haiti and the Dominican Republic) and had to be abandoned.

The Success Factors

• Columbus was a bit of an outsider who had nothing to lose.

• Potential profits were a strong motive. Columbus had an agreement with the Spanish monarch that he would get a cut of the proceeds from the new lands.

• The road to the East was cut off to European traders due to the fall of Constantinople to the Turks. If you wanted to make a fortune you had to find a new route.

• New techniques of navigation, better knowledge of Atlantic currents and the development of the caravel vessel made it possible to sail much closer to the wind.

• A new era of Renaissance, which originated in Florence, encouraged new ideas.

Magellan Named the New Body of Water the Pacific Ocean for its Apparent Stillness

Ferdinand Magellan is known for his quest to find a southwest passage to the Spice Islands in the service of the King of Spain. Magellan was in fact Portuguese and in his younger years served at the Portuguese Royal court. In 1509, he served as a courageous soldier in the Spice Islands. Later however, when his service was no longer wanted by the King of Portugal, Magellan went to Spain and pledged his service to the Spanish Crown.

The Spanish were now aware that the lands of the Americas discovered by Columbus were not part of Asia, but formed a new continent. Also, the eastern routes to Asia that went around Africa were granted to Portugal in the 1494 Treaty of Tordesillas drafted by the Pope. Spain was therefore faced with an urgent need to find a new commercial route to Asia. The Spanish Crown had no other option than to explore a westward passage to the Spice Islands. Magellan and Faleiro were named by King Charles I of Spain on March 22, 1518 as captains of a fleet to travel westward in search of these islands. The captains were promised great fame and fortune if they were successful in navigating a new route and discovering uncharted islands.

Magellan was given a fleet of five ships: the Trinidad, San Antonio, Concepción, Victoria and Santiago with a crew of 270 men under his command. His fleet left the Spanish harbor on September 20, 1519. Magellan could not violate the treaty with Portugal and therefore needed to avoid Brazil as it was Portuguese territory. It wasn't until October 21, 1520 that the fleet, with one ship having capsized, reached Cape Virgenes at 52°S latitude. There, they concluded that they had found the southwest passage as the salty waters ran far inland. A second ship mutinied and headed back to Spain before the fleet finished the arduous trip through the 600-kilometer long strait. This strait is known today as the Strait of Magellan. Magellan named the new body of water the Mar Pacifico (Pacific Ocean) for its apparent stillness.

On March 6, 1521, the remaining fleet reached the Marianas and Guam. On the morning of April 27, 1521, Magellan sailed to Mactan with a small attack force. During the resulting battle against Lapu-Lapu's troops, Magellan was hit by a bamboo spear and died from his wounds. The remaining crew of 115 men reached the Maluku Islands (the Spice Islands) on November 28, 1521. On September 6, 1522, the Spaniard Juan Sebastián Elcano and the remaining crew of Magellan's expedition arrived in Spain on the Victoria, almost three years after leaving the harbor.

It was not Magellan's intention to circumnavigate the world; he only intended to navigate the Spanish ships safely along a westward route to the Spice Islands. It was Elcano who, after Magellan's death, decided to push westward, thereby completing the first voyage around the entire Earth. When the Victoria, the last surviving ship of the fleet, returned to the Spanish harbor after circumnavigating the globe, only 18 men from the original crew of 237 men were on board.

Magellan's expedition holds four lessons for innovators:

• There was an urgent need to establish direct commercial relations between Spain and the Asian empires. That's why the expedition got the support of the King of Spain. Be sure there is demand, support and funding for your innovation expedition.

• Magellan was given unseaworthy ships and a crew of criminals. It was his tenacity that enabled Magellan to have the ships repaired and be prepared for the expedition in one and half years. Be sure that your expedition includes real innovators who share the same tenacity as Magellan.

• Magellan was able to communicate with the native tribes because his Malay interpreter could understand their languages. Be sure the members in your expedition understand new markets and speak their language before entering these new markets.

• Commercial profits from the valuable spices of the Maluku Islands were a strong motivator. The spices left on a single ship were valuable enough to pay for the entire voyage. Be sure that your innovation journey will be prosperous.

How Magellan's Expedition Proved the World is Round

The Explorer

Ferdinand Magellan (c. 1480 – April 27, 1521) was a Portuguese explorer. In the service of King Charles I of Spain, Magellan explored a westward route to the Spice Islands (in present-day Indonesia). Although it was Magellan's expedition that completed the first circumnavigation of the globe, Magellan himself was killed in the Philippines and did not complete the entire voyage.

The Challenge

The Treaty of Tordesillas in 1494 granted Portugal exclusive rights to the eastern routes around Africa. It then became imperative for Spain to establish a new commercial route to Asia. The Spanish Crown set out to discover a westward route.

The Journey

Magellan's expedition of 1519–1522 became the first expedition to sail from the Atlantic into the Pacific and to cross the Pacific Ocean. In the Philippines, Magellan took part in the Battle of Mactan. He sailed to the island with a small attack force where his men were outnumbered by natives. On the morning of April 27, 1521, Magellan was killed after being wounded by a bamboo spear. After Magellan's death, his second-in-command Elcano decided to push westward, thereby completing the first voyage around the world. On September 6, 1522, Elcano arrived in Spain aboard the Victoria, the last ship of the fleet, almost three years after its departure. Only 18 men from the original crew of 237 men were left on board.

The Setbacks

• Several problems arose during the preparation, including insufficient funding, interference from the King of Portugal and Spanish distrust of Magellan and the other Portuguese.

• On Easter 1520, there was a mutiny involving three of the five ship captains. Magellan took quick and decisive action. He had Luis de Mendoza, the captain of the Victoria, killed and the ship was recovered.

• During the Battle of Mactan in April 1521, Magellan was surrounded after being wounded by a bamboo spear and eventually killed.

• The casualties suffered in the Philippines left the expedition with too few men to sail the three remaining ships. The fleet was reduced to the Trinidad and the Victoria, which continued westward.

• The Trinidad was captured by the Portuguese and eventually wrecked in a storm.

The Success Factors

• There was an urgent need to establish direct commercial relations between Spain and the Asian empires, without damaging relations with neighboring Portugal.

• Thanks to Magellan's skill and determination, the expedition was ready after a preparation period of one and a half years.

• Magellan was able to communicate with the native tribes because he was assisted by a Malay interpreter who could understand their languages.

• Commercial profits from the valuable spices of the Maluku Islands were a strong motivator to sail westwards and return to Spain.

As a Child Amundsen Dreamed of Being a Polar Explorer

The race for the South Pole was a big event at the beginning of the twentieth century. Roald Amundsen was described as practical, pragmatic and ruthlessly ambitious. As a child Amundsen dreamed of being a polar explorer.

Amundsen's original plan was to go to the North Pole. It was in 1909, after hearing that first Frederick Cook and then Robert Peary had claimed the North Pole for America, that Amundsen decided to reroute to Antarctica. However, he kept these plans a secret out of fear of losing funding. On June 3, 1910 Amundsen left Oslo (Norway) for the South on the Fram, a vessel specially designed for polar travel. In August 1910, Amundsen alerted his men at Madeira that they would be heading to Antarctica. The crew chose to stay on board. He sent a telegram to the British explorer Robert Scott, also underway to the South Pole, notifying him: "BEG TO INFORM YOU FRAM PROCEEDING ANTARTIC – AMUNDSEN." There is little doubt that Amundsen deliberately sought an advantage. When asked by the press for a reaction, Scott replied that his plans would not change and that he would not sacrifice the expedition's scientific goals to win the race to the Pole.

On October 19, 1911 Amundsen and four companions left his Antarctic base at the Bay of Wales on four light sleds and 52 dogs. On December 14, 1911 the team arrived at the South Pole, 33 to 34 days before Scott's group. After 99 days, Amundsen's team returned healthy and unharmed. However, on Scott's return trip to base, he and his four companions all succumbed to starvation and extreme cold.

Amundsen's expedition benefited from the simple primary focus of being first which entailed a thorough preparation, meticulous planning, knowledge of Inuit Eskimo wilderness techniques, good equipment, appropriate clothing, a skilled handling of the sled dogs and the effective use of skis. Amundsen's attention to detail is evident in the improvements he made to the boots they would wear. In his preparation, he took the boots apart; making them large enough to fit a wooden sole. The weather could drop to any temperature without the cold getting through the wooden soles and the seven pairs of stockings. Amundsen's careful preparation also included his study of innovations in snow goggles. He chose leather goggles with a slit opening for the eyes (the Bjaaland patent). They gave perfect protection and no one on the team experienced signs of snow blindness. In contrast to the tragic misfortunes of Scott's team, Amundsen's polar trek proved relatively smooth and uneventful.

(Continues...)

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Excerpted from The Innovation Expedition by Gijs Van Wulfen, Christine Boekholt DeLucia. Copyright © 2013 Gijs van Wulfen. Excerpted by permission of BIS Publishers.
All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.
Excerpts are provided by Dial-A-Book Inc. solely for the personal use of visitors to this web site.

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Table of Contents

Contents
This book aims to be an inspiring, visual and practical toolkit how to start innovation. It is structured and divided in 9 sections. Inspiring maps will guide you along your innovation expedition. As on every voyage of discovery you will be surprised. by inspiring quotes, fascinating charts, dramatic moments and practical checklists and formats.
Introduction
How to get the most out of this book
1. Famous Explorers Innovate
Columbus had to made a profit How the Pope made Magellan prove the Earth was round
How Amundsen changed poles and got south first
Well George, we knocked the bastard off
How Kennedy got the first man on the Moon
Ten innovation lessons from famous explorers
2. Jump-start innovation yourself
The FORTH innovation method
Five ways to commit innovation suicide
21 Situations when you should not innovate
You cannot innovate alone
10 mistakes at the start of innovation
Structure your ideation approach
3. Full Steam Ahead
Full Steam Ahead Activities
Never Start Innovation with an Idea
It’s all about the Right Moment
What’s your Innovation Assignment?
The LEGO Innovation Case
4. Observe and Learn
Observe and Learn Activities
The Operational Excellence Syndrome
How to get rid of Old Ideas
Innovator look for Problems
The Filtrix Filterpen Innovation Case
5. Raise Ideas
Raise Ideas Activities
Great Ideas Got the X-factor
Structured Brainstorming Really Works
The Linkedin Innovation Case
6. Test Ideas
Test Ideas activities
Our Ideas are Brilliant
One Out of Seven is Ridiculous
The Shurgard Innovation case
7. Homecoming
Homecoming Activities
How to pick the Right Idea?
How to Present an Innovative Idea?
So we got the idea, Now What?
Blurb Inc. Innovation case
8. Get It Done
Hurdles from Idea to reality
The Fast Way from Idea to Launch
9. The Innovation Toolbox
Openers
Energizers
Idea Generation tools
Idea Selection tools
Brainstorm Games
Brainstorm Software
Online Brainstorm Tools
TRIZ
SIT
Six Thinking Hats
Closers

Wonderful Exploration Books
Marvellous Innovation Books
Index
Visual Guides
1. The FORTH Innovation map
2. Map: Full Steam Ahead
3. Map: Observe & Learn
4. Map: Raise Ideas
5. Map: Test Ideas
6. Map: Homecoming
Inspiring Charts
1. How Columbus Discovered America
2. How Magellan Discovered the World was Round
3. How Amundsen reached the South Pole
4. How Hillary and Tenzing climbed Mount Everest
5. How Armstrong Got on the Moon
6. Why Expeditions Fail
7. 10 Innovation Lessons
8. 40 Reasons Why People Struggle with Innovation
9. The top 25 Most Innovative Companies
10. 10 Characteristics of Innovators
11. The Perfect Innovation Team
12. Think as a Designer
13. 10 Brilliant Inventions made by Mistake
14. 25 Idea Killers
15. A Structured Brainstorm
16. 40 Open Innovation Examples
17. Think like Steve Jobs
18. The Brainstorm Toolbox
19. 25 Bad Ideas
20. The Museum of Failed Products
21. The Perfect Innovation Pitch
22. The Idea is Ready. What’s Next?
Practical Checklists and Formats
1. The 66 Point Innovation Checklist
2. 30 Tips for Innovation Session facilitators
3. A Concrete Innovation Assignment
4. How to conduct an Innovation Websearch?
5. 25 Top Trendsites
6. How to find Customers’ Frictions?
7. 25 Rules for a Perfect Brainstorm
8. The Perfect Brainstorm Venue
9. A Perfect New Idea
10. Tips for New Concept testing
11. Testing a New idea in 5 Questions
12. Business Model Innovation Canvas
13. 6 Mini New Business Case Sheets
14. How to Transfer an Idea to the Other Team?
15. Avoiding 10 Pitfalls in Realising Ideas