Synopses & Reviews
Review
"Engagingly and humorously written and filled with clear examples and constructive approaches, Something Really New could just as easily be called “Something Really Useful.” In itself, the book is an innovation that will help ease the previously daunting task of creating products that spark and sustain bottom-line growth." - InnovationWatch.com
Review
"The book contains valuable insights for managing innovators." --Fort Worth Star-Telegram
Synopsis
"Hauptly's simple and straightforward approach will enable organizations to quickly and inexpensively create new products and services that have real value." - Publishers Weekly
"Engagingly and humorously written and filled with clear examples and constructive approaches, Something Really New could just as easily be called “Something Really Useful.” In itself, the book is an innovation that will help ease the previously daunting task of creating products that spark and sustain bottom-line growth." - InnovationWatch.com
"Something Really New is a quick read, peppered with anecdotes and examples." - Industry Week
"This practical approach identifies likely obstacles to innovation and offers proven tricks to overcome them." -Entrepreneur
About the Author
CEO Refresher The Best Books of 2007
Product innovation is the key to business growth. But many books deal with innovation from the business process view alone, or confuse innovation with creativity. Written by an innovation expert whose products generate more than one billion dollars in annual revenue, Something Really New introduces a straightforward but powerful framework for creating exciting new product and service concepts ... simply by asking three essential questions.
From an electronic hotel kiosk that provides return airline boarding passes for guests, to something as mundane as the evolution of the toaster, the book provides entertaining, illuminating examples that show how to determine what customer needs aren’t being met, using simple methods to arrive at revolutionary conclusions. For example, “What is a product really used for?” The question may seem elementary, but the right answer is far from obvious. This and other key questions demonstrate how readers can move beyond mere market research to get to the root of real innovation. Practical and eye-opening, this book shows companies how to take the kind of startling leaps that will leave their competition in the dust.
Table of Contents
Contents
Acknowledgments xi
Let’s Get Started 1
Part One: Three Simple Steps to Innovation
CHAPTER 1:
Money Is the Root of All Innovation 13
CHAPTER 2:
Step 1: Fixing the Faucet 19
CHAPTER 3:
But First You Have to Ask the Right Question 37
CHAPTER 4:
Mutation or Innovation? 53
CHAPTER 5:
Step 2: Making Life Simpler 69
CHAPTER 6:
Making Innovation Happen 89
CHAPTER 7:
Step 3: Taking It to the Next Level 99
CHAPTER 8:
Spotlight on Services 117
CHAPTER 9:
Putting All the Pieces Together 137
Part Two: The Context of Innovation: People,
Management, and Organization
CHAPTER 10:
The Human Factor 153
CHAPTER 11:
Beating the Bureaucrats 165
CHAPTER 12:
Straightening Out the Rest of the Company 177
APPENDIX A:
Sample Answers to InnovationWorkout 3 191
APPENDIX B:
More InnovationWorkouts 195
Suggested Reading 221
Notes 225
About the Author 229
Index 231