If we want to accelerate the diffusion of innovation – where do we start and end measurement?
One of our biggest challenges towards helping to innovate in a “heart-beat” is understanding when we start measuring and when we end our measurements. Indeed the existing models (i.e. diffusion of innovation curve and Gartner Hype cycles) “seem” to begin with a specific idea and then try to track that although this runs into difficulties as ideas change, cluster, are re-engineered or indeed move into phases that are notoriously difficult to observe (i.e. late adopters and laggards). The image comes from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yx7_yzypm5w where you can watch an amazing 24 hour time lapse of global air traffic – planes can be tracked – can we track innovations? One the thoughts that might help us is understanding that there is a significant phase before these concepts during which ideas are created in the first place. This phase could be called “ideation” and (sort of) begin with the realisation “I have an idea” (the starting point of the innovation journey which m