Innovation doesn’t have to be about the big things, although most people assume that about it. Taking small steps in innovating can be much more effective than trying to put together a large improvement and getting bogged down in the details. By making improvements one step at a time, it’s easier to focus on what really matters and get the most innovation from the least amount of effort.
Key Takeaways:
- Basically, instead of making a big bet, you’re making a number of small ones, and those small bets, after much iteration and changes, are optimized into a stronger end result. This strategy, Engel says, highlights a point of common ground for associations.
- The secret is that tech may not always be involved in a minimum viable product. In fact, the white paper [PDF] recommends sometimes using a “Wizard of Oz” test, or an experiment done by hand that merely looks like it’s being managed by a piece of software.
- The nice thing is, if you do find an innovative strategy that works, you can eventually build that missing back end—and, instead of experimenting blind, you’ll have the data to back up your process to the board or other stakeholders.
“”Basically, instead of making a big bet, you’re making a number of small ones, and those small bets, after much iteration and changes, are optimized into a stronger end result.””
