My keynote on innovation delivered at ConveyUX 2015 in Seattle, WA.

1. Innovation vs. Best Practice
Eric Reiss
@elreiss
ConveyUX
Seattle, WA
What is it?
Why bother?
Who cares?

7. in·no·va·tion
noun
1 : the introduction of something new
2 : a new idea, method, or device

8. best prac·tice
noun
1 : best way of doing a thing
2 : a tested idea, method, or device

10. Best practices represent
short-term solutions.
Innovation builds
long-term success.

11. My goal this morning is to give you:
a better, actionable definition of innovation
a process that leads to business success
some practical do’s and don’ts

12. Three bad reasons to innovate
To make your product unique
To latch on to a fad
To show off your creativity

16. being unique ≠ innovation

22. following a fad ≠ innovation

24. Inventing a problem ≠ innovation

25. Experiment

26. Invention

27. Invention

28. Innovation
15 April 1912

32. to solve a problem!
There is only one reason to innovate…

34. Eric’s Law of Innovation #1
If an “innovation” does not solve
a problem, it will create one.
(this is why so many “skunkworks”
fail so miserably)

35. Let’s look at mouthwash...

37. Eric’s Law of Innovation #2
Problems do not exist in isolation.
Solutions often have unintended
consequences.

38. Enfield M1853
• Technological
• Social
• Political

45. Tech Social Political

46. Eric’s Law of Innovation #3
True innovation is impossible
if you haven’t done the research
or do not understand the research.

47. Gus the cat

50. People
Processes
Technologies

51. User Centered Design
Users
Innovate >

52. User Driven Design
Users
Innovate >

54. Eric’s Law of Innovation #4
Invention may be accidental.
Innovation is always planned.

55. Eric’s Law of Innovation #5
Innovators understand the rules.
(this is the difference between
innovation and idiocy)

57. Eric’s Law of Innovation #6
Intuitive solutions do not
need instructions.

62. Intuition Instruction
Website Driving a car
Low High
Barrier to entry

64. Incremental Distruptive
Type of innovation

65. eturn n nvestmentR
“My problem is greater than the
effort needed to learn the system”
O I

67. Best practice is not the same as
tradition or habit.

68. Highland Park High School Math Club - 1969

69. Invention
Innovation Lifecycle
Innovation
Best practice
Habit
Innovation
Best practice
Fashion
Old-fashioned
Time
Progress

78. What are the warning signs of
fad and fashion?

79. Watch out if...
Your solution is only being used in your
local market
Your solution is only being used by a single
branch or industry
Your solution looks like something you also
did last week

80. Do we have a digital revolution?
Do we have disruptive innovation?
Do we need to start from scratch?

81. No! We apply old skills in new ways

82. Eric’s Law of Innovation #7
Innovation almost always
represents the combination of
two well-known technologies to
create a new, useful synthesis.

84. Technology Benefit

85. My goal this morning is to give you:
a better, actionable definition of innovation
“Innovation is a planned activity that addresses a latent
or acknowledged problem, often combining two or
more well-established technologies.”
a process that leads to business success
Do your research
Identify real problems
Think about how your solution will affect
technological, social, and political issues
some practical do’s and don’ts
Don’t invent problems
Don’t succumb to designer ego

86. “Whenever you hear ‘someone
might want this…’, you know
you are about to hear a really
bad design suggestion.”
Alan Cooper

87. “It’s amazing how much we can
accomplish when you don’t care
who gets the credit.”
Harry S. Truman

88. Thank you!

89. You can (usually) find Eric at:
The FatDUX Group ApS
Strandøre 15
DK-2100 Copenhagen
Denmark
Office: (+45) 39 29 67 77
Mobil: (+45) 20 12 88 44
Twitter: @elreiss
er@fatdux.com
www.fatdux.com