Innovation Tools Don’t Innovate: Build Capability First

A fool with a tool is still a fool

Innovation tools can be extremely powerful.

They can structure a problem, stimulate creativity, accelerate experimentation or help teams move ideas through a development process.

But a methodology is only an enabler.

Whether you use TRIZ, Design Thinking, Agile or Stage-Gate, every one of these approaches ultimately depends on the people applying it.

They still need to be able to:

• challenge assumptions
• deal with uncertainty
• mobilize support
• follow through.

Without those underlying behaviors, even the best methodology risks becoming another layer of Innovation Theatre.

The same tool can produce very different results

Give the same innovation methodology to two organizations and you can get completely different outcomes.

Why?

Because tools tend to amplify the capability that is already there.

When innovation capability is strong, tools can accelerate progress.

When capability is weak, adding more tools may simply add more process, terminology and activity — without creating better innovation outcomes.

Build capability before adding another tool

The next time your organization considers another methodology, workshop format or innovation platform, first ask:

What should our people be able to do differently as a result?

Because tools can support innovation.

But they cannot replace the behaviors and capabilities required to make innovation happen.

Go beyond the Innovation Theatre

In this second visual insight from our Beyond the Innovation Theatre series, we explore why innovation methodologies only create value when the underlying human capability is there to use them effectively.