Create and Innovate!
How To Champion Creativity and
Innovation in Your Organization
Kelly Pepo
“To have a great idea, have a lot of
them.” –Thomas Edison
“Instead of thinking outside of the box,
get rid of the box.” –Deepak Chopra
“Creativity is intelligence having fun.”
–Albert Einstein
How it all began…
The takeaway:
Every organization
should have a person,
group, or committee
in place to actively
monitor trends.
So what is a trend?
“A manifestation of something that
has unlocked or newly serviced an
existing consumer need, desire, want
or value.”
trendwatching.com
It’s not…
Food Trucks
Where we started
est. 2005
Looking back
The mission of the Trendwatchers
Committee is to disseminate
information about global trends and
translate ideas into viable projects and
services.
In 2005…
• Cell phone technology
• Social networking
• Gaming
Nail Polish
Questions to ask
• Where does it fit in the organization?
• Should it be part of the strategic plan?
• Who should be part of trendwatching?
The Evolution of Our
Innovation Champions
• In 2009, OCLS had 3 groups in place to
monitor and support trends and idea
development.
• In 2010, with a clean slate, the
Innovation Champions were born.
• Administration and management
identified staff who have
demonstrated interest in innovation.
The shift
• Continue monitoring trends
• Support staff with ideas seeking
direction
• Contribute ideas
• Partner with staff to execute ideas
• Recognize staff with implemented
ideas
What did we use?
• Wiki…
• Blog…
• Dedicated webpage
• Google Wave
blog.ocls.info/orangeseed
• What are the details of your idea?
• What part of our strategic plan does
this idea support and how?
• What are the costs versus benefits of
your idea?
• What role will you play in the
implementation?
Spreading the word
Monthly posting on The Orange Peel…
THE CONCEPT
Where is the inspiration?
• Papers, websites, magazines, blogs, news,
etc.
• Alerts
• TV, movies, radio
• Customers, coworkers, friends, family
• Competitors
• Shops, museums, hotels, airports
• Eavesdropping, chat rooms,
conversations
Some “official” trend sites
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Trendwatching.com
Mashable.com
Springwise.com
Influxinsights.com
Ted.com
Trendhunter.com
Psfk.com
Kickstarter
Local Harvests
•Partnerships with
nearby vendors
and businesses.
•Neat tips for
preventing hand
swipes on the
white board –
HAIRSPRAY! Who
knew?
Google Offers
Daily Deals Living Social
Half Off Depot
Groupon
Gilt
Orange Blossoms
Welcome…
The Intervention
The inspiration…
http://www.emailintervention.com/
The outcome…
http://www.ocls.info/intervention
The results so far
QR Codes + eBooks =
More QR Codes
Google Wallet
Paypal
=
What’s the secret?
• Anyone can be a trendwatcher or
innovator.
• Ideas don’t have to be BIG.
• It doesn’t mean that you have to be
the first to have the idea.
• You don’t have to have an exact
idea.
• Share, share, SHARE!
Do’s
•
•
•
•
•
Create a space to track trends/ideas
Try stuff out
Be open-minded
Monitor trends regularly
Look cross-industry
Don’ts
•
•
•
•
•
Apply all trends to all people
Be overwhelmed-celebrate!
Be shortsighted
Be afraid to explore an idea
Dismiss fads
What do you need?
•
•
•
•
•
•
Administrative buy-in
Administrative support
Staff buy-in
Ambassadors
Freedom of ideas
Freedom to fail
Maker Space
http://tic.ocls.info/
The Challenges
•
•
•
•
•
Time, time, time
Consistency
Follow through
Active buy in
$$$
What else?
Thank you!
Kelly Pepo
pepo.kelly@ocls.info
407.835.7306
http://blog.ocls.info/orangeseed/