Where Will New Ideas Have the Greatest Impact?

By Jennifer Goddard | April 20, 2008

BNET Australia Contributors

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Biography

BNET Australia Contributors

BNET Australia Contributors
Phil Dobbie has a wealth of radio and business experience. In his BTalk Australia podcast, he provides a lively and insightful view on business issues.
Brian Haverty is editorial director for CBS Interactive Australia and is responsible for the company's BNET and ZDNet Australia sites.
Robert Gerrish is a coach, author and professional speaker and the founder of Flying Solo, an Australian online community for solo business owners.
Melissa Lourenco is the HR manager for CBS Interactive in Australia.
Chris Golis is the author of The Humm Handbook: Lifting Your Level of Emotional Intelligence. He runs seminars and workshops on EQ.
Suzi Dafnis is Community Director of the Australian Businesswomen's Network.
Yvonne Adele helps organisations build a culture of ideas by teaching people at all levels to access their untapped creative thinking skills.

Is innovation about killer ideas — something big that will turn the world on its head? Or is it simpler than that?

Odds are we won’t be able to come up with groundbreaking innovative concepts like the Apple iPod or Cirque du Soleil every week. We need to keep looking for them, of course, but we also need to recognise that there are many opportunities to incrementally improve our businesses.

Areas of focus should include challenges to be met, things to improve, unmet needs, wishful thinking and potential problems to avoid.

The low-hanging fruit of innovation can be found in areas of opportunity where there is:

  • a specific problem, fault, deficiencies
  • further development required
  • an emotional target (something that really annoys people)
  • wishful thinking
  • market gaps
  • high cost

Opportunityisnowhere

Did you read this as “Opportunity is nowhere”? or “Opportunity is now here”?

Finding innovation can simply depend on whether you see the opportunities or not.

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