The Innovator's Toolkit: 50+ Techniques for Predictable and Sustainable Organic Growth

by David Silverstein, Philip Samuel, Neil DeCarlo

A compendium of tools and techniques that every innovator needs The Innovator's Toolkit is an essential companion for every innovator, innovation team leader, operations manager, and corporate change agent who needs to drive organic growth. Written and presented in an easy-to-use reference format, the book helps users understand why, when, and how to apply each technique for maximum benefits and results. The fifty-plus tools and techniques in this book are organized around a framework for identifying innovation opportunities, generating new and unusual ideas, selecting the best ideas for further refinement, and implementing new solutions that better meet customer expectations. This updated and revised edition of The Innovator's Toolkit simply helps innovation leaders, managers, and specialists do their jobs better than ever before―giving them more confidence, greatly reducing the chance of expensive failures, and packing more practical innovation knowhow under one cover than ever before.

Genres: Business, Reference, Nonfiction, Entrepreneurship, Startup

432 pages, Hardcover

First published October 1, 2008

Reviews

[MrsEnginerd · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book does an excellent job at showcasing brainstorming and ideation techniques to deep dive requirements and opportunities when designing innovations. It can be dense for those unfamiliar with Lean or engineering terms, and requires careful study and cross references. As a technology MBA student and product designer, it was easy to follow and use at work. Good read for those planning to manage innovation or product launch/development teams.

[Bill · Rating 5 out of 5]

The book was nominally designed for businesses and for sustainable growth. While that's a good idea by itself, some of the techniques are just great to apply on a personal level. For instance, Silverstein presents the D4 Road Map, with the 4 parts of: Define, Discover, Develop, and Demonstrate. I find myself at least thinking of this set of steps when I'm working on some of my personal issues - OK some of them are work related! EAch of these 4 parts breaks down into a whole group of steps for greater detail. Yes, it's fascinating.

Another technique that they borrowed from Michalko in his book THINKERTOYS, was the concept of SCAMPER, Ways of looking at a problem in a new way. SCAMPER is an acronym for Substitute, Combine, Adapt, Modify, Put to other uses, Eliminate, and Reverse. Each of these bear some additional thought, but this list comes up more often when I'm looking for some creative ways to work through a challenging issue.

There are lots more - fun to go through, and really useful if you're looking for a new way to think about something.

[Tim · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a real "how-To" book briefly outlining over 50 techniques to promote innovation at any of the 4 steps of the D4 model: Define, Discover, Develop,= & Demonstrate. Not at lot of detail but a great overview, with references for those who want more. I was impressed by the breadth of the topics from services to manufacturing to retail, and as a marketing person loved the simple variations on brainstorming.
I liked the introduction which reviewed the D4 approach and focused on how we are all better at radical innovation or incremental improvements - and that that is OK. Great business book, with real ideas, and simple ways to get started.

[Joe Frankie · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great tool kit that is well-articulated with succinct explanations of the tools. It provides good examples to explain their use and good suggestions about when to seek expertise to fully develop the tools. It provides access to downloadable forms as well. David Silverstein and Dr. Phil Samuels made this easy to digest as well. I highly commend them and recommend this others looking at a primer overview of innovators tools to support and sustain growth.

[Larashi · Rating 3 out of 5]

great techniques and very useful

[Bill · Rating 2 out of 5]

Having read quite a few books on innovation (since that's what I do for a living) I thought this was pretty basic. Not bad, just not very enlightening.

[Prateek Vasisht · Rating 3 out of 5]

Techniques