creax

I found the web-site of Belgium company Creax-Creativity for innovation. It's a great collection of innovation links on one place. I simply adore this web-site! So many useful link (hope that my blog will one day find a place there!)
It's also worthly to check their newsletter.

link

innovation brainstorming workshops

Last month, I had four innovation workshops with brainstorming sessions, and what I learned is that in each group I can expect allways different situation. I had groups with 7-17 participants, they were from the same technical field and have the same techical knowledge. What was common in all 4 workshops is that the boss is always the leader with most ideas(that's good), other innovative people from past are followers, but some of participants haven't contribute at all. I reach some of them, with showing the benefits of ideas to indivudual(incentives+glory). Important is to notify about successful ideas from their department from near past.
The most successful group was the one that wanted to reach the big number of ideas, with no time-limit to their workshop. And they really did it! First the target was to have at least 14 ideas(from 7 participants) what was pushed from their boss, but they didn't stop until they reach 24 ideas. And they had the high quality of their ideas!
Concusion is that the commitment of the management + successful examples from the past + showing incentives, can lead to generation of big number of ideas. It's also essential to be active in such workshops and don't let the group to be silent. Innovation process should be explained before brainstorming, so that participants know in which program they can submit their idea.
Most important is to not let them forget about their ideas after workshop with at least sending reminder mails.

the myths of innovation

I saw an interesting article on IdeaConnection. An Interview with Scott Berkun, author of the book: The Myths of Innovation.
Here is the set of Myths:
1.The myth of epiphany -- there is no eureka moment, ideas never stand alone
2. We understand the history of innovation -- we have simplified legends
3. There is a method for innovation -- there are infinite paths to innovation
4. People love new ideas -- most people fear change
5. The lone inventor -- all innovation is bound to what came before
6. Good ideas are hard to find -- humans are built for creative thinking
7. Your boss knows more about innovation than you -- just because the boss has power doesn’t mean he knows everything
8. The best ideas win -- not always
9. Problems and solutions -- problem finding and framing are more important
10. Innovation is always good -- all innovations combine good and bad effectsResilience. Talent is great, but a genius who gives up on a good idea isn’t as valuable as a less talented person who sticks it out."

Great set of thoughts which can be added as the quick guide to innovation, or "Quick way to learn about ideas":)
Read the interview

google office in zuerich

It's really important to have innovative climate inside the company. This can be ensured with the long management routines, but one of the ways is also to have innovative atmosphere like in this office. After seeing this pictures, everyone wants to work in that office.

link

super tower in london

In recent times I se more and new architectual wonders that will be build in next years. Both these big buildings are always part of the projects in South-East Asia, or Dubai. This time the location is Europe - London. A big tower that will change the landscape of English metropolis. This buidling will provide space for 100.000 people. That's almost the population of my home town :) Innovation that lies in-here is the idea who to provide the space for town expansion without touching it's historical parts.
Link

the future in dubai

I share a link to a great web-site which features the newest project in Dubai, which is becoming the architectual capital of the world. Dubai is said to be home to 15% to 25% of the world's 125,000 construction cranes, and the this is now the end. The newest "wonder" is the resort city elevated 300 metres above Dubai - 'The Cloud'. My favorite is 'da vinci rotating tower' the 250 meter tower which can rotate freely each floor allowing the building to shift its shape. Wind turbines situated between each floor, will allow the building to produce energy.

Check the site

european innovation scoreboard 2008 - 2 part

Once more I will look back to european innovation scoreboard, in the picture you can see the groups of countries depending of their innovation index and the percentage of change in relation to last 4 years.

one laptop per child

I was on technology summit last week, where the main speaker was a well-known futurist Nicholas Negroponte. He presented his non-profit project "One laptop per child". It's a good way to see how technology is becoming cheaper, which allows this kind of projects. Hopefully, this year their laptop could be selled for 100$. This could give (better)education to millions of school children around the world.
This is really good example how technology could impact society. I saw the laptop :) It is small and pretty - just like the one that children would like. As far as I've seen, the sofware (operating system) looks simple and easy-to-use.