Most companies today have innovation envy. They yearn to come up with
a game--changing innovation like Apple's iPod, or create an entirely new
category like Facebook. Many make genuine efforts to be innovative--they
spend on R&D, bring in creative designers, hire innovation consultants.
But they get disappointing results.
Why? In The Design of Business, Roger Martin offers a compelling and
provocative answer: we rely far too exclusively on analytical thinking,
which merely refines current knowledge, producing small improvements to
the status quo.
To innovate and win, companies need design thinking. This form of
thinking is rooted in how knowledge advances from one stage to
another--from mystery (something we can't explain) to heuristic (a rule
of thumb that guides us toward solution) to algorithm (a predictable
formula for producing an answer) to code (when the formula becomes so
predictable it can be fully automated). As knowledge advances across the
stages, productivity grows and costs drop-creating massive value for
companies.
Martin shows how leading companies such as Procter & Gamble, Cirque du
Soleil, RIM, and others use design thinking to push knowledge through
the stages in ways that produce breakthrough innovations and competitive
advantage.
Filled with deep insights and fresh perspectives, The Design of
Business reveals the true foundation of successful, profitable
innovation.
