Posts by Kate Hammer
Uncomfortable: Getting Real about Workplace Change
You’re dressed in the clothes you wore as a 14-year old: wrists exposed by sleeves too short, and too narrow to bend properly at the elbow. Shoulders squeezed, waist cinched. Would you find that uncomfortable? You’re on a crowded bus, moving at speed along a road pitted by potholes. Only your grip of the suspended plastic strap keeps you from…
Read MoreOpening Data to Innovation: stories, takeaways and twists
There’s lot of discussion now about “big data” and “open data”. I’ve hunted stories from Britain and Japan that fall into three groups: using patterns in visitor behaviour to redesign their experience; using social data and peer benchmarking to help individuals; and using crowdfunding to measure demand for innovative new products. Distilling takeaways and twists on each set of stories, I suggest four principles for working with data that relate to curiosity, empathy and generosity.
Read MoreInnovation and Aristotle's Ethics
Could Aristotle’s framework for ethics offer us insights for how to catalyze innovation? Two concepts from the ancient Greek philosopher seem immediately relevant: the idea of practical action as a means for cultivating character, and the notion of achieving excellence through balance. Each is explored, with examples.
Read MoreInnovation and the Art of Recognizing Hidden Criteria
When we propose a novel concept that disrupts cherished assumptions and tacit expectations, we need to expect hidden criteria to surface. Hidden criteria are the crutches decision-makers lean on as they attempt to block something truly disruptive because it is frightening or de-stabilizing.
Read MoreA Christmas Carol as a Parable for Innovation
This year, finally, it strikes me that A Christmas Carol is a parable for the plight of innovation within organizations.
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