instructor Hood's Key Ideas from Do Bigger Things
by Dan McClure, Jennifer Wilde

Start-ups, nonprofits, and large companies assemble real-world “Lego blocks” — people, organizations, and technology — into cohesive ecosystems. The innovation lies in the unique way these entities combine blocks, not in the individual blocks themselves.

“No invention is an island. To succeed, individual inventions must be part of an ecosystem of people, organizations, and technology.”

The ability of ecosystems such as Airbnb to grow rests on these sources of power:

1. “Lots of building blocks” — Whether it’s people learning new skills, assets being underused, or innovative technologies being developed, more building blocks exist now than at any other time in history.
2. “Built-in motivations” — Different motivations and rewards drive people and organizations. Ecosystems leverage this difference to create win-win situations that incentivize everyone to participate, which fuels continued growth.

3- “Rule-breaking” — The ability of ecosystems to break or change rules ethically and legally helps them circumvent industry constraints and barriers. 

4- “Magical synergies” — Ecosystems combine individual innovations into a powerful system, causing synergies between disparate parts to emerge and create new value and growth. 

5- “Adaptive flexibility” — Unlike conventional businesses with rigid rules, ecosystems easily adapt to new challenges by adding or subtracting blocks and connections.

The innovation choreographer is an emerging role. Though essential, they lack recognition, as UX designers did in the early years of online business. Innovation choreographers connect people, organizations, and technologies to achieve sweeping goals. They bring talented people together to turn ambitious visions into reality. Innovation choreographers are usually generalists who understand the big picture of a given challenge, cut across boundaries, strategically break the rules, solve problems adaptively, and tell stories that galvanize support.

“We deserve work worthy of our talent.”

• Building complete solutions — They arrange the Legos functionally by seeing the big picture of the ecosystem, understanding that connections — not individual components — create the most value, and ensuring that no key pieces are missing.
• Rewarding everyone — They give individuals and organizations tailored rewards that match their unique motivations to generate win-win outcomes that benefit everyone.
• Creatively adapting to uncertainty — They take creative action despite uncertainties.

Commence ecosystem innovation by setting an ambitious goal that inspires a diverse range of individuals and organizations to work together. For example, in 1961, President John F. Kennedy set the goal of landing a man on the moon by the end of that decade. This aspiration inspired coordinated action from Congress, NASA scientists, and the American public, leading to Neil Armstrong setting foot on the lunar surface in 1969.

“Being able to shape the future also makes us responsible for the future we create.”

“A big view of the current ecosystem — the area you care about — allows you to better explore the real-world messiness that underlies challenges.”

To craft a bold future vision, start by considering current trends, ideas from other fields, underutilized people and resources, innovative technology, and “unmet needs.” Map out the Lego blocks and connections of your future ecosystem, as you did with your current ecosystem. Test your ecosystem for completeness by seeking out the components that might prevent it from working in the real world.

“Remember the trifecta — aim for something that is practical, ambitious, and creates significant value.”

“How do you get from the way the world looks today to the ecosystem you want to create for the future?”

Embrace the “act-learn-adapt cycle” to manage risks in an unpredictable world. 

Build flexibility into your design so you can pivot or make changes. Use “modular blocks” that you can quickly assemble, reuse, and rearrange. 

Measure your “success, progress, and performance.” Success is whether your ecosystem works well and creates value for all participants; progress measures how well you move through your thin slices; and performance considers whether your team is efficient and productive.