The Human Side of Innovation

A human-centered approach to business mirrors the logic of “design thinking”: Design thinking focuses on the experience of the human being using the product. When creating new products, designers balance the three pillars of innovation:

1. Human beings, or the product’s desirability for t...

To achieve excellence, firms must stop thinking of their customers as consumers. Thinking of customers as users helps innovators focus on creating functional value for them. Going a step further and viewing them as human beings emphasizes users’ happiness. Rather than seeing good products solely ...

How do designers respond to these 3 criteria? They use design thinking. Design thinking activities:

• “Empathy” – The designer gets into the heads of users to find out what is relevant to them.
• “Strategy” – A designer must find out if an idea is ...

Kickstarter, and crowdfunding in general, are examples of one of four fundamental changes occurring within the business realm:

1. Easier access to capital via crowdfunding and venture funding for start-ups.
2. High-performance and efficient manufacturing.
3. Direct-to-consumer s...

They are kind and trustworthy.

-They love diversity –

-They encourage dialogue –

-They are respectful – 

-They know how to tell a story –

-They are good mentors –

-They have a sense of fun –