Live from Front End of Innovation 2012: Shauna Brummet on Innovation Across Business, Academia, and Community

One of the major challenges facing innovation today is the integration of stakeholders across business, academia, and the general population. Yet, there are a few strategies that can help link people from such disparate areas.

Critically, it is necessary to understand and articulate what is needed, what is possible, and the path to market. It is a process that starts with idea generation and proceeds to rapid evaluation and prototype development that is specifically aimed at commercialization.

There are four key aspects to the process:

• Identify market needs
• Develop innovative solutions
• Commercialize new technologies
• Create companies and jobs

There are several keys to implementing this successfully:

• Utilize best practices -- build on success
• Create deep relationships with both private and public sector stakeholders, and provide bottom-line value to client companies
• Maintain high energy engagement of stakeholders (develop success stories)
• Execution! Get things done and work at the speed of business.

Orin C. Davis is the first person to earn a doctorate in positive psychology. His research focuses on flow, creativity, hypnosis, and mentoring, and it spans both the workplace and daily life. He is the principal investigator of the Quality of Life Laboratory and a freelance consultant who helps companies maximize their human capital and become better places to work.