The Rhythm of Innovation

We are frequently asked if project management techniques are the same for innovations as for other, more tactical projects. The answer is both yes and no.

Yes, you need to break the project down into the pieces and determine when each piece can or will be done. Yes, you need to assign the work to specific people with specific deadlines and reporting processes. Yes, you need to measure your progress and determine if there are slippages and what is causing them.

What innovation requires, and perhaps standard projects could also benefit from, is a continuing shift of focus between the details and the big picture. We call this the “rhythm of innovation.” 

When we are executing projects we are focusing on the details required to implement things. This detailed view of our work is similar to driving your car on a crowded freeway. You bob and weave, looking for opportunities to make your move and get where you want to go, as fast as possible. If you could get in a helicopter, above the highway, you would be able to see the traffic problems more clearly and the decisions you made about how to move ahead might be drastically different. And so in innovation you must continually move between the car and the helicopter. Doing the work and bobbing and weaving but periodically reviewing the purpose and gaining some altitude to determine if you are missing anything.

Innovative projects are more likely to need to be adjusted. Try getting in the helicopter and you might be surprised how much more clearly you can see what needs to be done next.