WisconsInnovation

Fonera Fon is a hotspot router that allows people to share their internet connection in exchange for free WiFi at locations across the world -- but there's more. By sharing your connection you can make money; the more people that join your network, the more money you make. Here's a video if you want to learn more. It is a pretty interesting concept. I am a huge supporter of free global wifi, as I'm sure many of you are. It seems through various blogs people are indeed making money using the Fon Router.

While writing our final research paper for another class this week, my group members and I decided to use an application called "Dropbox" to share files and edit our paper. Dropbox allows users to "drop" any file or document into a designated folder that is then synced with Dropbox's internet service and to any other of the user's computers/devises. These files can also be shared with other users who have Dropbox, and are invited to join a "folder."

In class we have talked a lot about 3D printers and have experienced one first-hand. More and more, 3D Printers in the last few years have materialized in the marketplace, and consequently prices have dropped. Along with this desktop manufacturing revolution, the software that goes along with such a machine is beginning to prosper as well. An example of 3D printing software is from a company called Autodesk. Here is an article from The New York Times concerning Autodesk and some of its software, as well as its announcement to offer its consumer software free of charge to bolster awareness and hopefully improve the software itself.

While we are still in the midst of our class presentations, I thought our class would enjoy this TED Talk on using Dance to convey a message instead of using PowerPoint. This is certainly an innovative presentation itself, but the idea is even more remarkable. The speaker (John Bohannon) claims that by using PowerPoint, we are distracted by pictures and reading words on a slide and never fully understand the message. Do you think dance can convey any idea, or does it have limits? When watching the video, do you find the dancers just as distracting as a PowerPoint? Read some of the comments to get an idea of what other experts (dancers, scientists, etc.) think!

This article does a good job of outlining how Lego struggled with the notion of opening up its innovation model and listening to its adult customers. Similar to Microsoft and hackers of the Kinect, Lego had to decide, "Do we sue them or embrace it," when faced with hackers of their Mindstorms products. Ultimately Lego embraced user innovation and saved their company. This article also discusses how adults have left high paying jobs to become "Lego Ambassadors" or Lego artists and make their own designs.

I recommend watching this video interview by host Erik Michielsen of CaptureYourFlag.com. It's interesting to hear Mike talk about his battles with larger B2C companies about engagement with social media for innovation and how they have changed their perspective. Two years ago, they were thinking that social media was a flyby tactic. Now they have changed their minds and are using more avenues to integrate into the entire product cycle.
Today, in working within the B2B space and with many manufacturers who have technical products, the same story resurfaces.

What they say is, "It's a waste of time and resources. It's an incredible time sink. That is our intellectual property we might be sharing. " Ironically, in the same breath those same companies tell me that they rely on word-of-mouth, referrals, and relationships to get the work they do. Strange that the statistics show that 90% of B2B executives refer to online networks for recommendations of companies and products to work with.

What is your experience?

This article discusses how Tumblr, a blogger website, allowed their users to sign up and receive phone calls from company employees who informed the users on various talking points of the Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA). Afterwards, the users were connected to their U.S. representatives to voice their opinion on the act. SOPA, if passed, has the potential to severely limit the amount and type of information Tumblr, and other websites such as Youtube and Reddit, would be allowed to post on their site. This move by Tumblr to employ users to fight this act rather than typical corporate lobbying is an innovative approach utilizing customer collaboration.

Can you think of examples of innovation we have discussed in class that could have been improved or weakened based on the environmental elements of the context?

In one of my classes, The Management of Teams (MHR 401), we are discussing creativity in teams. One of the most important factors for accomplishing effective creativity is the environment in which teams operate. Although it is not a new concept for firms to be interested in innovation, growth, and high performance, many companies are beginning to go about such success in a different manner: collaboration. Regardless of the individuals, resources, and tasks, it is difficult to effectively and efficiently collaborate without a supportive environment.

In New Product Development, we frequently discuss examples of innovation that may seem a bit out of our reach at the moment, but collaboration within the business environment is something that should be of interest to everyone with previous work experience or in the midst of a job search. If you're interested in learning more about different tactics companies are using to generate teamwork and collaboration in the business environment, check out "Wikinomics: How mass collaboration changes everything" (http://www.wikinomics.com/book/).