Business Growth Masterclass 4 - "Structured Innovation"
Dennis Langley and Peter Lewis
Businesses must generate ideas for new or improved products, processes or services. The Structured Innovation process means that a consistent methodology is applied to finding ideas, selecting ideas and developing an action plan geared to the strategic objectives of the company.
Breakthrough ideas, disruptive technologies, discontinuous change, are essential to meet new business challenges and these are the very elements that the Structured Innovation process will identify.
The KTI approach contrasts with other forms of innovation which are often random, intuitive and based on 'eureka moments'. Of course these results are valid but do not benefit from all involved having a deep understanding of how and why seemingly fantastic ideas have emerged. Businesses claim to be 'innovative' without necessarily appreciating the structure of the innovation process.
Assessment tools and support measures are used to ensure, as far as possible, that the best ideas are taken into the product or service development lifecycle and then on to full commercialisation.
A clear Idea Journey Framework is followed that provides the structure to the journey while allowing freedom through creative thinking techniques that are introduced and put into practice. KTI's Structured Innovation process, used to great effect with numerous North West SMEs, enables businesses to develop their good ideas and is a tool that can be used again and again within businesses.
Dennis Langley
Dennis joined KTI in 2003 and led the development of the Structured Innovation methodology now being used to help businesses grow.
Dennis is an experienced Project Manager in the fields of innovation, technology transfer and business support services. His background is in Manufacturing Engineering in small sub-contracting companies and large multinationals. He has been responsible for new product introduction in a career spanning aero-engine fuel systems, office photocopiers and central heating boilers. He has occupied an Industrial Liaison role in Higher Education and was also the General Manager of a publicly funded networking organisation. While at Rank Xerox he was seconded to Xerox Corporation in the USA for two years to approve designs for suitability and economy of manufacture in Europe.
He was responsible for successfully delivering the EC funded Innovation Relay Centre in the North West of England 2000-2002.
Dennis was the UK representative in a consortium employed by the European Commission Enterprise Directorate, PAXIS programme to identify best practice and extract policy lessons in Entrepreneurial Start-up Support measures.
Dennis is MD of Knowledge Transfer International Ltd.
Peter Lewis
Peter played a key role in the development of the KTI Structured Innovation approach as an Associate of KTI.
Formerly Head of Electromagnetic Compatibility (EMC), University of Salford, Peter is a Chartered Engineer and Physicist; he specialises in innovation and the legal and engineering aspects of European Directives. His skills centre on innovation, technology management and transfer.
Peter developed collaboration between universities and industry, working with multi-nationals and SMEs. He teaches Structured Innovation and structured decision making, applying these methods to problem-solving in science and industry.
