The Ten Faces of Innovation: A Summary

Introduction
“The Ten Faces of Innovation,” written by Tom Kelley with Jonathan Littman, is a seminal work on fostering creativity and driving groundbreaking innovations within an organization. Kelley, a partner at the renowned design consulting firm IDEO, categorizes ten distinct roles or personas that team members can embody to cultivate a culture of innovation. Each role is coupled with real-world examples and actionable strategies to help organizations unlock their innovative potential. This summary delves into these personas, illustrating them with concrete examples from the book and specifying actionable steps for implementation.

1. The Anthropologist

Description and Example:
The Anthropologist is someone who ventures into the field, observing human behaviors and gathering insights that are not immediately apparent. They look beyond the surface to understand deeper user needs.

Example:
IDEO conducted a study of teenage girls to design new products for Zyliss, a kitchenware company. By observing how these girls used various kitchen tools, they could identify pain points and create more user-friendly designs.

Actionable Step:
Spend time in the environment of your target users without preconceived notions. Take detailed notes and look for unmet needs or unarticulated frustrations. This might involve shadowing users for a day or conducting in-depth interviews.

2. The Experimenter

Description and Example:
The Experimenter continuously prototypes and tests new ideas, embracing the learning that comes from failures.

Example:
IDEO’s development of the first Apple mouse emphasized rapid prototyping and iterative testing. Each version of the mouse was tested extensively, with feedback loops informally integrated into the development process.

Actionable Step:
Adopt a “fail fast, fail often” mindset. Start with small-scale prototypes of your ideas and seek feedback quickly. Iterate based on this feedback and refine your concepts.

3. The Cross-Pollinator

Description and Example:
Cross-Pollinators bring in ideas and concepts from other disciplines and industries, applying them in innovative ways within their own field.

Example:
IDEO designed a heart defibrillator by drawing inspiration from panel interfaces on washing machines. This cross-pollination led to an intuitive, user-friendly device.

Actionable Step:
Expose yourself and your team to different industries and disciplines. Encourage employees to attend conferences outside their direct field, engage in cross-functional projects, and bring back any novel concepts to the team.

4. The Hurdler

Description and Example:
The Hurdler embraces constraints as a pathway to creativity, finding ways to surmount obstacles that impede progress.

Example:
When tasked with designing a low-cost blood glucose monitor for developing countries, one team member used local materials and simplified engineering to create an affordable and effective solution.

Actionable Step:
When confronted with a constraint, frame it as an opportunity. Encourage brainstorming sessions specifically focused on overcoming specific hurdles and incentivize creative problem-solving within the team.

5. The Collaborator

Description and Example:
The Collaborator values team synergy, building networks of trust and encouraging open communication to leverage collective creativity.

Example:
At IDEO, project rooms act as communal spaces where cross-disciplinary teams come together, share ideas, and collaborate on design challenges. This environment fosters creativity through collective input.

Actionable Step:
Create structures within your organization to support collaboration. This could be as simple as designated collaboration spaces or regular multi-disciplinary project reviews where team members can contribute diverse perspectives.

6. The Director

Description and Example:
The Director acts much like a movie director, guiding the vision and bringing out the best from the team by providing a clear narrative and structure.

Example:
The director of a medical device project used storyboards and narrative techniques to align the team on the patient’s journey, ensuring that everyone understood the end goal and their role in achieving it.

Actionable Step:
Craft compelling stories about your project’s objectives. Use storytelling to align your team on the vision, and regularly communicate how each person’s contribution fits into the overall narrative.

7. The Experience Architect

Description and Example:
The Experience Architect focuses on creating memorable and engaging user experiences, going beyond mere functionality.

Example:
IDEO redesigned the experience for Bank of America’s customers, focusing on creating a seamless and pleasant banking experience. They observed customer interactions and redesigned touchpoints to be more intuitive and enjoyable.

Actionable Step:
Map out your user journey and identify key touchpoints. Invest in understanding user emotions and feelings at each stage and design these touchpoints to evoke positive emotions and memorable experiences.

8. The Set Designer

Description and Example:
The Set Designer creates environments that support innovation and creativity.

Example:
IDEO’s office spaces are famously designed to be highly adaptable, with movable walls and furniture that can be reconfigured for different project needs. This flexibility encourages a dynamic and creative work atmosphere.

Actionable Step:
Refine and update your workspace to inspire creativity. Consider elements like lighting, colors, furniture flexibility, and spaces that facilitate both focused work and collaborative brainstorming sessions.

9. The Caregiver

Description and Example:
The Caregiver creates relationships and trust, tailoring products and services to fit individual customer needs deeply and empathetically.

Example:
The development of Stanford Hospital’s pediatric unit included designing from the perspective of the children and their families, making the environment less intimidating and more comforting.

Actionable Step:
Spend time interacting with your end-users to understand their emotional and psychological needs. Focus on empathetic design principles to create solutions that truly resonate with and support those you serve.

10. The Storyteller

Description and Example:
The Storyteller conveys company values, challenges, and triumphs through compelling narratives that resonate with both internal and external audiences.

Example:
IDEO’s work culture often involves sharing stories of successful and challenging projects alike, which fosters a culture of learning and inspiration. These stories are used to teach and motivate their team.

Actionable Step:
Develop a repository of stories that highlight key moments or successes within your projects. Regularly share these stories through internal newsletters, meetings, or social media to build a cohesive narrative around your company’s culture and mission.

Conclusion
“The Ten Faces of Innovation” by Tom Kelley and Jonathan Littman provides a comprehensive guide for fostering creativity and innovation through diverse roles within an organization. By employing these personas, companies can harness the collective strengths of their teams to solve complex problems and deliver groundbreaking products and services. Through concrete examples from IDEO and other innovative companies, the book illustrates the real-world applicability of these roles, making it a vital resource for anyone involved in design thinking or product development. Embracing these roles within your team can help transform the way you approach innovation, making it a deeply integrated part of your organizational culture.