Innovation
Innovation is often presented as a polished, structured process — but I’ve noticed that in reality, it’s usually messy, unpredictable, and full of contradictions.
Sometimes it’s resourceful.
Sometimes it’s wasteful.
Sometimes it’s a burst of energy with no clear result.
But all of it is part of the process.
I’ve come to see innovation not as a straight line, but more like a spiral — looping through trial, failure, learning, and rethinking. Even when it looks chaotic, there are still patterns worth noticing.
After reading and listening to others who work with innovation, I’ve found that most people agree on one thing: there is a right answer to what innovation is. It’s not just something you can make up.
I find it helpful to break it down into a simple formula:
Innovation = Value × Idea
An idea without value is noise.
Value without a new idea is just repetition.
But when the two meet — that’s where real innovation can happen.
There’s nothing wrong with an idea on its own. And there’s nothing wrong with pursuing value — that’s called business.
But to truly call something innovation, those two must come together.
What I Look For
- Friction or frustration — where people are stuck
- Signals — things people already do that could be made better
- Ideas that can be prototyped, tested, and shared
Innovation doesn’t have to be clean. But it does need to be honest — grounded in real needs, not just hype or trends.
Especially in education and community work, innovation has to be human, useful, and shareable — even if it starts out as a mess.
Notable Mentions
People who’ve influenced how I think about innovation through their work and writing:
- John Besat
- Emilio Bellini, PhD