Innovation is a word that gets used too often these days. Events for Agile teams called “innovation sprints” imply a process of iterations, collecting feedback on older versions to improve the next phase of the project, culminating in with a better-than-ever-before product.
But a fixation on what it means to be innovative can ultimately hinder creativity. There’s a preconception that not everyone can be innovative, or those who don’t innovative are doomed to fail. These ideas can cause a block in creativity and stop a team from reaching their true potential.
“Thinking outside the box” only works when the exact parameters of whatever constitutes said box are concrete. However, such an abstract platitude is ultimately meaningless in motivating a team. Instead, think of “unfolding the box;” figure out your team’s skills and ideas, then work with each other to progress beyond the original idea through imaginative and co-operative means.
Innovation is rarely if ever the result of careful planning, but a happy accident that strikes when the moment is right, as a result of previous experience and connections. Innovation can’t be forced, only brought closer through experimentation.
So instead of seeing innovation as the end goal, consider it a naturally occurring by-product of your team’s efforts paying off after successfully adopting agile practices. Feel free to get in touch with Arvind at The Agile Works at arvind@theagileworks.com for more information.
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