Why the front end of innovation is different

Innovation isn't just about improving upon existing products and services, it's also about discovering new needs, learning about emerging markets and customer segments, and thinking deeply about what it all means. While many companies excel at the latter, they often neglect the former, focusing too much on established frameworks and past success. However, innovation requires more than just expertise in a particular area – it requires a willingness to explore the unknown and an openness to discovery. One of the reasons why innovation is so difficult to achieve is that it requires a different approach than what most businesses are used to. The Front End of innovation – the process of discovering, learning, and analyzing – is often neglected in favor of idea generation, which skips the truly important steps. However, only by committing more resources to discovery, learning, and analysis can organizations hope to create truly new and innovative products and services.