Building Your MIS – Minimum Innovation Strategy

Successful innovation in large companies is hard. It is easy to make things complex.
We think it is better to keep things simple. Welcome to MIS, your Minimum Innovation Strategy.

Join our experiment and put the MIS to action.

Make the complex simple; like really, really simple

You have probably seen the same thing; innovation is very, very hard. It’s complicated. Complex. Open to misunderstandings and interpretations. It does not get the resources nor commitments. There is often a lack of shared understanding and shared language. It is difficult.

We have spent a lot of time working, thinking and sketching; how can we help make it simpler? How can we help large companies develop a better way, a simpler way, a minimum way?

The answer, for now, is MIS – develop a Minimum Innovation Strategy. We aim to make the complex simple. Very simple.

Building better strategy tools – and booklets to guide you

We build tools that create impact. An important part of that mission is helping users understand how to use and some best practices around using the Strategy Tools. We are now developing a series of videos, How-To guides and aids to help you put Strategy Tools to work.

For MIS, we have created a pilot How-To Guide, and hope this can help you put the Minimum Innovation Strategy to work in your own organization.

An Invitation (or really, we need your help!)

We are still building and developing the concept of MIS. We have seen it in action. We have seen the impact. But we have not seen or heard your experiences yet. So, we have a challenge or invitation for you (depending on how you see it).

Put the MIS to the test in your organization.

Post your feedback, learning and reflection on our blog, and get a 30 minute 1:1 skype session with strategy & transformation expert and Designer of Strategy Tools, Christian Rangen. Are you up for it?

How to Start

1. PRINT
Print the MIS Canvas (that’s our word for the tool) on a suitable format paper or PVC. We recommend 120 x 90cm, or even 200 x 150cm for groups.  3 – 5 people per group is good. More than six participants and the input and engagement drops. Anyway, print it.

2. INVITE
Invite some colleagues, co-workers or even top management to an informal workshop session (heck, you can even do this during lunch breaks).

3. RUN WORKSHOP
Set up and run a rapid workshop on the MIS in action, for your own organization. We suggest giving a 5-10 minute introduction to the tool itself. More time should not be needed.

4. ACTIVATE
Activate the group(s), get them working on the tool. Get them talking & writing as much and as fast as possible. If all they do is talk, just give them more pens. Ideally, each group should be getting hands on, working on the tool, not just talking to it.

5. SNAP
Snap some high-energy photos. Feel free to post them on social media using #strategytools

6. WORK
Have the groups work 20 – 25 minutes on the tool, depending on the size and maturity. It might be a good idea to have a timer, counting down, to make sure everyone is on the same timetable.

7. REFLECT
Once done, have each group or group member (depending on size of the group) reflect on three questions:

1. What does the MIS tell us about our current innovation strategy? (if there even is one)?
2. What was the most interesting/revealing/enlightening/annoying/fascinating part of the process? (pick your own words)
3. Based on the output; what should we do next?

8. FOLLOW-UP & EXECUTE
Make stuff happen. Try implementing small, incremental changes fast. Run experiments.

9. FEEDBACK
Write a very brief summary of your observations working with the MIS in your own organization.

What happened? What worked well? How did the group take the tool? What was the key success factor in your intro? What was the one thing the group stumbled on? What was the absolute highlight of the process?

Post your feedback in the discussion field of this post, either on our website or Linkedin article. Feel free to include some pictures.

10. DEBRIEF TOGETHER
Let’s set up a 30 minute 1:1 Skype call to go through your MIS workshop. Let’s debrief together and help us understand what worked well and what could be changed at your end.

We would genuinely love to talk with you and hear your experiences in putting the Minimum Innovation Strategy to work.

Click to schedule a call now.

Sincerely,

Chris & the team at Engage // Innovate and Strategy Tools.