PATHWAYS TO INGENUITY:
HOW IDEAS BECOME REALITY
STEP 1 Next
Know-How: Creative Building Blocks
Before a writer sits down at their desk, a pharmaceutical company launches a new line of research, or a singer enters the studio to record an album, they must first build out their bank of abilities — education, experience, talent recruitment, training, and capacity-building measures. Whether at the individual or the firm level, actionable innovation and creativity require know-how, the practical knowledge or skill to shape a good idea.
PATHWAYS TO INGENUITY:
HOW IDEAS BECOME REALITY
STEP 2 Next
Concept: Ideas to Action
(Pure Science/Pure Creativity)
With their up-front investment in expertise and capabilities made, a creator can move to the idea phase — focusing on a particular technical challenge or artistic endeavor with a vision for a specific end-product. During this stage, innovators and creators develop ideas and evaluate them against other ideas to gauge which ones are both achievable and worth pursuing.
PATHWAYS TO INGENUITY:
HOW IDEAS BECOME REALITY
STEP 3 Next
Version One and Beyond
(Applied Science and R&D/Creative Refinement)
Ideas rarely spring to life as fully developed and functional products. Research and development both are crucial to an idea’s ultimate success. A singer writes her song and tweaks the tune; an author outlines and drafts his novel; a drug manufacturer tests how a chemical or biologic compound interacts with human cells.
PATHWAYS TO INGENUITY:
HOW IDEAS BECOME REALITY
PATHWAYS TO INGENUITY:
HOW IDEAS BECOME REALITY
STEP 5
Commercialization: Making it to Market
It’s not enough to have a great, new product. Can it be produced and reach consumers and patients in a form that’s usable, affordable, and replicable — and provides the innovator or creator with a return on investment? The crucial commercialization stage is where innovation and creativity become real and sustainable.