Service Expertise

After two decades collaborating with innovation groups, with R&D, design, marketing, sales, and strategy functions - with start-ups and global consumer and healthcare brands - we've seen a pattern in why innovation initiatives often get locked up; why the mid-term 'funnel' isn't full; and why gaps emerge between aspiration and execution.
 

And, of course, it’s not that businesses lack talent, resources, or bright ideas. Instead, breakthrough innovation gets stuck because of systemic issues. Common roadblocks include:

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• Lack of time and/or approval to explore beyond-core opportunities

• Communication challenges across functions

• Perceived tensions between R&D and Commercial timeframes and priorities

• Aspirations constrained by the historic folio, brand architectures, and the current competitive environment

• Incremental NPD Gate processes and mindset that crushes breakthrough ambitions

• Uncertainty over how to build agile, people-centred practices into workflow

• Challenges translating primary insight into strategy and product specification

• Limited time for multi-horizon and strategic foresight activity

• Low tolerance for the investment and perceived risk associated with exploratory innovation

 

If some of these sound familiar, an independently facilitated activity could help catalyse progress.

Together, we are The Unlock™