Hey, thanks for wanting to read our book! This was the first time either of us had attempted writing at this scale. On the one hand, we’re thrilled with the impact the book has had, and the positive feedback we’ve gotten from innovation colleagues and newcomers alike.
On the other hand, re-reading the text recently revealed some rough spots. We know we need to polish the text, address some dated examples, and smooth out our two voices. We’ve also learned a lot from colleagues, clients, and users in the intervening half-decade, and our knowledge of the process and practices of innovation has deepened–as has (we hope!) our ability to clearly articulate it. Sharing this content with you here is part of a healthy process of iteration. So, for each chapter, we’ll start out with our assessment what we think is working—and where we particularly want your help. Of course, everything is fair game, but hopefully this commentary will let you know where our focus is.
What seems to be working
- We deliberately chose a conversational and friendly tone—the way we’d explain innovation to a friend. We hope it feels accessible and natural, but you tell us: as we revise and smooth out the writing, how should we adjust it? Are there any models that you’d suggest we look at?
- We think the overall Naked Innovation model—the 13 boxes and circles—accurately represents the process and thinking behind the approach. But see below, because we could also envision a different structure.
Areas that need work and feedback
- The overall organization of the book could be put into some simpler, larger categories. Several other innovation models we’ve looked at use three or four broad phases, which can be subdivided. Would that make it easier to follow along or is the process as outlined clear?
- Is there anything you see that we’ve missed including? The purpose of the book being a primer requires us to be broad, not deep. But, have we missed any key concepts we should introduce at the table of contents level?