Q: What is innovation?
A common definition of innovation is "introducing something new" or "coming up with the next big idea." The Innovator's Toolkit defines innovation as "the act of generating more value for the customer and the business by fulfilling a Job To Be Done (JTBD) better than anyone else." A Job To Be Done is the purpose for which a customer will buy your products or services. If you can fulfill this JTBD better than your competitors at a lower cost, with no harmful side effects, then you win market share. It's as simple as that.

Q: I've heard so many platitudes about innovation, but how does one actually do it?
Predictable and sustainable innovation is possible when you approach it systematically, using proven tools and techniques.
The Innovator's Toolkit presents a four-step roadmap for innovation, and integrates more than 50 tools and techniques into this roadmap. By learning and applying the D4 innovation methodology, and the techniques described in the book, your company can make innovation a true growth strategy.

Q: I work for a company that is deploying an innovation program, and I need a lot of people to learn the same material quickly, well and consistently. Further, I need a tool reference book that mirrors and integrates seamlessly with our existing improvement program.
The Innovator's Toolkit presents innovation tools in a simple, understandable and consistent way that enables users to understand why, when and how to apply each tool. As such, it can readily be used as a companion for BMGI's innovation training courses, or as a supplement to Lean Six Sigma or other performance excellence programs.

Q: How do innovation techniques fit with the other tools in my toolbox, and how can I use them together to create competitive advantage?
The D4 methodology, as presented in The Innovator's Toolkit, integrates traditional creativity techniques with tools from the domains of Lean, Six Sigma and Design for Six Sigma. This is in line with the clear trend amongst the base of improvement leaders and practitioners to expand their capabilities into the innovation field.

Q: I need to run lean, mean operations, but I also need to invent the future.
The Innovator's Toolkit empowers large-scale, organizational change by practically addressing the need for businesses to be "ambidextrous." As many successful businesses have come to realize, the key to organic growth is to be good at both present doing (operational improvement) and future thinking (innovation). With The Complete Idiot's Guide to Lean Six Sigma, BMGI provides a roadmap for operational improvement. Now, with The Innovator's Toolkit, we offer a plan for innovation based on the experience and expertise of more than 30 BMGI Master Consultants.

Q: How is this book different than other innovation and creativity books on the market?
Many books on innovation fall into one of two categories: creativity enhancing books that aim to increase the output of ideation sessions, and strategic innovation books that contain high-level frameworks, but not specific roadmaps or tools. The Innovator's Toolkit is the only book we have seen that fuses innovation tools and techniques with organizational innovation. Without this fusion of ideals, the reader gains only tool knowledge but not contextual intelligence (or vice versa).