HKPC x MIT HK Innovation Node Seminar on “The Iterative Innovation Process”

I had joined the seminar named “The Iterative Innovation Process” co-organized by HKPC and MIT Hong Kong Innovation Node on 27^th Mar 2019.  I recognized Prof. Eugene A. Fitzgerald who is the Merton C. Flemings SMA Professor of Material Engineering at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and also CEO & Director of the Singapore-MIT Alliance for Research and Technology (SMART).  He is a founding lecturer in MIT’s new Innovation and Entrepreneurship Minor, and served on the MIT President’s Committee for the Innovation Initiative, as well as, the President’s Committee on the Future of MIT Education.

In the beginning, Prof. Eugene A. Fitzgerald briefed their objectives and topics to be discussed.  He said “You cannot perform innovation in an hour since innovation process takes years (incremental) to decades (fundamental).”  He also introduced his book named “Inside Real Innovation” and planning for the second edition. Prof. Fitzgerald asked “Why should people care about Innovation?” It is because of Growth or Death problem. (Lotto remark: Quality is a matter of Life or Death. So Innovation is a matter of Growth or Death.)

The Prof. Fitzgerald used a figure “Feeling the Elephant” to explain different people had different meaning of innovation.  He said it was not just invention or science or entrepreneurship.  His definition of innovation is “Useful embodiments of ideas in the marketplace”. It is a basic human process that delivers value in the market place.  He also added innovation efficiency was not equal to operational efficiency.

Then he introduced the basic elements of innovation that included Market Application (M), Technology (T) and Implementation (I).  In real world, there are uncertainty in each element that is non-linear process.  

Flexible boundaries needed for M-I-T said by Prof. Eugene A. Fitzgerald.  Iterative Innovation Model was demonstrated as following diagram from fundamental innovation to incremental innovation.  He said that the “Aha moment” in fundamental innovation needed average time ~10 to 15 years but it create value over decades.

Finally, Prof. Fitzgerald compared Innovation Efficiency and Operational Efficiency in the following diagram.  Operation Efficiency is linear and Answer-Driven; where Innovation Efficiency is non-linear and Question-Driven.  

At the end, he introduced that Singapore-MIT Alliance for Research and Technology (SMART) could help your organization innovation through train people about innovation process, lead innovation project and accommodating innovation process.

Hopefully, M-I-T Iterative Innovation Process could enhance Hong Kong Innovation Ecosystem. Before Prof. Eugene A. Fitzgerald left, I introduced Hong Kong Society for Quality and the China original innovation method named “Extenics” to him. I expected to bring western Innovation idea to mainland China (eastern), and vice versa.

Reference:

Singapore-MIT Alliance for Research and Technology (SMART) - https://smart.mit.edu/

Prof. Eugene Fitzgerald - https://smart.mit.edu/news-events/news/eugene-a-fitzgerald-appointed-smart-ceo--director-

https://www.asianscientist.com/2019/02/features/asias-scientific-trailblazers-eugene-fitzgerald/

MIT HK Innovation Node - https://hkinnovationnode.mit.edu/

20180709: Experience Sharing by ASTRI on implementation of ISO 9001 for R&D Company and visit to Smart City Innovation Centre - https://qualityalchemist.blogspot.com/2018/07/experience-sharing-by-astri-on.html

20181022: Visit to MIT Hong Kong Innovation Node - https://qualityalchemist.blogspot.com/2018/10/visit-to-mit-hong-kong-innovation-node.html