Innovation-Ish - by Rich Braden & Tessa Forshaw (Hardcover)

About the Book

"Innovation-ish is not just another of the hundreds of books on innovation. As we say to our readers: it's innovation for you. It's the book that will give you back the confidence in your creativity that you lost after you were 9 years old. Innovation-ish peels back the mythmaking that has been saying that innovation is only for top-tier inventors or that innovators need to go to the right school or have the right credentials, or that breakthroughs have to be radical. We help our readers understand that they do have what it takes to innovate. The -ish in the title reflects the message that some of the best innovations are what many people would consider semi-innovations -- new angles on old ideas, new syntheses of others' first drafts. Innovations don't have to be breathtaking leaps."-- Provided by publisher.

Book Synopsis

In a World Where Problems are Everywhere, See Opportunity. Your Essential Guide to Everyday Innovation.

Innovation-ish: How Anyone Can Create Breakthrough Solutions to Real Problems in the Real World is your no-nonsense guide to unlocking your innate creativity. Expertly crafted by design strategist Richard Braden and cognitive scientist Tessa Forshaw, this book skips the fluff and dives straight into actionable strategies to ignite your innovative potential.

Shadow Rich and Tessa through their years of experience. Get behind the scenes access to classrooms, companies, and institutions alongside students and professionals, just like you. Hear stories of real people with real challenges and how they learn and discover innovative new solutions by unlocking their creative potential.

Innovation-ish shows you how to solve problems and generate solutions in a huge variety of personal and professional situations. It's a must-read for people at any stage of life and at any point on their innovation journey.

• If you're new to innovation, this new way of thinking about innovation gives you an easy way in and helps set you on the path.
• If you've been trying to innovate and haven't been successful, Innovation-ish explains why you've been struggling and how to turn your project around.
• If you're experiencing "imposter syndrome," Innovation-ish reassures you that you're in the right place and have what you need to do it.
• If you have been successful, Innovation-ish helps you amplify it.

They demystify the myths that surround innovation, reveal the six mindsets that underlie innovation, and show how the moves you make drive innovation forward. And they share the latest relevant cognitive science research in a compelling and digestible way - no degree required.

After years as design educators at Harvard and Stanford and consulting with clients around the world they have seen that anyone, regardless of their background, can be Innovation-ish. Packed with clear, actionable steps, it's the definitive guide for managers, executives, entrepreneurs, founders, and team leaders ready to turbocharge their organizations, projects, and careers.

With an Innovation-ish approach, you can solve problems and generate solutions to challenges in your personal life, a small business, a startup or in any department or function of any type of organization.

All you need is an open mind and small sense of adventure. Let's go!

From the Back Cover

Praise for innovation-ish

"Innovation is at the core of every successful business transformation, no matter the size of your problem or your company. If you're looking for a clear and data-driven approach to build your innovative skill set with confidence, you won't find a better book than Innovation-ish by Rich Braden and Tessa Forshaw."
--MARTIN LINDSTROM, New York Times bestselling author of Buyology and The Ministry of Common Sense

"Innovation-ish is an actionable playbook for every aspiring innovator. Whether you are a CEO, a startup founder, an executive, or a student, its frameworks will help you succeed because they capture how real people solve real problems."
--STEFANOS ZENIOS, Professor of Entrepreneurship and Faculty Director of the Center for Entrepreneurial Studies, Stanford Graduate School of Business

"Innovation is more than just a skill; it is essential for leadership, citizenship, and navigating the future. Braden and Forshaw draw on research and real-world experience to equip readers with accessible strategies for learning, leading, and adapting with purpose and vision. They skillfully blend fresh ideas and personal agency into a practical guide, making innovation accessible to everyone from students to policymakers. At a time when educational systems are navigating deep complexity, Innovation-ish offers a clear, grounded, and inspiring approach."
--NONIE K. LESAUX, Dean of the Harvard Graduate School of Education

Innovation-ish skips the vague theory and dives deep into concrete strategies to help you generate new ideas, overcome analysis paralysis, beat imposter syndrome, turn around stalled projects, and rediscover the confidence and creativity that already exists within you.

Rich and Tessa walk you through the six mindsets that underlie innovation, how taking small actions drive you forward with momentum, and why thoughtful reflection is critical to choosing the right next step. Along the way, they bust unproductive myths about innovation and prove that no matter your background, your experience and expertise are all you need to tackle tough challenges in creative and useful ways.

About the Author

RICH BRADEN is the founder and CEO of the San Francisco-based consulting firm, People Rocket. The company People Rocket partners with leaders and teams to innovate with confidence to drive clarity, effective execution, and strategic agility in complex, fast-changing environments. For the past 15 years he has been a design educator at universities around the world including Stanford University and Harvard University.

TESSA FORSHAW, PHD, is a cognitive scientist, senior researcher, and co-founder of the Next Level Lab at Harvard University. She teaches design thinking, creativity, and innovation at the Harvard Innovation Lab and Harvard University DCE. She also served on the Teaching Faculty at Stanford's design school for several years, and has worked in innovation consultancies across the world.