How Ideas Are Born: Graphic Designers on Creative Processes

Return on Ideas is a practical guide to getting more from the resources you put into your innovation process. David Nichols clearly shows why current innovation funnel models stifle rather than encourage new ideas, and offers a new methodology, ‘rocketing’, to tackle the problem. The first book to look in detail at innovation as a business-driving imperative, Return on Ideas provides the tools, techniques and processes to actually upgrade the way you tackle innovation, illustrated with examples from innovative companies such as Yo! Sushi, Apple, Vodafone, Unilever, P&G, Danone, Amex and Ben & Jerry’s – as well as unconventional sources such as theatre and comedy.

A concise, visually based introduction to graphic design methodologies Graphic design has emerged as a discipline complete with a body of scholarly literature devoted to its underlying theory. Introduction to Graphic Design Methodologies and Processes contributes to this expanding discourse by illustrating the value of qualitative and quantitative methodologies in guiding conceptual development in ways beyond those based on taste, style, and personal preference. Introduction to Graphic Design Methodologies and Processes: Introduces a range of practical methodologies pertinent to the interpreting, targeting, and creating of forms and messages Furthers the ability of designers by showing them how to design creatively, collaboratively, and strategically, and as a result, helps them move from form-makers to cultural participants—a transformative trend for design professionals Includes case studies with questions and answers contributed by a diverse group, including Second Story and Sol Sender As professional designers play more strategic roles, the need for material on design methodologies is growing. This concise, visually based introduction to the topic is the designer's definitive resource for defining their purpose, and producing work that is original, appropriate, responsible—and inspiring.

An easy-to-understand and easy-to-implement method for creating new ideas and new products This book blows the lid off the so-called «idea gurus» by demystifying the creation of great new innovations. It offers readers a way to look at their company's existing products and services in order to transform them into new ideas. Well-known and respected authors Steve Rivkin and Fraser Seitel take readers into the Idea-Scape, a place where innovation is born from existing ideas transformed and manipulated in inventive ways to produce new products and business solutions. Examples of methods outlined include: What can you combine with an existing idea? What can you adapt? How can you put a product to other uses? What can you eliminate? . . . and much more.

A proven decision management methodology for increased profits and lowered risks Knowledge Automation: How to Implement Decision Management in Business Processes describes a simple but comprehensive methodology for decision management projects, which use business rules and predictive analytics to optimize and automate small, high-volume business decisions. It includes Decision Requirements Analysis (DRA), a new method for taking the crucial first step in any IT project to implement decision management: defining a set of business decisions and identifying all the information—business knowledge and data—required to make those decisions. Describes all the stages in automating business processes, from business process modeling down to the implementation of decision services Addresses how to use business rules and predictive analytics to optimize and automate small, high-volume business decisions Proposes a simple «top-down» method for defining decision requirements and representing them in a single diagram Shows how clear requirements can allow decision management projects to be run with reduced risk and increased profit Nontechnical and accessible, Knowledge Automation reveals how DRA is destined to become a standard technique in the business analysis and project management toolbox.

It is widely-believed that China's entrepreneur class has grown and their businesses are succeeding primarily due to their knowledge of the domestic market, quick adaptation to market changes, and their resourcefulness. But innovation? Forget about it. Well, not quite. Drawing on a wealth of on-the-ground stories and thorough research, Chinnovation: How Chinese Innovators Are Changing the World shows how Chinese companies of every stripe have dispelled this myth and overcome the barriers to successful, profitable innovation. How did Neil Shen, co-founder of CTRIP Capital China, see the opportunity for a Chinese travel site? How did Ray Zhang, CEO of Ehi, scale up one of the most innovative hybrid car-rental companies in China? How did Zhang Tao, CEO of Dianping, start a ZAGAT-inspired user-review site for restaurants and establish a continuous process of innovation? Yinglan Tan has spent more than five years learning the secrets of Chinese innovators, a fast-growing subculture playing key roles in China's transformative transition from «Made in China» to «Innovated in China.» Learn: What is the path that an innovative Chinese private-owned enterprise take? How blue-chip innovators remix business models successfully in China? What are the capabilities that these innovative companies acquire? How they harness the necessary resources and navigate around legal restrictions? How do they attract, train and retain talent? How do these companies experiment with innovative approaches and also manage the risk of innovation? What are the lessons learnt and how would these entrepreneurial innovators advise others who are embarking on the same journey? China's rapid economic growth has made it a crucial market but multinational corporations are now competing with China's own homegrown businesses. Chinnovation: How Chinese Innovators Are Changing The World uncovers the common threads amongst Chinese entrepreneurs as they reach into a wider world.

An insider’s guide to the coming philanthropic revolution Meet the next generation of big donors—the Gen X and Millennial philanthropists who will be the most significant donors ever and will shape our world in profound ways. Hear them describe their ambitious plans to revolutionize giving so it achieves greater impact. And learn how to help them succeed in a world that needs smart, effective donors now more than ever. As “next gen donors” step into their philanthropic roles, they have not only unprecedented financial resources, but also big ideas for how to wield their financial power. They want to disrupt the traditional world of charitable giving, and they want to do so now, not after they retire to a life of philanthropic leisure. Generation Impact pulls back the curtain on these rising leaders and their “Impact Revolution,” offering both extensive firsthand accounts and expert analysis of the hands-on, boundary-pushing, unconventional strategies next gen donors are beginning to pursue. This fascinating book also shows another side of the donors in Generation Impact: they want to respect the past even as they transform the future. They are determined to honor the philanthropic legacies and values they’ve inherited by making big giving more effective than ever before. If they succeed, they can make historic progress on causes from education to the environment, from human rights to health care. Based on years of research and close engagement with next gen donors, Generation Impact offers a unique profile of the new faces of philanthropy. Find out, directly from them: How they want to revolutionize giving to expand its positive impact on our lives and our communities. Which causes interest them, how they want to engage with those causes … and, perhaps more important, how they do not want to engage. Which new tools and strategies for change excite them most. What they are learning from previous generations, and what they want to bring to their work alongside those generations. How we can all ensure their historic potential is channeled in ways that make our world better. The Impact Revolution will be messy, but it could also result in solutions for some of our most persistent problems. Generation Impact offers targeted, practical advice to parents, families, and their advisors, as well as nonprofit professionals—those who work closest with these next gen donors—on how to engage, nurture, and encourage them as they reshape major giving and make their mark on history. Help them channel their enthusiasm—and their wealth—to make the most positive difference in a world with such great need.

A detailed look at how economists shaped the world, and how the legacy continues Trillion Dollar Economists explores the prize-winning ideas that have shaped business decisions, business models, and government policies, expanding the popular idea of the economist's role from one of forecaster to one of innovator. Written by the former Director of Economic Research at Bloomberg Government, the Kauffman Foundation and the Brookings Institution, this book describes the ways in which economists have helped shape the world – in some cases, dramatically enough to be recognized with a Nobel Prize or Clark Medal. Detailed discussion of how economists think about the world and the pace of future innovation leads to an examination of the role, importance, and limits of the market, and economists' contributions to business and policy in the past, present, and future. Few economists actually forecast the economy's performance. Instead, the bulk of the profession is concerned with how markets work, and how they can be made more efficient and productive to generate the things people want to buy for a better life. Full of interviews with leading economists and industry leaders, Trillion Dollar Economists showcases the innovations that have built modern business and policy. Readers will: Review the basics of economics and the innovation of economists, including market failures and the macro-micro distinction Discover the true power of economic ideas when used directly in business, as exemplified by Priceline and Google Learn how economists contributed to policy platforms in transportation, energy, telecommunication, and more Explore the future of economics in business applications, and the policy ideas, challenges, and implications Economists have helped firms launch new businesses, established new ways of making money, and shaped government policy to create new opportunities and a new landscape on which businesses compete. Trillion Dollar Economists provides a comprehensive exploration of these contributions, and a detailed look at innovation to come.

While organizations claim to value creativity, they are often at a loss when attempting to conjure up novel ideas, particularly in a world where technology has made information readily available to everyone. As a result, leaders ask, «Where will the next big idea come from?» In response, they allocate significant resources for innovation; however the source of creative inspiration has remained a mystery. Science has shown that it's possible to create conditions under which the mind is more prepared to have insights, or «a-ha! moments.» In this fascinating book, Andrew Razeghi examines the precursors to creative insight and offers clear-cut methods for making «Eureka moments» routine practice rather than lucky accidents. Combining the latest scientific research, interviews with current innovators, and studies of history’s most creative minds, he dissects the creative process and presents a practical approach for inspiring innovation.

Would you love to start your own business but feel daunted by the slim odds of success? Do you dream about making millions but simply don't know where to start? Find Your Lightbulb answers all these questions, helping you to harness your ability to make millions from nothing more than a simple idea. You don't need to be superhuman, you don't need to have funds in the bank – you don't even need to have an amazing idea in order to get started. Serial entrepreneur Mike Harris shows you that all it takes is enthusiasm, commitment and a willingness to learn. And Mike should know – he's spent the past 20 years creating successful businesses from apparently impossible ideas – ideas which everyone told him would never work. With invaluable business advice and case studies from entrepreneurs and innovators on both sides of the Atlantic, this make-it-happen manual will help you fix the odds of success firmly in your favour.

The complete guide to portfolio development for interior designers It's a widely known fact that interior designers need a strong visual presence in the form of a well-crafted, professional-looking portfolio. Surprisingly, however, many interior designers aren't equipped with the expertise required to organize and unify their work in a fashion that optimally conveys their talents and skills. Portfolios for Interior Designers helps demystify the process by guiding the reader toward mastery in assembling a winning portfolio. It delivers essential step-by-step instruction presented in a manner that shows interior designers how to properly and effectively display their designs. This book also includes: Color and black-and-white illustrations showing portfolio elements and options Graphic design concepts necessary for portfolio development Specific information for the design of digital portfolios Supplemental teaching resources that direct readers to a companion Web site Useful tips on the ways that popular graphics software applications can be best implemented for certain portfolio elements Samples of cover letters and resumes, along with discussion of job search procedures With the aid of real-world examples, Portfolios for Interior Designers examines how a portfolio can be used as an effective tool for communicating with clients and other professionals. A much-needed guide, this book eliminates the uncertainty surrounding portfolio development so that interior designers can showcase their abilities success-fully—and land the next job.