“And you may ask yourself, ‘Well, how did I get here?’”

And you may ask yourself, ‘How do I work this?’

It is no secret that organizations must innovate in order to survive and thrive in our hyper-competitive marketplace. When a known problem, challenge, or opportunity presents itself, the very first decision to be made is frequently whether to launch a new innovation program as a solution. But making that decision doesn’t always come easily. With so many factors to consider and directions to go in, it is crucial to take time to get a good sense of where you are, how you got there, and where you need, and want, to go. 1980s new wave band song lyric reference aside (“Once in a Lifetime” by the Talking Heads in case you were wondering), getting a holistic view of where your organization is today, relative to your market and your competition, is the very first step in deciding whether to develop a new innovation program. And a very simple tool, the portfolio view, can help you plot out your roadmap. 

As mentioned in last week’s blog post, I recently took a seat in front of the camera for a series of videos aimed at helping organizations to develop more impactful future states. As follows is the second in the series, with a focus on portfolio views. 

Remember, it is not – and shouldn’t always be – “the same as it ever was, same as it ever was” when it comes to innovation and when and how to engage in a new program (last 80s music reference, I promise). With the implementation of a simple, useful tool such as the portfolio view, you can come away with a clearer vision on how to get a clearer vision when planning and managing your business’ innovation programs.  

PS — Looking for more on portfolio views and how to put them to use? Check out an additional resource on this vital tool, here.