© David Nordfors

HORIZONTALISM

IMPROVING INNOVATION SYSTEMSBY IMPROVING COMMUNICATION

David Nordfors, CEO, IIIJMenlo Park, CA, USA

Monday, September 2, 13

© David Nordfors

Power is VERTICAL, but...

AN INNOVATION ECONOMY DILEMMA

Monday, September 2, 13

© David Nordfors

...potential is HORIZONTAL

Monday, September 2, 13

© David Nordfors

If the NEXT thing is what keeps the customer,INNOVATION is the CORE business

LIFE CYCLES ARE SHORTENING

Then : “Get a new one when the old one breaks.”Now : “Get rid of it when it’s dated.”

Monday, September 2, 13

© David Nordfors 2011

ECONOMIC GROWTH - THEN• WAS about doing MORE OF THE SAME

• Players knew who they were and what to do.

• Must fit the norm of players doing the same things.

• VERTICAL COMMUNICATION is key.

• Shoemakers discuss how to make shoes with other shoemakers.

Monday, September 2, 13

© David Nordfors 2011

VERTICAL GROWTH

• A race for MORE OF THE SAME

• IMPROVE the SILOS

• PEOPLE DOING THE SAME THINGS MEET.

• SECTORS, GUILDS, BEST PRACTICES

• “DON’T CROSS THE LINE!”

• REGULATION is POWER.

Monday, September 2, 13

© David Nordfors 2011

VERTICAL LANGUAGESTRENGTHENING SILOS

IMPROVING OLD PRACTICES

• Represents;

• Expertise, Best Practice, Peer Review

• “NEED TO KNOW” language spread by

• Courses, Certificates, Committees

• VERSATILE, EXACT, ACCURATE, enabling VERTICAL COMMUNICATION

Monday, September 2, 13

© David Nordfors 2011

ECONOMIC GROWTH - NOW• IS about doing NEW THINGS

• Players must RENEW themselves.

• Must match players doing OTHER things who ALSO are renewing themselves.

• HORIZONTAL COMMUNICATION is key

• Shoemakers discuss how to make shoes with users, physicians, chemical industry, etc...

Monday, September 2, 13

© David Nordfors 2011

HORIZONTAL GROWTH

• A race for THE NEXT BIG THING

• CHALLENGE SILOS

• PEOPLE DOING DIFFERENT THINGS MEET.

• CLUSTERS, NETWORKS, VENTURES

• ‘TRY SOMETHING NEW!’

• INNOVATION is POWER.

Monday, September 2, 13

© David Nordfors 2011

HORIZONTAL LANGUAGEINNOVATION ECOSYSTEMSSHAPING NEW PRACTICES

• Represents:

• Interaction across expertise, general knowledge

• “WANT TO KNOW” language spread by

• Storytelling, public discussion, media

• SIMPLE, ENGAGING, RELEVANT, enabling HORIZONTAL INTERACTION

Monday, September 2, 13

© David Nordfors 2011

INNOVATION MEANS NEW LANGUAGE

• Every Innovation Needs

• A name - so we can refer to it

• A definition - so we know what it is

• A story - so we can relate to it

• Innovation = New Shared Language

Monday, September 2, 13

© David Nordfors

WE CAN NOT INNOVATE FASTER THAN WE CAN CREATE

NEW SHARED LANGUAGE

Monday, September 2, 13

© David Nordfors

SHARED LANGUAGEBUSINESS EDUCATION

GOVERNMENT

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Monday, September 2, 13

© David Nordfors 2011

INNOVATION IS NEW SHARED LANGUAGE

• INNOVATION IS NEW SHARED LANGUAGE FOR

• TEAMS doing news things together

• STAKEHOLDERS joining forces in new ways

• MARKETS trading innovation

• SOCIETIES building new quality of life

Monday, September 2, 13

© David Nordfors 2011

THE INNOVATION COMMUNICATION

SYSTEM• What is the INFRASTRUCTURE for creating

new shared language?

• in the team?

• among stakeholders?

• in the market?

• in society?

Monday, September 2, 13

© David Nordfors

INFRASTRUCTURE FOR CREATING NEWSHARED LANGUAGE:

THE INNOVATION COMMUNICATION

SYSTEM (ICS)

Monday, September 2, 13

© David Nordfors 2011

INNOVATION PARADIGMS

• -90s: HARD: Science & Technology

• 90s-10s: HYBRID: Products & Services

• 10s-: SOFT: Brands & Narratives?

Monday, September 2, 13

© David Nordfors

CONTACT

IIIJc/o SRI International, 333 Ravenswood Ave

Menlo Park, CA, USA

david@iiij.org

Monday, September 2, 13