Date post: | 01-Apr-2015 |
Category: |
Documents |
Upload: | keaton-benninger |
View: | 213 times |
Download: | 0 times |
Semiotics and Open InnovationThe Food and Drink Innovation Network – Open Innovation Summit
prepared for: food and drink innovation network prepared by: dr. kishore budha date: 14 Oct 2010 issue: 01
contents
Introduction to 1HQ
Semiotics. Language as a social sign system
Social construction of innovation — managing risks of meaning.
Innovation process modelling — how to signify opening up? – Semiotics steps — uncovering and aligning meanings.
Case study
1 hard question, asked and answered…
Leading Global Brand Agency.
70 insight, strategic, creative and commercial specialists.
UK’s largest independently owned brand agency, established in 1993.
Working with global, regional and local brands with clients ranging from major multi-nationals (inc. Unilever, Nestle, General Mills, Premier Foods, Allied Bakeries) to entrepreneurial start-ups.
WHO ARE ?
Semiotics Overview
What is semiotics?What is semiotics?
Semiotics is the science of study of (cultural) meaning of things. It is an analytical tool that makes use of a wide array of data to answer the
question: what does a product or service mean culturally?
Semiotics is the science of study of (cultural) meaning of things. It is an analytical tool that makes use of a wide array of data to answer the
question: what does a product or service mean culturally?
The “open” (cultural) shaping of the bicycleThe “open” (cultural) shaping of the bicycle
1843, 18881843, 1888
18981898
1860-18791860-1879
The “open” (cultural) shaping of the personal computerThe “open” (cultural) shaping of the personal computer
1990-early 20001990-early 2000
TodayToday
mid-late 2000mid-late 2000
SEMIOTICS, CULTURE, INNOVATION
Innovation Process (Inside)
Value
Innovation processes and outcomes aim to create and capture value (e.g., products/services).
Signs and symbols
Innovation stakeholders understand and convey meaning of value through signs and symbols.
Semiotics Inside
“Semiotics inside” is the science of uncovering meanings of value within the innovation process and locating their cultural impact and worth
Outcomes (Outside)
Meaning
Users/consumer values are cultural meanings, not just products and services.
Signs and symbols
Users/consumers read those signs and symbols in their cultural contexts
Semiotics Outside
“Semiotics outside” is the science of uncovering relevant meanings of innovation value in the wider cultural context of use and consumption.
Semiotics helps align innovation values with cultural meanings of valuesSemiotics helps align innovation values with cultural meanings of values
Semiotics helps “join up” Open Innovation.Semiotics helps “join up” Open Innovation.
Semiotics uncovers the meanings innovation stakeholders and processes give to outcomes and how those meanings resonate in the wider cultural context of consumption
Semiotics uncovers the meanings innovation stakeholders and processes give to outcomes and how those meanings resonate in the wider cultural context of consumption
It discovers this question by exploring meaning in the wider innovation and social contextIt discovers this question by exploring meaning in the wider innovation and social context
Social Construction of Meaning
Why is it important to uncover meanings
Business CaseRising costs of tech development TO product development To taking it to marketShorter product life cycles
Innovation as a management/socio-cultural processWritten and spoken words and visual aids are central to any formal process.
– e.g., briefs, research & insight, concept development, workshops, charts, images etc.
Language shapes our understanding of the world but limited human ability (and commercial pressures) to capture and communicate complex ideas on paper and understand meanings encoded by others.
Processes of Design and Technology, Insights, Strategy, Management and Creative development use discipline-specific discourses/taxonomies to understand, define and create meaning.
– External stakeholders compound this problem
Commonly shared meaning = rhetorical closure: “IT WORKS!” or “DOESN’T WORK”
Semiotics uncovers meanings across all stakeholders.
It helps arrive at a shared meaning – springboard for
innovation
UsersUsers
Stakeholders[e.g., media,
govt, etc]
Stakeholders[e.g., media,
govt, etc]
Organisation[strategy,
vision, goals]
Organisation[strategy,
vision, goals]
Designers,Technologists,
etc
Designers,Technologists,
etc
Semiotics uncovers consumers and user interpretation of product or service
ProductService Brand
ProductService Brand
Semiotics asks: how will/do stakeholders make meaning of product/service?
How does the organisationinterpret the
product/service?
How do designers and technologists make meaning of
the product/service
Using semiotics to socially construct meaning
what semiotics delivers
Semiotics is a 21st century approach and tool for innovation which accounts for culture in the innovation process and outcomes.
This enables brands/products/services to propose powerful, resonant and lasting meanings for consumers and users each time they interact with the value.
Audit of ideas out thereWhat are the ideas out there? What is their cultural value? How can the value be leveraged?
Defining an idea and collaborating with external partnersDoes a new value require creation?
Audit of ideas out thereWhat are the ideas out there? What is their cultural value? How can the value be leveraged?
Defining an idea and collaborating with external partnersDoes a new value require creation?
Semiotics helps manage the risks and pressures of short product life cyclesSemiotics helps manage the risks and pressures of short product life cycles
Innovation process modelling and semiotic steps
open innovation archetypes
Outside-In Process
Inside-out Process
Coupled Process
Boundaries of the company
ExternalKnowledge
Exploitation outsidethe company
Locus of innovation inside the company
Locus of innovation inside the company
Source: Oliver Gassmann, Ellen Enkel, Towards a theory of open innovation
role of semiotics in uncovering meaning
Culturally evaluating external knowledge and rapid development of scenarios– Desk-based analysis of cultural contexts
Uncovering meanings within internal and external disciplines and stakeholders and helping arrive at shared meaning
– Interviews/Ethnographies/Discourse analysis
– Analysis of current knowledgebase and documentation (e.g., briefs, plans etc)
– Workshop facilitation
– Concept development
Semiotics tools | Methods used by semiotics
Depth interviewsInterviews with stakeholders to uncover meanings
Cultural analysisWhat are the big cultural frames that would influence the outcomes
Discourse analysisFrom readily available detailed and rich material that is generated by the volition of humans or social processes, e.g., case-studies, memos, notes, literature, media reports, online conversations, books, films etc.
Ethnographies and field studiesDetailed ethnographies to uncover opportunities for concept development
Scenario buildingUsing cultural trends forecasting to build scenarios and profiles of lead users
Case studytea bag innovation
Case Study: Black Tea bag innovation
Overview
Black tea (in bag) is the most-widely consumed tea in the UK. How can we innovate to “own” the tea bag, strengthening the position of the brand.
Black tea is culturally deeply embedded – will not be abandoned.
Semiotics brief
Audit and guide the innovation process to ensure cultural resonance
Defining technological needs culturally – makes hunt focused and saves time
Signifies “British cultural way” of looking at the worldSignifies “British cultural way” of looking at the world
Tea drinking: 365-year-old British traditionTea drinking: 365-year-old British tradition
Reasonable flexibility of law when interpreting and applying them.
e.g., English Law
Reasonable flexibility of law when interpreting and applying them.
e.g., English Law
Rule (brew + milk and sugar) interpreted for individual tastes
e.g., Tea
Rule (brew + milk and sugar) interpreted for individual tastes
e.g., Tea
BRITISH CULTURAL WAY: FIRM, GENERAL RULES & LAWSBRITISH CULTURAL WAY: FIRM, GENERAL RULES & LAWS
Cultural diffusion and TeaCultural diffusion and Tea
Cultural ideas diffuse into society either without any change – e.g., traditional dinner jacket – or the general “rule” of the dinner jacket gets adapted. Similarly, tea as a “rule” is understood as
brew + milk/sugar, which diffuses in varying degrees
Cultural ideas diffuse into society either without any change – e.g., traditional dinner jacket – or the general “rule” of the dinner jacket gets adapted. Similarly, tea as a “rule” is understood as
brew + milk/sugar, which diffuses in varying degrees
The cultural idea of tea is drawn from the firm law that THE basic brew can be customised allowing its cultural diffusion.
The cultural idea of tea is drawn from the firm law that THE basic brew can be customised allowing its cultural diffusion.
Even though each tea is different, they reference the “firm law of tea”Even though each tea is different, they reference the “firm law of tea”
Any radical change to this core
impacts the shared meaning of tea
BREW STRENGTH. e.g., Builders Tea, weak tea
MILK
SUGAR
CONTEXT, OCCASION, OTHER ADDITIONS e.g., High Tea, Afternoon Tea, Lemon in tea
BLACK TEAGeneral
contents* & ritual of
preparation is “firm law”
cultural diffusion
through personalisation of
firm law
cultu
ral d
iffusio
n
through
perso
nalisa
tion o
f
firm la
w
cultural diffusion
through personalisation of
firm law
cultu
ral d
iffusio
n
thro
ugh
pers
onali
satio
n of
firm
law
*Tea, Hot Water + Milk/Sugar
Pyramid tea bags “enhances” core
BLACK TEAShared cultural
idea of drink
cultural diffusion
through personalisation of
firm law
cultu
ral d
iffusio
n
through
perso
nalisa
tion o
f
firm la
w
cultural diffusion
through personalisation of
firm law
cultu
ral d
iffusio
n
thro
ugh
pers
onali
satio
n of
firm
law
Our approach and solution
Uncover
Cultural meaning of tea, cultural meaning of innovation
Articulate
Define opportunities and boundaries – visual examples
Audit
Ideation
Audit Creation
Executional guidance
Hunt for technologiesHunt for technologies
Semiotics and Open InnovationThe Food and Drink Innovation Network – Open Innovation Summit
prepared for: food and drink innovation network prepared by: dr. kishore budha date: 14 Oct 2010 issue: 01