ASM657

Innovative Thinking Strategy

Innovative Thinking Strategy
Course Learning Outcomes

At the end of the course, students should be able to:

1. Determine the innovative thinking methodology by emphasizing on the ‘how-to’ and ‘know-
how’ to serve unique purposes. (PLO1, C4)

2. Propose strategies to reduce challenges in organizations when resources are scarce.

(PLO3, A3)

3. Formulate innovative solutions for human centered problems by developing, testing and
bringing the ideas to potential markets. (PLO7, A4)
Innovative Thinking Strategy

Course Description

This course provides the approaches to innovative thinking methodology by emphasizing on the
‘how-to’ and ‘know-how’. Using practical, pragmatic approaches and real time examples, this
project-based course will allow students to engage in the design of innovations to serve their unique
purposes. Students will learn to recognize weak signals about unarticulated needs and capture
overlooked ideas. Students will also identify human centered problems to solve and begin as
designers do by developing ideas, testing them for viability and bringing them to market.
Innovative Thinking Strategy
Week Topic of Discussion and **Activities

W1 Introduction to the course

Module 1: Principles of Innovative Thinking
1. Innovative business models
2. Innovation Tournaments: creating and selecting exceptional opportunities
W2 1. Innovation portfolios: linking innovation efforts to organizational strategy
2. Establishing an “Innovation Frontier”

Module 2: Innovation and Organizations

1. Organizing for innovations; individuals and groups
W3 1. Developing a culture of innovation
2. Rapid validation of ideas and lean innovation
ASSIGNMENT #1
W4 Module 3: Working on Innovations Part 1 - Insights to Inspiration
1. Planning for groundwork for great ideas
2. Setting up the innovation mind-set: confidence, empathy, optimism, iterate
W5 1. Research techniques for inspired ideas
2. Concept exploration

W6 Module 4: Discovery Tools and Implementation

1. Stakeholder mapping
2. Personas
3. Value-chain analysis
4. Ethnographic, group and expert interviews
5. Funding strategies
W7 SEMESTER BREAK
Innovative Thinking Strategy
Week Topic of Discussion and **Activities

W8 Module 5: Working on Innovations Part 2: Ideas to Actions

1. Concept visualization
2. Designing user scenario

ASSIGNMENT #2
W9

1. Rapid prototyping
2. Business model canvas

W10 Module 6: Creating the Innovative Workplace

1. Short term objectives vs long term innovations
2. Techniques for aligning team players and projects
3. Balancing top-level objectives and mid-level knowledge
W11 1. Leadership techniques
2. Conflict management
3. Change and innovation management

W12 TEST # 1
Revisit the cycle: from Insights to Actions
W12 – W14 FINAL PROJECT DUE
Innovative Thinking Strategy

TEST YOUR INNOVATION

• Open book
BEHAVIOR
• Topics: ALL • Assess your current innovation
• Question type: TBD behaviour and think how you could
improve
• Total marks: 50
• 30% to overall assessment • 20% to overall assessment
Week 12 Week 3

CASE STUDY INNOVATION IDEATION

• Students to be given cases of • Propose innovation ideas for
innovation stories solving social issues and
improving quality of life
• 20% to overall assessment
• 30% to overall assessment
WEEK 8 WEEK 14

• Revised curriculum to be applied during Semester Oct 2020 due to Covid19 pandemic.
• All assessment is based on individual work, except for Innovation Ideation as the group project