IDEO’s Ten Faces Of Innovation
Finally, a book that connects innovation with personality and creative style. Tom Kelley of IDEO describes in great detail the different types of people it takes to staff an innovative organization. This describes each of the ten types in great detail. Which are you? I share traits of both “Collaborator” and “Cross-Pollenator.”
Each chapter is littered with examples. Of great interest to me was a story in the “Collaborator” chapter of how IDEO facilitated a collaboration between Safeway and Kraft. Two organizations with a not-so-hot relationship learned how to cooperate and collaborate, to the vast enrichment of both.
I see a strong relation between Kelley’s types of innovators and Doblin’s Ten Types of Innovation. It’s pretty clear that there are connections in several areas. The one that jumps out at you is Doblin’s Type 10, “Customer Experience,” and Kelley’s “Experience Architect.” To create a memorable customer experience, find people who are naturally adept at it. There also seems to be a relation between “Experience Architect” and Doblin’s Type 9, “Brand.”
How about Doblin’s Type 2, “Networks and Alliances?” That seems to be right up the alley of Kelley’s “Collaborator.” And Kelley’s “Caregiver” would find a home working on Doblin’s Type 3, “Enabling Processes.”
Missing from the book is a way to assess or determine the ‘types’ already present in your organization. Or better yet, to hire and cultivate them from the outside if need be.
Further: is there some way to find these specialists via assessments like Myers-Briggs and KAI? For instance, Kelley’s “Hurdler” is clearly an MBTI type ENTP with a pretty high KAI. “Caregiver” is most likely an xNFJ, much like the base camp manager on a mountain climbing expedition, with a KAI leaning to the adaptive side. “Collaborator” may be an xSTP or xSFP. If you believe “Experimenters” are most likely engineers, then you’d xSTJs, or maybe INTPs if scientists. “Directors” may be ENTJs.
Not that there would be a two-way relationship there - “Experimenters” may be xSTJs, but not all xSTJs are going to be “Experimenters” the way that Kelley describes. Many scientists and engineers don’t collaborate easily, especially with those outside their field of expertise. In fact, I’d say that the essence of the “Collaborator” runs through all of Kelley’s Ten Types - the willingness to play well with others, the ability to find value in the perspectives of those outside your immediate area of expertise, the desire to integrate diverse perspectives.
All in all a great and valuable book, highly recommended.
UPDATE: After an email exchange with Tom Kelley, the book’s author, I now know that IDEO doesn’t correllate their Ten Faces with either MBTI or KAI. I still believe I see potential correllations based on the types of people I believe each of the roles would attract.
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