Project Management:

Radical Innovation

Radical Project Management (RPM)

New Experimental Approach for the Era of Rampant Change and Increasing Complexity

"The ultimate risk is not taking a risk." 

– James Goldsmith

Why Radical Project Management (RPM)?

As radical innovation projects are characterized by higher levels of uncertainties – technical, market, and organizational, –  patterns of their journey to the marketplace are unlike those in incremental innovation projects.

DOs and DON'Ts of a Successful Innovator

By: Peter Drucker

DOs

Start small – try to do one specific thing...

DON'Ts

Don't undershoot, or you will simply create an opportunity for competition... More

Improvisation-driven Radical Project Management (RPM)

The improvisation-driven model is one approach to radical innovation project management. It works well when the unknowns are high and the players are seasoned. This model doesn’t discard structure, just as there is a clear structure to good jazz. Rather than having it overlaid from the outside, though, the improvisational approach builds structure from the inside as it is needed. That’s why it requires a critical mass of experienced people to work.

The improvisational model is limited by three factors:

1. It’s not effective for very large projects

2. Passing on the learning from one initiative to another is difficult, because much of the required tacit knowledge is woven tightly into the experience of those participating.

3. There is very little explicit knowledge available to teach others how to do it because the process is highly tacit.³

Flexible Model

The flexible approach overlaps phases rather than functions. The power in the flexible model is that the development process and tools are explicitly designed to support this overlap. The requirements to make the flexible approach work are:

• a multidisciplinary core of highly experienced “architects”

• the use of frequent prototyping and simulation

• high level of vendor and customer inclusion

• focus.³

Leading a Radical Innovation Project

Radical project management requires:

• Entrepreneurial Leadership: Entrepreneurial leadership involves instilling the confidence to think, behave and act with entrepreneurship in the interests of fully realizing the intended purpose of the organization to the beneficial growth of all stakeholders involved.

• Creative Leadership: Creative leaders have a clear view of future needs and opportunities. They also understand the current problems and needs of the organization and find ways to include people in the vision.

• Transformational leadership: Transformational leaders, by definition, seek to transform. When the organization does not need transforming and people are happy as they are, then such a leader will be frustrated. Like wartime leaders, however, given the right situation they come into their own and can be personally responsible for saving entire companies.

Turning Failures To Opportunities: 3 Steps

1. Get rid of all negative emotions – and lean: There is no failure, only feedback!... More

7 Challenges in Managing Radical Innovation...

Specific Skills of Radical Project Managers...

Keys to Effective Radical Innovation Project Management...

 Case in Point  Corning...

 Case in Point  Thermo Electron...