Innovating based upon what really matters

Stephen Shapiro on his 24/7 Innovation blog writes about Clayton Christensen idea of the innovator’s dilemma and the U.S. economy:

The dilemma arises because most companies focus their innovation energies on building faster and more sophisticated technologies: becoming bigger and better. … Unfortunately, the newer, cheaper developments – even if they are lower quality (in the beginning) and don’t perform as well – will ultimately be the winners.

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The US economy – and most of the “Western world” – is based on constantly improving everything: becoming bigger and better.

Here’s the spot-on take away which is especially relevant to the health care world:

Some would claim that we need to become more creative.  Use our right brain more.  Focus on design and experiences.  Taking things to the next level.  Although this may be true, I wonder if it perpetuates the innovator’s dilemma thinking.  Bigger and better.

What if the answer is to find ways of offering more affordable, more accessible, and more simplistic offerings?

I’m a big proponent of more right-brain thinking in health care; for far too long we have completely ignored design and experience in care delivery.  But who can argue that innovation focused on more affordable, more accessible, and more simplistic health care delivery should guide our thinking?  They should; but there’s no doubt that creativity and right-brain thinking need to be a part of that process.