Innovation Stack Assessment
Article Content
Innovation occurs and is supported within an ecosystem of interdependent mechanisms, components, and values. When misaligned, the innovation ecosystem can become unstable. This is particularly evident when the competencies and components of an innovation stack is developed, implemented, and evaluated in isolation.
Build Your Innovation Stack
In the technology and software sectors, a stack is partly defined as follows:
A stack is a conceptual structure consisting of a set of interlocking values, drivers, and technologies.
Performance within and across the Stack is dependent on the strategic interdependence of its components. Built upon layers of overlapping systems, the stack is greater than the sum of its parts. This is because of the synergy and value creation that is realized as a result of the interplay of systems.
Example Planning Template
The components of a company’s stack can vary by industry. A planning tool for developing and evaluating your stack is provided below. Each domain is evaluated for present state, future state, and opportunities to bridge the gap. Domains 7-10 are evaluated for technical architecture, delivery, and integration.
| Domains | Present State | Future State | Opportunities |
|---|---|---|---|
| 11. Domain Eleven: Technology & Hardware | |||
| 10. Domain Ten: Applications | |||
| 9. Domain Nine: Data & Assets | |||
| 8. Domain Eight: Business & Alignment | |||
| 7. Domain Seven: The Customer & Channels | |||
| 6. Domain Six: Processes & Performance | |||
| 5. Domain Five: Product & Services | |||
| 4. Domain Four: Policies & Procedures | |||
| 3. Domain Three: Business Model* | |||
| 2. Domain Two: Regulatory & Industry | |||
| 1. Domain One: Strategic Vision & Values |
Vulnerabilities
Misalignment within and across the Innovation Stack increases the chance of becoming an Innovation that:
- Does not solve a known problem
- Creates collateral issues in its implementation and integration within the stack, limiting the realization of value
- Introduces process and technical debt, limiting performance and continuous improvement efforts
Value fragmentation often occurs within the above design stages
Identifying Opportunities
Designing your company’s Innovation Stack begins with identifying current opportunities. This incorporates understanding of the present state, future state, and the opportunities that will help bridge the gap. This requires research, domain mapping, and insight generation. The following infographic provides a high level overview of the innovation stack architecture and development roadmap.
The stack services, products, architecture, and infrastructure must effectively integrate and align if additional value (the whole is more than the sum of its parts) is to be realized by all stakeholders and users.
Contact Us
Innovate Vancouver can help your company develop and evaluate your Innovation Stack. Contact us today to discuss the Innovation Stack Assessment Process!
Resources:
Steve Blank The Innovation Stack: How to make innovation programs deliver more than coffee cups. (2018, June 07). Retrieved from https://steveblank.com/2018/06/05/whats-next-for-getting-stuff-done-in-large-organizations-the-innovation-stack/
What is a Stack? – Definition from Techopedia. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.techopedia.com/definition/9523/stack