Innovation & Ideation Methods - The Thinking Lens

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Innovation & Ideation Methods

A collection of 9 posts

Weekend Reflections #1 | The Momentum Wave

Human-AI Collaboration

Weekend Reflections #1 | The Momentum Wave

Most ideas don't die because they are bad; they die when momentum breaks before testing. AI shrinks the gap between thought and test, creating a Momentum Wave where natural language lets anyone prototype. But beware: speed without customer validation is just fast failure.

Stop Sketching. Start Scaling Judgment.

Innovation & Ideation Methods

Stop Sketching. Start Scaling Judgment.

[Views are my own] Crazy Eights isn’t just a sketching exercise – it’s a lightweight system for scaling team judgment. In eight minutes, it generates real options, equalizes voices, and models psychological safety. The sketches are not the point; the shift in how your team thinks and decides is.

Your Career Is a Story: Lessons From a 'Syntax Error'

Innovation & Ideation Methods

Your Career Is a Story: Lessons From a 'Syntax Error'

I had the incredible opportunity to speak to a 9th-grade class for their Career Day. Instead of presenting a job title, I chose to share the journey. It was a wonderful exercise in reflection, reminding me that our careers are not ladders, but mosaics we build from curiosity, challenges, and

From “Content Is King” to “Judgment Is the Crown”: Rethinking Authority in the AI Era

Human-AI Collaboration

From “Content Is King” to “Judgment Is the Crown”: Rethinking Authority in the AI Era

Content isn't king anymore. AI makes endless "good" content; trust and judgment are scarce. Your lived experience, context, and perspective are the differentiator. Use AI as leverage, not a crutch. Earn attention by solving sharp problems for real people and building credibility. Own your voice. Go.

Beyond the Dashboard | Principle 4: Use Frameworks as Filters, not Blueprints

Data-Driven Decision Making

Beyond the Dashboard | Principle 4: Use Frameworks as Filters, not Blueprints

Frameworks focus attention but don’t decide. Used well, they clarify; used poorly, they paralyze. AI multiplies the noise with context-free models. Leadership must choose one lens per decision, declare boundaries, and decide. Tools assist. Judgment creates clarity. Choose focus over complexity now.

Harnessing the IKEA Effect for AI-First Products

Enterprise Software & UX

Harnessing the IKEA Effect for AI-First Products

We love what we build, even when imperfect. That’s the IKEA Effect: effort creates value. In SaaS, let users build: templates, safe drafts, sharing, audit trails, so they feel ownership. Co-create with AI as copilot or constructor. Earn loyalty with portability, not lock-in. Show ownership clearly.

Stop Doing Discovery Karaoke

Data-Driven Decision Making

Stop Doing Discovery Karaoke

Match discovery to risk, not habit. Most teams default to interviews, tests, and betas, which miss blind spots. Treat Compliance & Ethics as a first-class risk. Build a simple map: risk → stage → methods. Use AI to speed clustering, summarization, and signal detection. Focus on uncertainty reduction

The Hidden Cost of Framework Thinking

Human-AI Collaboration

The Hidden Cost of Framework Thinking

We live in a world of playbooks and quick frameworks. They help, but when they replace thinking, contribution dies. Stop blind execution. Ask: Is this valid for my context? Original thought is the value. Don't run someone else's logic. Slow down, think, and make it yours. Choose thinking over hacks.

It’s a Great Metaphor, But It’s Still Not an MVP

Data-Driven Decision Making

It’s a Great Metaphor, But It’s Still Not an MVP

That skateboard-to-car graphic isn't an MVP. It's a delivery roadmap. MVPs are for learning: the smallest test to validate riskiest assumptions. In complex orgs, call things correctly: MVP for learning, POC for feasibility, V1 for shipping. Clarity prevents waste and misaligned bets. Validate first.