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Meet Kevin A. Fee, the Principal Innovator behind Agile Innovating – a new professional service provided by Sterling Engineering. With over 40 years of senior management experience, Kevin has been responsible for innovation in various aspects.

His extensive educational background includes an Advanced Certificate for Executives from MIT, a Graduate Certificate in Leadership from Kansas State University, a Certificate in Human Centered Design from IDEO, a Graduate Certificate in LEAN Operations from the University of Illinois – Chicago, and a BS in Mechanical Engineering from Iowa State University. Kevin has been granted 17 US Patents and developed several trade secrets concerning materials applications and manufacturing processes.

Agile Innovating (A-I) enhances the innovation experience for organizations that face difficulties in innovating and require immediate innovation. A-I methodically reduces uncertainty related to Paradox, Process, and Activity while minimizing disruptions to the core business and fostering an environment that produces more innovation at a faster pace.

A-I follows a project-based approach with a Do, Demonstrate, Deploy service delivery model to organize client interactions. This model ensures that innovation becomes a regular occurrence rather than an exception. Learn more below.

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Kevin Fee innovation program
innovating does not equal innovation

WHY?

In the realm of product/service/process (PSP) innovation, there are four issues every innovator must address. Solving the paradoxes within an issue is crucial for achieving innovation, as the severity of these issues can differ based on the industry, scale of operations, and technological advancement. 

  1. Context Issue – Threat/Opportunity Paradox:  Managing potential sales threats while simultaneously exploring opportunities for future profits.
  2. Problem-Solving Issue – Trouble/Novelty Paradox:  Currently facing challenges with existing solutions while striving to bring new and innovative solutions into the mix.
  3. NPD Execution Issue – Invention/Delivery Paradox:  When faced with the need to develop a new solution, it’s important to balance innovation with the execution of a well-planned delivery strategy.
  4. Change Issue – Momentum/Friction Paradox:  Managing the effects of momentum and friction in the context of organizational change.

D8 Infinity Process

The D8 Infinity Process is A-I engine to propel change. We have identified the red flag factors that intensify uncertainty and can derail your innovating project at each step. We have also identified the success criteria for each step that builds towards High Hit Rate Innovation.

Discover - The Growth Challenge

Discovering the possibilities for business growth.

  1. Identifying the PARTS (Players, Accepted solutions, Rules, Tactics, Scale/Scope)
  2. Resolving the threat vs. opportunity paradox
  3. Aligning strategic intent with the business model

How will you deal with competition?

Diagnose

For a company to drive innovation, it is crucial to have a holistic understanding of both customer and supplier issues.

Innovation failure occurs when the issues with the current solution are not fully examined.

Define - The Idea Challenge

Inventing new solutions that matter to the user and the supplier.

  1. Creating new value and changing the user experience
  2. Resolving the trouble v. novelty paradox
  3. Aligning competitive position with the business plan

How do you plan to handle your customers?

Design

When evaluating an idea, it’s crucial to question whether it’s an improvement on an existing innovation or something entirely unique. The answer to this question can make a significant impact on the outcome.

When attempting to solve problems, innovation can be ineffective if the solutions are not directly connected to the problems that are truly worth solving.

Decide - The Development Challenge

High speed, reliable, new product development.

  1. Capturing new value and changing the business experience
  2. Resolving the invention vs. delivery paradox
  3. Aligning the demand side with the supply side value

How will you generate profits?

Develop and Deploy - The Rate of Change Challenge

Setting the stage for acceptance and adoption of the new solution.

  1. Adopting new value and changing the market experience
  2. Resolving the momentum vs. friction paradox
  3. Aligning business performance with distinctive differentiation

The key to successful deployment is effectively managing the rate of change.

Diffuse

Marketing and messaging must be tailored to every stage of the innovation adoption lifecycle.

  • Early Adopters
  • Early Majority
  • Late Majority
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