Description

This course introduces the Innovation Memo approach, a powerful framework designed to create clarity and alignment in early-stage, high-uncertainty innovation projects. Through this course, participants will learn to apply four core “memo” techniques that help organizations articulate their innovation goals and align teams behind a shared vision. These memos include:

1. Future Press Release – Craft a vision of success as though the innovation is already realized.
2. Future FAQ – Anticipate and address key stakeholder questions about the innovation.
3. Innovation Narrative – Develop a comprehensive story that explains the innovation journey.
4. Hypothesis-Based Approach – Use a scientific mindset to test and validate key assumptions throughout the innovation process.

The course emphasizes how, why, and when to use these memos to reduce uncertainty and align all stakeholders toward achieving success.

Prerequisites and audience

This course is ideal for professionals working on innovation projects, including members of innovation teams, product development departments, and R&D functions. It is particularly useful for those looking to sharpen their ability to lead or contribute to innovation efforts effectively.

Recommended prerequisite: The course pairs well with My360’s “Business Experiments: A Guide to Why and How,” which deepens understanding of experimentation in innovation.

Course Goal

Course Objectives: By the end of this course, participants will be able to:

• Craft a Clear Innovation Vision: Develop a focused and compelling vision for their next innovation project.
• Achieve Stakeholder Alignment: Use structured memos to create alignment and engagement with key internal and external stakeholders.
• Identify and Address Key Challenges: Proactively identify potential obstacles and work systematically to remove them for successful execution.

Certificate

After the course, you can purchase a digital micro-credential certificate, linked to the Blockchain, for USD29.

Instructor

Johannes Jarl

Johannes Jarl serves as an executive director operating out of Innovation 360 Group’s Executive Office in New York City. He focuses on innovation management analysis, innovation strategy development and transformation programs, including executive coaching, for Innovation 360’s global clients. His assignments traverse cutting-edge work with some of the largest private and state-owned companies in the world, as well as extreme scale-ups. Concentrating on globally operating enterprises has allowed Johannes to gain a particular proficiency in cross-border enterprise challenges and opportunities.

David Milligan
2024-10-23

Excellent, clearly communicated overview of a powerful concept and approach that has been proven in leading organizations. This is a great introduction and overview, and I'd recommend it for all innovation leaders.

Courisse Knight
2024-10-15

I thought this was an excellent way to facilitate gaining the right innovation mindset. I especially liked the practical tips for executing the process of generating a hypothesis driven approach that includes the innovation memo. ArI think this is a great approach to ensure that the people involved are "speaking the same language" . In general, it gave me a good way to traverse ambiguity in a very practical yet flexible way.