PAUL ARMSTRONG: HOW TODISRUPT

By Paul Armstrong

29 : 09 : 2015 VisaHub : Paul Armstrong : HereForth

‘ Every problem has a technological aspect, a behaviouralaspect and a data aspect. ’

— Paul Armstrong, founder, HERE/FORTH

The concept of innovation is woefully misunderstood in the agency world and beyond. Disruptive innovation is evenless accurately comprehended. So what does it take for a brand or company to be truly disruptively innovative?Research from my upcoming book on the subject has thrown up some common attributes among companies thathave been called disruptive or are doing things that are disrupting others.

First, commit. If you really want to flip your company or industry on its head, it’s unlikely to be a quick or simpleidea. Some can be, but they are as rare as unicorn tears. You have to commit to it, which means that youremployees must really understand the true need for disruption. There is a big difference between incrementalmovements and genuinely disruptive innovation. Make sure you are on the right side of this line at all times byhaving a prominent motto, mantra or core belief on display.

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Second, be consistent. Disruptive innovation is a constant process that requires an almost obsessive focus and awillingness to evaluate and alter the course quickly. This may mean making tough and perhaps ruthless calls, andidentifying cognitive biases such as the sunk cost fallacy to stay on track. Fostering a culture that is willing tolisten to ideas, act on them and try new things without fear of reprisal is key. The ability to support the unknownand solve problems that seem unsolvable is what Google X is founded on.

Third, challenge. If you are willing to truly question assumptions and core beliefs to be better and test new watersthen you will be able to disrupt others. Without this ability, you will not. This is how Facebook plans to disrupt a lotof industries with Oculus Rift, the virtual reality company it bought for £659m (€891m, $1bn) in 2014.

Fourth, measure. Clayton Christensen, inventor of the term ‘disruptive innovation’, is not without his detractors.Many of their concerns relate to measurement. What is the scale for disruption? Sales are typically used, butsome argue that they are not the only or best measure. For most companies, milestones and regular checkpointsare necessary to keeping their efforts on track. Whether it’s the number of users, launching new versions by certaindates, hiring key staff or having a certain number of good advisors, the road is long and windy, so set out yourmilestones and celebrate the progress you make.

Fifth, think TBD. Every problem has a technological, behavioural and data aspect. To change your situation youneed to understand and evaluate all three, thinking through what can change, what will change and what needs tochange. If success is to be won, you need to solve real problems, not fake ones you or others create. A greatexample of this is VisaHub – a marketplace designed to simplify the visa application process and offer legal help.It is poised to disrupt a growing industry that is failing to serve a great number of people in a specific number ofareas. Technology, check. Behaviour, check. Data, check.

Some of this sounds easy, but trust me when I say that none of it is. However, if businesses and marketers want tosolve real problems and not just create non-problems to sell through, then understanding the difference betweeniteration and innovation that is truly disruptive, and indeed aiming for it, may just save some businesses fromextinction.

Paul Armstrong is the founder of emerging technology advisory HERE/FORTH

PAUL ARMSTRONG: HOW TO DISRUPT

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