Stakeholder comprehension of innovation value - Dr. Terri Griffith

Instructor: Dr. Terri Griffith, Professor, Keith Beedie Chair in Innovation and Entrepreneurship, Beedie School of Business, Simon Fraser University. Personal site and blog.

Stakeholder comprehension of innovation value

In the prior term, HyTEM participants leveraged the ideas of the Lean Startup as they developed their entrepreneurial mindset. We used lightweight experiments to consider stakeholder perspectives and preferences related to the innovations.

Entrepreneurial mindset includes your ability to:

• Recognize and identify opportunities
• Focus on their impact
• Create value in any context

In this module, we shift gears and consider how the features and presentation of innovations trigger stakeholder understanding. We then leverage that understanding to build/iterate on three-minute presentations related to your focal innovations. The goals are greater stakeholder comprehension of your innovation's value and to offer you an additional opportunity to hone your professional presentation techniques.

Opener

Watch: Future Fields Pitch (4m34s)

It's interesting how they must teach us about their product and its presentation. The more complex your innovation, the more education you need to provide. I wish they were standing to give their presentation.

 

Introduction

You're the champion of your innovation. You also have the critical task of sharing your innovation with the world. This is important for your presentations, but thinking about how your stakeholders perceive the value of your innovation can also be a factor in your design.

Watch: Leaders as Champions of Their Innovations (2m59s)

Given a set innovation design, we turn to how best to communicate value. Kelly Decker (more from her below), describes communication as a contact sport. Here, we include a focus on the physicality of the presentation. Think about your audience and the format constraints. 

In this module, you will:

• Evaluate your innovation's design in terms of how innovation features affect how clients/customers/funders come to understand your innovation
• Design presentations that manage your audience's understanding and pathways to action
• Refine your presentation style to match that of the best leaders and respond to your colleagues' feedback

To-Dos

• Before our first session: Read/Watch/Reflect on the material above and below. Consider the Additional Resources as you have time and need.
• Think about an "elevator pitch" (a presentation given in the time of an elevator ride -- and generally not a 40-floor highrise, but four or five floors). In our first session, we will evaluate your innovation's features and talk through the pluses and minuses of various presentation styles.
• Before our second session (Assignment 2a) post your 3-minute presentation leveraging the material from our first session. Consider your audience for your next presentation -- whatever that might be. Practice your presentation at least five times. If standing is an option for you, practice standing for your presentation. Otherwise, practice however you can to show the most energy. In my informal interviews with the best innovation champions, they report practicing over 100 times. They can immediately give you a 15-second, 3, 5, 10-minute, or longer version of their presentation.
• Add your questions as they arise in the Discussion: Questions regarding Stakeholder comprehension of innovation value material (with Prof. Griffith). 

Second Session "Run of Show" -- Presentation Lingo for What We'll Be Doing During Second Session

• MSE 454 Assignment - Feedback on each live presentation during our second session (Assignment 2b)
• MSE 754 Assignment - 3-minute live presentation during our second session and feedback on each live presentation (other than your own) (Assignment 2b)

Leveraging Comprehension of Value Through Presentation

Put It All Together in Your Presentation

My favorite presentation training source is Decker Communications. I've attended two of their courses. I subscribe to their YouTube and blog content. Hugely helpful. Duarte Communications is another great resource. As you watch these videos, pay special attention to the presenters' hands -- and that they are standing! Find a way to stand for your final presentation if at all possible. These presentations aren't meetings. They are you championing your innovation. 

Watch: The Communicator's Roadmap (3m16s)

 

Watch: Specifics Setup Tricks for Online Presentation (1m39s)

Guessing you know these, but just in case:

Watch: Making the Connection (1m49s)

Watch (3m08s):

"Are you interested in creating a fabulous science pitch? Neurospyschologist Liza Cornet - winner of the National Famelab Science Pitching Competition 2020 shares 3 tips based on personal experience that can help you design your pitch." 

Remember that I suggested 100 practice runs? Whether you're just starting, halfway there, or think 100 isn't enough, these are opportunities to get feedback from a friendly and interested community. Let me know in the discussion if you have any questions as you do your practice runs.

Additional Resources