Innovation is much more than just cool ideas. Within Information Technology, Innovation is a change to how we do something – solve a problem, implement a process – based on technology that provides value.

David Chappell, an IT consultant, author, and industry speaker outlines how innovation occurs through what he calls the “i3 Process.” All three aspects of this process are critical in successful IT Innovation.

i3 Process:

1. Idea Phase– every innovation has to start with a good idea

2. Implementation Phase – you have to make the idea usable in some concrete way

3. Infusion Phase – taking the implementation of the idea into the world, and convincing people to use it

While the i3 Process applies to all IT organization, there are differentiators between the IT Creators (such as Microsoft, Oracle, IBM, Open Source Project) and the IT Users (such as businesses, governments, organizations). The IT Creators may infuse innovation into a software product, while the IT Users will combine the i3 Process with a business idea and may leverage innovation from a IT Creator. The value of innovation always comes from business change, not the raw technology.

In the Idea Phase, IT Innovation in a business requires people who understand technology and the business. They have to be able to take existing or new technology and put business improvements with them.

The Implementation Phase requires people have to be good at transformation (going from here to there).

The Infusion Phase requires persuasive people that can make the case of why individuals should change.

Each of these phases of the i3 Process requires different types of people, perspectives and skill sets to be successful.

See the full interview with David on Effective IT Innovation on ARCast.TV

ITIL Service Strategy provides guidance on clarification and prioritization of service-provider investments in services. Being the origin point of the ITIL Service Lifecycle, Service Strategy focuses on helping IT organizations improve and develop over the long term. Service Strategy relies largely upon a market-driven approach. Key topics covered in ITIL Service Strategy include service value definition, business-case development, service assets, market analysis, and service provider types.

“Technology Strategy”… those words may bring up different ideas in the minds of people. Is is part of the Enterprise Architecture? Is is part of the business which the CIO manages? Or is it a project to implement a new system? Really is related to all three of these areas.

I think of Enterprise Architecture in the terms of a building architect. A building architect, in the most basic form, is responsible for understanding the what the customers minimum requirements are, what the customers wants are, and balancing this with the customers current and projected capabilities (initial building funds, available land, ongoing funding for maintenance, utilities, and so forth). In the Enterprise the architect is responsible for understanding the high-level capabilities (business and IT) and processes of the business, the business initiatives (near or long term needs, and wants), and working with the CIO and business stakeholders in designing foundation IT services. These foundation services should not be data or application silos, but an overall foundation that can be built on to enable the business to adapt new technologies down the road, without having to rip and replace their current systems, in order to support new business initiatives. A great resource for understanding Enterprise Architecture, and how to make it work is the book “Enterprise Architecture As Strategy: Creating a Foundation for Business Execution”.

The Technology Strategy aspect can be thought more or less of the general contractor that works with the architect. The general contractor is responsible to taking the architecture and coordinating the proper crews or sub-contractors to carry out the plans to erect a building. They will typically work with the architect and the buyer (business) in the process and make sure all the construction steps are completed accurately, to standards/regulation, and according to the architecture drawings. If you have ever worked with a contractor, you likely noticed they had several smaller projects (excavation, foundation laying, framing, wiring, plumbing, exterior finishing, drywall, roofing, etc) they managed to reach the end state. The contractor may have done some of the work himself, but typically the hands on work was left up to individuals that were specialized in their area of work, with the contractor acting as a Project Manager.

When developing a Technology Strategy, it involved taking into consideration the goals of the Enterprise Architecture (business alignment, standards, data interop, etc.) and putting a plan to implement the actual architecture through a thorough understanding of your current capabilities (in terms of software, both what you have deployed and un-deployed, but are licensed for, the skills of your staff, and your budget) and desired future capabilities.

The individual implementation projects of new software, or services to the business can be thought of as the sub-contractors or specialists on the construction site. Implementation may require specialized skills from the network engineering staff, systems engineering, developers, application specialist or even power users.

Every part in the building process is important. You can’t have one area without the other, whether you formally acknowledge one of the practices, such as Enterprise Architecture, or not. The area of Technology Strategy is where I am planning on spending most of the time in this blog, although this might morph in the future. I will also touch on the other two areas from time to time, as they are all related.

Some other reading that may be of interest:

• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Enterprise_architecture
• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Technology_strategy
• http://newsweaver.co.uk/spectrajournal/e_article000595879.cfm?x=b11,0,w

Strategy: a carefully devised plan of action to achieve a goal, or the art of developing or carrying out such a plan.