Focus on...

“Fewer projects with greater focus. That's the new direction at high-tech giant Hewlett-Packard Co.'s advanced research group, HP labs. The company says the goal of the research group's new approach is to ‘balance exploratory research with an entrepreneurial approach’ so breakthrough technology can be transferred more quickly into commercial applications for customers.

“The new HP labs consists of 23 labs across seven worldwide locations, led by Prith Banerjee. The research group will pursue 20 to 30 large research projects rather than the 150 smaller projects it had in the past.

“‘In the past, HP labs took the approach of let 1,000 flowers bloom,’ Banerjee explains on the HP Web site. ‘The trouble with that approach is that not enough resources were allocated to any particular research area.’

“Open innovation will play a greater role as well, as input from universities, partners, customers and venture capitalists gains greater significance. A review board composed of HP technologists and business executives will provide guidance to lab researchers, identifying the most promising discoveries to turn into commercial offerings and building business plans early in the research lifecycles.”

(“Focus Please.” Jill Jusko. Industry Week: June 2008. Vol. 257, Iss. 6; pg. 86)

MANAGE INNOVATION through relentless focus on adding value to the customer's experience as they see it.

Customers first, business sense second, technology third.

That's it.