• “Innovation—mystery or mastery? For Carlson and Wilmot, the answer is definitely the latter. Following the example of Deming’s approach to quality—another of those magically powerful substances—they lay out a thoughtful, practical methodology for managing innovation projects through to successful outcomes. Sure, in that one percent inspiration there may be the occasional moment of mystery, but for those of us operating in the ninety-nine percent perspiration part of the field, it’s terrific to finally get a great user’s manual.” — Goeffrey Moore, author of Dealing with Darwin: How Great Companies Innovate at Every Phase of Their Evolution
• Curt Carlson was the keynote speaker at Taiwan President Ma’s first National Innovation Awards in December, 2014
• “SRI International is now the leading company in the world at converting its technology into commercial value.” David Ladd, Managing Partner at Mayfield Ventures in Silicon Valley
• (Innovation: The Five Disciplines for Creating What Customers Want is) “A persuasive argument for a methodical approach to innovation. A worthwhile read for any executive trying to stay ahead of the competition. … Carlson practices what he preaches. When he became CEO of the storied research shop (SRI) in the 1990s the firm’s revenues were stagnant and its innovation pipeline had dried up. Carlson analyzed the situation and realized that the firm’s approach to R&D was scattershot, and there was no framework for identifying and championing promising ideas. But over the next decade, Carlson returned SRI to double-digit growth by instituting the “five disciplines” that he and Wilmot dissect in workbook fashion: identifying important customer needs, creating solutions that fill those needs, building innovation teams, empowering “innovation champions” who keep the effort on track, and, finally, aligning the entire enterprise around creating value for customers.” Dean Foust, BusinessWeek
• “(P)ass a copy (of Innovation: The Five Disciplines for Creating What Customers Want) along to your senior management, who will find in this well-written book a strongly presented case for a disciplined, enterprise-wide, innovation process.” Review by George Kingston, Journal of Product Management
• “The SRI innovation program was more useful than the four week executive program I attended at a leading eastern business school.” Jana Barrett, Director of BBC Television
• “I was amazed. After our senior management team came back they explained to me that 80% of our initiatives had no real value for the corporation. And, for the first time, they could explain why!” Don Macleod, CEO of National Semiconductor
• Our group arrived from a variety of different organizations – academia, small companies, massive companies with different research projects and different levels of experience. I think it is fair to say that many arrived as skeptics. … It is hard to do the workshop justice. It is a combination of the environment, energy, process, materials, teachers, and fellow students. The best way to convey it is that every attendee had dramatic improvement in their ability to present the value of their project. Dramatic is not hyperbole here. You had to see it to believe it.” Dale Peterson, Digital Bond Corporation
1 Comment
Chris Peterson
I was lucky enough to work for Curt at SRI for many of those 16 years. I can tell you he has vision, energy, and the most important characteristic of all – the ability to listen. He hears the unique challenges of companies, organizations, and nations and then uses his vast knowledge to move them forward to an exciting future.