Innovation Roadmapping Process

🏗 How To Tackle Large, Complex Projects. With practical techniques to meet the desired outcome, without being disrupted or derailed along the way ↓ 🤔 99% of large projects don’t finish on budget and on time. 🤔 Projects rarely fail because of poor skills or execution. ✅ They fail because of optimism and insufficient planning. ✅ Also because of poor risk assessment, discovery, politics. 🎯 Best strategy: Think Slow (detailed planning) + Act Fast. ✅ Allocate 20–45% of total project effort for planning. ✅ Riskier and larger projects always require more planning. ✅ Think Right → Left: start from end goal, work backwards. ✅ For each goal, consider immediate previous steps/events. ✅ Set up milestones, prioritize key components for each. ✅ Consider stakeholders, users, risks, constraints, metrics. 🚫 Don’t underestimate unknown domain, blockers, deps. ✅ Compare vs. similar projects (reference class forecasting). ✅ Set up an “execution mode” to defer/minimize disruptions. 🚫 Nothing hurts productivity more than unplanned work. Over the last few years, I've been using the technique called “Event Storming” suggested by Matteo Cavucci to capture user’s experience moments through the lens of business needs. With it, we focus on the desired business outcome, and then use research insights to project events that users will be going through towards that outcome. On that journey, we identify key milestones and break user’s events into 2 main buckets: user’s success moments (which we want to dial up) and user’s pain points or frustrations (which we want to dial down). We then break out into groups of 3–4 people to separately prioritize these events and estimate their impact and effort on Effort vs. Value curves (https://lnkd.in/evrKJUEy). The next step is identifying key stakeholders to engage with, risks to consider (e.g. legacy systems, 3rd-party dependency etc.), resources and tooling. We reserve special timing to identify key blockers and constraints that endanger successful outcome or slow us down. If possible, we also set up UX metrics to track how successful we actually are in improving the current state of UX. When speaking to business, usually I speak about better discovery and scoping as the best way to mitigate risk. We can of course throw ideas into the market and run endless experiments. But not for critical projects that get a lot of visibility — e.g. replacing legacy systems or launching a new product. They require thorough planning to prevent big disasters and urgent rollbacks. If you’d like to learn more, I can only highly recommend "How Big Things Get Done" (https://lnkd.in/erhcBuxE), a wonderful book by Prof. Bent Flyvbjerg and Dan Gardner who have conducted a vast amount of research on when big projects fail and succeed. A wonderful book worth reading! Happy planning, everyone! 🎉🥳

Wheel for Sustainable Business Innovation 🌎 The sustainability landscape is evolving rapidly, and businesses are increasingly expected to integrate environmental and social considerations into their innovation processes. However, traditional innovation frameworks often fall short by focusing solely on customer needs, financial returns, and technical feasibility, leaving critical planetary challenges unaddressed. A more comprehensive approach is needed—one that embeds sustainability at the core of value creation. The 130+ Value Proposition Types Wheel is a practical tool that helps organizations frame innovation efforts across four key dimensions: People, Planet, Profit, and Progress. It provides over 130 value types that businesses can leverage to ensure their projects contribute meaningful solutions to global challenges such as climate action, resource efficiency, social inclusion, and technological advancement. This approach shifts the focus beyond immediate customer needs to include long-term sustainability impacts across entire ecosystems. By using structured frameworks like this, companies can link their innovation projects directly to UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), addressing critical issues such as climate resilience, biodiversity, and social equity. The tool also encourages the use of metrics to track progress, making sustainability-driven innovation more actionable and measurable across industries. It helps businesses unlock new forms of value while addressing both environmental risks and opportunities. The tool is adaptable to different phases of the innovation process, from identifying unmet needs to scaling solutions in the market. It guides organizations in understanding how their innovations create value in areas such as climate action, circularity, supply chain management, and stakeholder engagement. This makes it relevant for both B2B and B2C companies aiming to enhance their impact while future-proofing their operations. Originally developed by Explorer Labs, this tool has been referenced in the past and continues to remain highly useful as businesses advance their sustainability journeys. As 2025 begins, leveraging tools like this can help organizations move from incremental improvements to transformative solutions, embedding sustainability into innovation processes that deliver lasting value. #sustainability #sustainable #business #esg #climatechange #innovation #SDGs

I was invited to speak to the Chief Sustainability Officer group at the World Economic Forum during climate Week. I urged us all to take control of the narrative. Here is a summary... Let’s shift the narrative. As sustainability leaders… Let’s not talk about decarbonization as emissions. Let’s talk about it as innovation that drives: ·    energy cost savings, ·    avoidance of energy pricing volatility ·    avoidance of carbon fees ·    reduced maintenance ·    increased productivity ·    sales lift Let’s not talk about tons of waste diverted from landfill and reused, let’s talk about it as innovation that reduces: ·    virgin input costs ·    waste disposal costs ·    exposure to geopolitical risk in supply chains ·    exposure to tariffs (e.g. Renault is putting 45% of used car components into new cars) Our research into the Return on Sustainability Investment (ROSI) shows that sustainability is just good management.   The methodology (developed with companies) has found nine value drivers associated with sustainability, including operational efficiency, risk reduction, employee retention and productivity, sales and marketing, and and innovation and growth. For example, innovation is about identifying a problem or an opportunity. It can be focused on process, product or service. It can be incremental or transformative. From a sustainability perspective, innovations fall into two broad buckets:  ·    innovating sustainability improvements in an industry or a category ·    innovating with a process, product or service that is needed by society. The first approach requires understanding the material ESG issues for the sector and designing solutions that tackle that issue, while also improving the underlying value proposition - -which sustainability can do. The second approach is tougher, but has more potential to go big: Innovating to solve broad societal problems such as water scarcity, plastic packaging pollution and health impacts, tackling the carbon transition, social inequity and so on. Here we might look at innovation such as 3D printing (e.g. on demand) using recycled inputs – tires, dresses, construction materials etc. We might look at bio-based plastic made from air and methane-based greenhouse gas dissolved in saltwater, recyclable through biological digestion. We might look at how to give immigrants and others with no credit history access to credit through tracking ontime rental payments. So as you work with your companies, help them understand that managing the material ESG issues for their sector and company is not a reporting and compliance exercise. It is a good management exercise that can drive everything from operational efficiency to sales and customer loyalty to innovation that will help the bottomline. Put in place methods such as ROSI with your finance team or ESG controller to track the financial benefits so you can get sustainability to the speed and scale you and the planet want and need. 

THE "CAFFEINATED SQUIRREL" LEADERS WHO MISTAKE MOTION FOR PROGRESS. I was in a leadership meeting last week watching our most energetic executive present his latest initiative. In 20 minutes, he outlined a new workflow, proposed restructuring two teams, and suggested three potential partnerships. The room was buzzing with his intensity. But halfway through, I noticed something telling. People had stopped taking notes. The energy that initially felt inspiring was starting to feel exhausting. This isn't just a feeling; it's a well-documented leadership pattern. Compelling new research from Harvard Business Review calls these brilliant, high-energy leaders "caffeinated squirrels"—executives who mistake motion for progress. This frantic pace has a cost. A McKinsey study found that while most executives want to move faster, for over half, that speed leads to burnout and reduced coordination. It's what Microsoft calls "productivity theater"—all activity, no strategic impact. The problem isn't work ethic; it's confusing activity with achievement. The antidote isn't to slow down, but to become more deliberate. The research points to three critical shifts: >> Institute Strategic Pauses. Before launching a new idea, take 48 hours. Ask: Does this align with our core priorities? What is the capacity tradeoff? What is the real cost of not acting immediately? >> Map Your Cognitive State. Don't just manage your calendar; manage your mental energy. Align your highest-leverage decisions with the times you're most focused, not just when you're available. >> Measure Clarity, Not Just Output. The best leaders measure their ability to reduce confusion. Do you align energy or scatter it? Your role is to be a signal in the noise, not to add to it. Your drive is an asset. But in a world drowning in input, your ability to create mental whitespace for your team might be your greatest leadership skill. What's one initiative you've been considering that might benefit from a strategic pause? #leadership #leadershipdevelopment #organizationalculture #executivecoaching #strategicthinking

🌿🌍 Sustainable innovation is coming at the forefront of business discussions lately, and I'd like to share some thoughts. I propose defining sustainable innovation as “a type of innovation process that deliberately integrates environmental and social considerations into the development of new products, services, or business models, with the explicit goal of creating long-term positive impact at both organizational and systemic levels.” Importantly, it should help companies and entire systems function within our planet's boundaries. However, the path to sustainable innovation is fraught with challenges. In my experience, there are four significant hurdles: 1. 🧠 Lack of relevant human capital: Many organizations simply don't have the specialized expertise needed to address complex sustainability challenges. This knowledge gap can severely hamper innovation efforts. 2. 🏗️ Underdeveloped organizational capabilities: Even with the right people, companies often lack the structures, processes, incentives, and cultures necessary to foster sustainable innovation. Developing these capabilities requires significant time and investment. 3. 🔍 Insufficient absorptive capacity: Many firms struggle to identify, assimilate, and apply existing sustainable technologies. This is about having the internal capacity to understand and implement these innovations effectively. 4. 🤝 Dearth of stakeholder-oriented mindsets: For decades, business education has focused on shareholder primacy. Shifting to a more holistic, stakeholder-centric approach is not just a matter of policy change; it requires a fundamental rewiring of how business leaders think and operate. When it comes to measuring sustainable innovation, we're in a period of profound experimentation. 🧪 Companies are actively testing various initiatives, products, and business models in pursuit of sustainability. We're in the early stages of this journey, and failure is an inherent part of the process. This state of flux makes measurement challenging, as there's no established playbook or universal metrics. Given this complexity, we should embrace diverse measurement approaches as we learn from both successes and failures. 📊 Ultimately, we must remember that sustainable innovation isn't just about individual companies or technologies – it's about systemic change. 🔄 This change occurs at multiple levels: individual, organizational, regulatory, governmental, and institutional. The challenge lies in the fact that our systems can only evolve as quickly as their slowest components. As we continue to innovate for sustainability, we must keep this broader context in mind, striving for solutions that can accelerate change across all levels of our global systems. I'm curious to hear your thoughts. What examples have you seen of sustainable innovation that you believe have had positive systemic impacts? Please share your experiences and insights below! 💬 #ESG #Innovation #SustainableInnovation #Climate

What would happen if a bank ran out of cash for even a single day? This is not a theoretical question—it is the reason every bank relies on something most people have never heard of: a Liquidity Playbook. Liquidity is the lifeblood of banking. Without it, even the most profitable banks can fail. Yet, liquidity crises often emerge suddenly, triggered by events like unexpected customer withdrawals, market disruptions, or changes in interest rates. So, what is a Liquidity Playbook? It is a carefully crafted, pre-approved plan that ensures the bank can access cash at a moment’s notice. It includes: Funding Sources: A diversified list of where to raise funds—whether through deposits, central banks, or wholesale markets. Early Warning Indicators: Metrics to detect potential liquidity risks, such as unusual deposit outflows or tightening funding markets. Stress Scenarios: Simulations of extreme events to test how the bank would respond under pressure, like a credit downgrade or a market-wide liquidity freeze. Contingency Plans: Specific actions to take during a crisis, such as selling liquid assets or activating credit lines. The playbook is not just a regulatory requirement—it is a survival tool. During the 2008 financial crisis, banks with robust liquidity plans fared far better than those without. More recently, the collapse of institutions like Silicon Valley Bank highlighted how critical it is to manage liquidity proactively rather than reactively. The fascinating part? The science of liquidity planning requires balancing precision with unpredictability. A playbook must account for potential future shocks while ensuring the bank does not over-allocate resources that could be used more profitably elsewhere. Why should you care? Because liquidity is what keeps your bank account accessible, your payments flowing, and the financial system stable. The next time you see a headline about a bank facing “liquidity issues,” you will know that this is not just a technical problem—it is a challenge that goes to the heart of banking resilience.

#Technology is increasingly pivotal in driving sustainability goals, offering innovative solutions to address some of the world's most pressing challenges. Two recent breakthroughs showcase the transformative potential for sustainable energy systems: 1. Sodium-Ion Batteries A game-changing development in sodium-ion batteries using sodium vanadium phosphate presents a promising alternative to lithium-based energy storage. Unlike lithium, sodium is abundant, cost-effective, and can even be harvested from #seawater. This offers a circular economy solution, reducing reliance on scarce resources while addressing the environmental toll of lithium mining and limited recycling capabilities. 2. Photochemical Water Oxidation for Hydrogen Fuel Advances in photochemical water oxidation are optimizing hydrogen production through water splitting—a key step toward realizing #hydrogen’s potential as a sustainable fossil fuel replacement. Efficient processes like this pave the way for cleaner energy systems and a hydrogen-driven future. While both technologies are in early stages, they point to where sustainability funding and innovation should focus. #Startups, in particular, have a unique role in bridging the gap between lab research and real-world applications, turning potential into scalable solutions. The future of sustainability lies in harnessing such breakthroughs to redefine energy, #circularity, and resilience. With the right investment and collaboration, we can unlock a cleaner, more sustainable future. #Sustainability #Innovation #CleanEnergy #TechnologyForGood #FutureOfEnergy

The most successful founders I've worked with see runway as a strategic tool, not a countdown clock. But many founders fall into these 3 common traps: 1. Focusing on burn rate instead of strategic milestones Obsessing over monthly cash burn, but missing the bigger picture: which activities actually move the business forward. 2. Measuring time-to-zero instead of time-to-milestones Starting with "months until zero" puts you in survival mode. The strongest founders I work with map their runway against key business achievements instead. 3. Misunderstanding what investors actually value in runway planning Founders often think extending runway through aggressive cost-cutting impresses investors. But a shorter runway with clear progress beats a longer runway with stagnant growth. What Actually Works: 1. Map milestones, not just months Break your runway into phases, each with clear business achievements. Know exactly what you'll prove before your next raise. 2. Plan around proof points Build your spending plan around key business milestones. Sometimes moving faster on the right things beats moving slowly on everything. 3. Show progress, not just prudence When talking to investors, focus on what you're building, not just what you're saving. Share a clear path from today's spending to tomorrow's growth. Remember: Runway isn't about how long you can survive. It's about what you can prove along the way. ♻️ Found this helpful? Repost to share with your network. ⚡ Want more content like this? Hit follow Maya Moufarek.

Are you solving for sustainability or with it? 🌍 There’s a big difference between solving for sustainability and solving with it. When you solve for sustainability, it’s often a bolt-on. The work you do after the “real” work is done. It’s a checkbox. A PR line. An accounting exercise. And honestly, it limits the whole thing—form, function, and financial return. But when you solve with sustainability—when it’s in the room with you alongside the other big drivers like user experience, technical feasibility, financial ROI, and regulatory realities—it becomes part of the innovation DNA. This is what we mean by shifting left, as outlined in The Insider's Guide to Innovation at Microsoft. Responsible Innovation practices—like privacy, accessibility, and sustainability—deliver the most value when they’re baked in from the start. When you shift sustainability left, it stops being a constraint and starts being a catalyst. It allows you to aim for positive—not just less harm, but more value. For business. For people. For the planet. Solving with sustainability doesn’t mean sacrificing profit—it means redesigning the value chain. And when you do that, the returns speak for themselves. Don’t bolt it on. Build it in. Happy Earth Day. Let’s keep aiming for positive—and building a future that benefits us all. #innovation #sustainability #leadership

I’m the person business leaders come to when they feel like none of their marketing efforts are working… They’ve missed a goal and they’re ready to bring on a consultant that can help launch something “new” — new ads, partnerships, social platforms, communities, etc — and they want to do it FAST. However, my most valuable marketing advice to a frantic business leader like this is to STOP doing new things. That frantic energy just creates more chaos and spreads yourself (and team) thin. It leads to burnout and a long list of half-finished projects that don’t resonate with your audience and keep you stuck in the same position. Instead of adding new items to your plate, it’s time to take a strategic pause to understand what's *actually* working and why other things are not working. Before you launch any new marketing initiatives, here are 3 steps to take: 👉🏾 Identify Where You’re Already Winning; Don't just look at the numbers you missed. Go back to your top-performing campaigns and channels from the past 6-12 months. What worked? Why did it resonate with your audience? 👉🏾 Talk to Your Best Customers: Go straight to the source. Ask them, "What led you to us in the first place, and what do you love about working with us?" Their answers give you the insight on what to do moving forward. 👉🏾 Make Sure Your Team is On Board: Employee morale & engagement is super important for any project. Get everyone on the same page about what's currently working and hear their concerns about what’s not. Stop the new, scattered projects and focus your team's energy and resources on amplifying the 1-2 things that have already shown promise. This pause is the most valuable investment you can make in your company’s growth. -- 👋🏾 Welcome! I'm Netta, a marketing strategist, consultant and boutique agency owner. I help leaders build brands that drive significant, measurable growth through strategic planning, outsourced execution, and keynote speaking. Ready to build a plan? Let's connect! Want insights like this directly in your inbox each Tuesday morning? Subscribe to my new newsletter, The Strategic CMO: https://lnkd.in/eKGf-bfb (The first issue drops September 9th!)