via GIPHY (Yes, this is a gif of me)
Innovation means so many things to so many people that it means nothing in most contexts. This week, I heard my least favourite use of the word, in relation to EdTech. I thought I’d explain why, and offer a more useful definition of Innovation.
I enjoy the EdTech Podcast, created by Sophie Bailey – as it is a useful insight into the breadth of the sector. As it is the 1st Birthday of the podcast, I thought I’d catch up on those that I have missed.
As part of episode 64, Steve Connolly, Group Digital Director at Hodder, used the term Innovation a lot. At one point, he said:
‘We are traditional publishers in that we publish traditional books, but…we’ve been innovating for ten 15 years.’
While Steve said a lot that made sense and is clearly doing a great job for Hodder, he used innovation to mean the way that publishers have adapted to digital technology and found new opportunities in the market.
IMHO – This is NOT innovation. You cannot innovate for 15 years! What Steve means is evolution. He means gradual change. It is what all good businesses and organisations should be doing all the time – constantly improving and serving the audiences they work with where they need it.
Innovation is substantial positive change. I’ve come to this definition having been challenged to explain what I mean by innovation again and again, in a range of contexts. This one works to distinguish innovation from all the other behaviours and characteristics of an organisation (or person).
Traditional publishers can be innovative, but it is (by definition) not the way they work and (having worked in and for quite a few of them) the publishing process mitigates against innovation at almost every step.
I agree with Andrea Carr, Founder of Rising Stars, who (in the same podcast), who argued that we need to see more traditional/established publishers working with (not just assimilating) start-ups and other innovative sources – to improve the fertility of the edtech sector.
My thanks to Sophie Bailey for the ever stimulating EdTech Podcast – and congratulations on the anniversary!