Ten Types of Innovation: The Discipline of Building Breakthroughs

by Larry Keeley, Bansi Nagji, Helen Walters

Innovation principles to bring about meaningful and sustainable growth in your organization

Using a list of more than 2,000 successful innovations, including Cirque du Soleil, early IBM mainframes, the Ford Model-T, and many more, the authors applied a proprietary algorithm and determined ten meaningful groupings—the Ten Types of Innovation—that provided insight into innovation. The Ten Types of Innovation explores these insights to diagnose patterns of innovation within industries, to identify innovation opportunities, and to evaluate how firms are performing against competitors. The framework has proven to be one of the most enduring and useful ways to start thinking about transformation.

Details how you can use these innovation principles to bring about meaningful—and sustainable—growth within your organization Author Larry Keeley is a world renowned speaker, innovation consultant, and president and co-founder of Doblin, the innovation practice of Monitor Group; BusinessWeek named Keeley one of seven Innovation Gurus who are changing the field

The Ten Types of Innovation concept has influenced thousands of executives and companies around the world since its discovery in 1998. The Ten Types of Innovation is the first book explaining how to implement it.

Genres: Business, Nonfiction, Design, Entrepreneurship, Leadership, Technology, Management

434 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 2013

Reviews

[Alexandru · Rating 3 out of 5]

An interesting book about innovation in business. A nice organisation of the contents with first the theoretical part and afterwards my favourite part - a detailed analysis of everything. The best part of the book is the real-life cases of successful innovative companies. The style is also user-friendly.

The bad parts are the usage of a lot of buzzwords that are overused in current day business and thus their meaning is lost very often. When you use the same words over and over again, it seems like a mantra and you can get lost in what the author wants to convey to the reader. Another thing is that the contents of the book were sacrificed to feat the format, which is not always good.

[Jonathan Jeckell · Rating 4 out of 5]

The main point is that innovation isn't some mystical process carried out by a select few. Most organizations think they are lacking in creativity, but are really lacking discipline to use creative ideas and turn them into something tangible. This book includes an attempt to systematize innovation by categorizing different approaches and using combinations of these approaches (along with combinations of ~104 innovation tactics). It also talks a lot about organizational processes, prototyping, and other techniques to cut through the BS and find ideas that will work and make them happen.

[Marius CEO · Rating 5 out of 5]

I fell in love with this book. Truly amazing work!

[Steve Fenton · Rating 4 out of 5]

This reminds me of the Gang of Four book on design patterns. You'll read it once and find out about this list of patterns... then you'll find yourself coming back when you want to put them to use. In this case, it's not design patterns, not innovation patterns.

[Juan Jacobo Bernal · Rating 2 out of 5]

I simply didn’t connect with this book’s narrative style. It seemed overly prescriptive: if innovation occurs, it MUST be because of the laws the authors have been studying. This is how I interpreted its voice, and this forbade me from connecting with it.

[Antony · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great ideas and structure for thinking about product, service and brand innovations

[Andrea · Rating 4 out of 5]

Si tratta di un libro che ho scelto di acquistare e leggere per motivi principalmente lavorativi, ma questo non toglie che possa essere di interesse per un target più ampio. Il titolo spiega già da solo qual è l’oggetto: l’innovazione. Una parola di cui spesso si abusa, che all’interno di questo testo non solo viene definita, ma si cerca di individuare puntualmente diverse tipologie di innovazioni sulla base di casi concreti di aziende: da P&G ad Apple, da FedEx ad Harley-Davidson, solo per citarne alcune. Potrebbe essere considerato un vero e proprio “manuale” (anche per il suo formato verticale decisamente inusuale) con teoria e pratica che si fondono dall’inizio alla fine del libro. Interessante sia per chi studia questi temi che per chi è chiamato a metterli in pratica nella vita di tutti i giorni.

La mia newsletter mensile sui libri: https://signorponza.substack.com/

[Nick · Rating 5 out of 5]

Although now five years old, Ten Types of Innovation retains a freshness that’s unusual for books in the business management category. That suggests some real insight here. You can see elements of other business foundation models here, like the 4Ps or 4Cs marketing mix, but by thinking past customer-facing experiences and into service offering and organization configuration, it offers more opportunities to model and consider business improvement. The case studies are particularly useful, as are the suggestions for leading and fostering innovation efforts. Recommended!

[Yc Liao · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ten types of innovation introduced a innovation framework/disciplines to demonstrate the innovative work. Additionally, authors provide many examples of other companies’ strategical works. Very helpful for readers who would like to create, improve, or change the way of innovation works in an organization.

[Paul W · Rating 4 out of 5]

“Innovation is not an arcane art that can only be practiced by a handful of creative wizards. Anyone can innovate, and any company can build the approaches, management structures, resources and tools necessary to help people to become better innovators.”
In ‘Ten Types’ Keeley sets out to lead readers through a structured way of thinking, or re-thinking, about innovation. Keeley’s starting premise is that “innovation almost never fails due to a lack of creativity. It’s almost always because of a lack of discipline.”
In Part Two Keeley devotes a chapter explaining each of the ten types of innovation. However, as with many business books, it is not clear whether the innovation examples highlighted were a result of those organisations applying the ten types framework, or whether the innovation processes have been selected and interpreted ex-post to fit the ten type framework.
Part Three highlights that sustainable innovation typically involves a combination of the types, at least five. Keeley likens it to playing a chord rather than a single note.
Parts Four to Six are about putting a structured approach to innovation into practice in organisations. Keeley cautions organisations to avoid confusing doing ‘something’ in one of the types to tick a box, with actually doing something meaningful and innovative. Incremental improvement should be part of your everyday business; but it is not innovation.
Some critics have argued that Keeley’s structured approach does not show how people get that ‘Aha!’ insight, that ‘Eureka!’ moment of inspired brilliance. While this exists in some fields, as other authors have argued, usually “innovation is not generated by disembodied ideation, shower thoughts, or aha moments.”
As Keeley highlights “The Ten Types isn’t a panacea. But it’s a big leap forward toward more rigorous and reliable innovation.”

[Melsene G · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great book for all of you innovators. If you're not in a business situation this book won't really work for you although it might bring you out of your box a little bit.

Here are some takeaways. Innovation requires identifying the problems that matter and moving them through systematically to deliver elegant solutions. The ten types include: Profit Model, Network, Structure, Process, Product Performance, Product System, Service, Channel, Brand, and Customer Engagement. These ten fall into 3 overall groups: Configuration/backstage, Offering, and Experience /onstage. There are chapters on each of these types and examples of successful companies.

There is a ton of info to absorb. Chapter 19 lays out Innovation Tactics and provides a toolkit to turn the ten types into building blocks for innovation. Innovation is not optional. Get cracking. You need creativity and discipline, pragmatism and ambition and a top down/bottom up analysis and synthesis.
You need clear methods, phases, and tools. Collaboration not silos. Multidisciplinary teams and Metrics-"What gets measured, gets done." One of my favorite quotes.

Execute effectively: have a mission, guidelines, focus on the hardest parts to get right, resolve dilemmas boldly. Prototype and pilot test your innovations. Think like a pirate.

There's a ton to digest here but as I said, if you're in business the ten types will definitely help you along if you can follow them. Good luck!

[Cammie · Rating 3 out of 5]

It’s a good concept. However, I think this book is more applicable to top level executives. It really focuses on using 10 different types innovation to have a lasting impact. The problem for a scientific individual contributor like me, is that only one type of innovation really falls under my capability (product performance). The books really stresses using at least 3-4 different innovations from multiple categories in order to find a winner. Many of these types (brand, customer engagement, etc), an individual contributor like me cannot have any impact on. It’s a good theory but the common scientist looking to innovate can’t really use the framework outlined here. This book is geared more toward multi-disciplinary teams that are focused on large company strategy or goals.

[Kateryna · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was extremely hard for me to read. I was looking for a book full of actionable techniques. Of course, it had some really good points and a list of innovation tactics, but the rest felt like a history course on innovation and an attempt to prove the concept, that the authors are happy with.

Also this book felt somewhat outdated (or maybe because I work in tech). I feel like in 2024 people understand that innovation is required to succeed. People constantly innovate today. Of course, sometimes you need some new ideas, approaches, playbooks in short, but that's exactly what this book is lacking.

As there were still some useful things, I gave three stars to this book. I won't suggest it though, an article on the internet does have the same effect.

[Melissa Charitos · Rating 3 out of 5]

3,5 ster, gelezen in het kader van mijn opleiding FinTech.

Vrij interessante materie, maar het blijft toch een beetje abstract. De delen waarvan je wilt dat ze diepgaander worden toegelicht, blijven helaas op de vlakte. De praktijkvoorbeelden zijn leuk, maar het zijn er veel te veel. De voorbeelden hadden ook van andersoortige bedrijven mogen komen, en niet alleen grote, bekende bedrijven. Pluspunt, het boek komt uit 2013, maar voelt niet gedateerd aan.

[Pascale · Rating 4 out of 5]

I had to read this book for work and it was such a good move. Super insightful, with great case studies to illustrate the concepts. Definitely a must for every professional, no matter the industry you are working in.

[Psalmist S. Turner · Rating 3 out of 5]

Insightful and creative approach to this subject. I liked the examples, case studies and the use of visuals to drive things home. Definitely a good read for anyone regardless of if you are in a business space or not

[M. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lots of very interesting and thought provoking ideas! I will definitely be coming back to this in the future

[Tor · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fun and read to systematically reflect on areas where your business could need an upgrade.

[Nahin · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's always hard to rate books like this, but the clearly outlined framework for innovation was bookmarked for reference, as well as several other key learnings.

[Thom Mckiernan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Some to read with some practical advice.

I read this as part of Avanade's "School of Innovation" (where I was working). They also paid for the book, which was nice!

[Alejandro Garcia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Deep and down to earth review on innovation with a collection of great examples of innovation at work.

Though I expected a more practical framework on how to put it in practice

[Justin Souter · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is excellent. A worthy companion to approaches such as Lean Startup, Strategyzer, Innovator's Dilemma, Open Innovation, Steve Blank and many more.

[Jonathan Gomez · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5/5 rounded up.

[Şeyda · Rating 4 out of 5]

A comprehensive reference book for everyone interested in innovation as a discipline. Throughout the book, Keeley maintains that innovating requires identifying the problems that matter and moving through them systematically to deliver elegant solutions. In parallel with this idea, the book provides a methodical approach to analyze current innovations and to introduce innovation shifts. The innovation approach is broken down into innovation tactics and supported with real-life cases.

[Bethanii · Rating 3 out of 5]

feels like a book i could return to and reference, which is very much high praise for a business-y book

[JJ Amonpat · Rating 4 out of 5]

When talking about innovation, product innovation is the only one that came out of my brain. I bought this book for two simple reasons. Firstly, I want to know, how many types of the innovation and how does it categorise? Secondly, this book is pretty and well organised. The layout and graphic were arranged in a neatly way and easy to read. The ten types of innovation framework came from data analysis of nearly 2,000 examples of the best innovation using pattern recognition and complexity management techniques. The writer provided an explicit definition of each type of innovation together with some great examples from well-known companies.

[Fred Rose · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book will likely become a common reference book, like Business Model Generation has become. It's based on many years and case studies, and written by some thoughtful people. Listing the ten types at first doesn't seem all that useful or insightful, but the strength of the book is in the depth of the analysis and playbook tools for the different types. THis book is probably more useful more for large corporate situations but it will also be useful to entrepreneurs looking at areas of opportunity. Very well designed book.

[Chris Shinkle · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great book to shape the way you think about innovation. Too often innovation thinking is limited to just the product or service. However, this book takes it a step further. The authors identify 10 types of innovation: 4 that focus inward, 2 focusing on the product, 4 external facing. The book always provides a framework for where and how to invest in innovation ideas.

If innovation is part of your job, you need to read this book. It has had a large influence on the way I think about innovation.

[Tiago · Rating 5 out of 5]

An essential book for anyone who works in innovation, in product or just simply wants to test out new ideas in a business. The book starts rather dull with a theoretical and a bit high-level overview of what innovation is but as soon as it touches down on case-studies it all starts falling into place. It culminates with the most practical way I've ever seen of dissecting innovation into puzzle pieces (called tactics) which can be combined to create innovation go-to cards and which can be used by anyone at any time. Keep this book next to you at all times.

[LeikHong Leow · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is really awesome!!

Business Innovation is not only about the product, in fact, it can be broken down into 10 different types of business focus. Many great examples were quoted inside the book, on how a brand & company being innovated and become the leader in their industry.

Well written.