Is It Innovation or Continuous Improvement?

In the not-for-profit world, there's often a lot of debate around the difference between "innovation" and "continuous improvement." But in my opinion the terminology isn't nearly as important as the actual impact you're trying to make.

Innovation is essentially making things better than they are. At Impacto Consulting we deliberately try to keep it simple because there's no value in debating the definitions - it's just a distraction. The way we see it is that Innovation can stem from two main starting points – solving a problem and pursuing an opportunity.

Solving a Problem

You've identified an issue or challenge that needs to be addressed within your organisation or for the people you serve.  

Pursuing an Opportunity

Sometimes innovation isn't about solving a problem, but rather spotting an opportunity to do something better than what's currently being done. Take Uber, for example.  They didn't necessarily see a major flaw in the taxi industry, but they saw a chance to provide a more convenient, technology-driven alternative. They recognised that people valued ease of use, accessibility, and transparency, and they capitalised on these desires by creating a platform that revolutionised the way we think about transportation.

Regardless of the starting point, the end result of innovation can take one of two forms. Creating something new or improving something that already exists.

Creating Something New

This is the big, breakthrough innovation - developing an entirely new product, service, or way of doing things that didn't exist before.

Improving on What Already Exists

Innovation doesn't always have to mean reinventing the wheel. Sometimes it's about taking an existing process or offering and making incremental improvements that add up to significant change.

Whether you're solving a problem or pursuing an opportunity, and whether the outcome is something brand new or an enhancement of what's already there, the true measure of innovation is the positive impact it has. What matters is that you are continuously getting better as an organisation, doing things that make a real impact on those people's lives that you're out there to support. Also, the focus should be on changing things for the better and making a difference for the people you serve, rather than getting caught up in definitions.

The key is to stay focused on the real goal: making positive changes that benefit your organisation and the people you support. Whether you call it innovation or continuous improvement, the important thing is that you're constantly striving to do better.

By keeping these principles in mind, you can foster a culture of innovation and continuous improvement that drives real, meaningful change - no matter what you call it.

Want to unlock innovation in your organisation? Our Innovate For Impact workshop empowers your team with the tools and a roadmap to embed innovation in a not-for-profit environment. Click here to find out more.