Innovation platforms

Good research should do more than just report back findings. It should also help clients identify what needs to happen next – and who needs to take responsibility.

This is particularly true in relation to innovation. Over the course of many design research and behaviour change projects, we’ve learnt a lot about how to make insights actionable for key audiences – those for whom the detail of our findings is secondary to the need for structured ‘next steps’ frameworks.

That’s why our goal is often not the debrief itself, but the communication of clear prompts for future action – even when projects don’t specifically ask for new ideas. By taking time to understand the wider business contexts surrounding each commission, we avoid the common pitfall of leaving clients with a wealth of ‘interesting’ insights – but with little idea of how to translate them into a coherent plan of action.

The resultant ‘Innovation Platforms’ could be more or less specific depending on the project – and often we’ll co-develop them with clients or even the target stakeholders. But what they have in common is the structured framing of insight to speak directly to the everyday needs and priorities of the people who need to build on what we’ve discovered.

Through their unique insights, Revealing Reality helped us to identify areas for innovation that challenged us to think in new ways… It was vital for staying ahead of our competitors.

Director of Trends & Insights
InterContinental Hotels Group