Many people are writing about innovation. Yet, the more I read, the more confusing the term becomes.

Some have said an innovation is an idea. Others have said an idea isn’t an innovation until it has been applied or implemented into a new product, service, or method. Hm, from my experience the hard part is coming up with the idea.

In an attempt at clarity, some have said that innovation is a new: product, service, design, method, technology, process, solution, experience, outcome, or trend. Yeah, that makes it clear!

Then there are others who have defined innovation as one of the following: adding value to a product or service; adding value to a company; finding new markets; moving toward the future; having a different viewpoint; or addressing challenges.

In my opinion this last one “addressing challenges” comes closest to a correct definition. So, let’s look at an actual dictionary definition. Here’s what Dictionary.com offers:

innovate [in-uh-veyt] verb (used without object), innovated, innovating.
From the Latin innovatus, past participle of innovare: to renew or alter.
* to introduce something new; make changes in anything established.

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