Red Thread Thinking: Weaving Together Connections for Brilliant Ideas and Profitable Innovation

By Debra Kaye

Create products and services your consumers can't pass up--without the high cost of development

Success is all about connections.

Debra Kaye explodes conventional thinking about innovation and provides an approach that anyone or any business can use to expose the crucial links among observations, experiences, facts, and feelings that on the surface do not seem related--but are--to uncover fresh, brilliant insights. In Red Thread Thinking, Kaye shows you how to weave originality from disparate information and turn it into a product or service that can shake up the marketplace--and your business.

What sets Red Thread Thinking apart from other books is that it reveals exactly how to identify and understand hidden cultural codes and shifts in consumer perceptions that speak to emerging and existing markets and, as a result, catapult fresh products to iconic status.

A mold-breaking system, Red Thread Thinking sharpens your innovation skills and can assist in problem solving, whether preparing a talk, pitching a project to your colleagues and boss, managing staff in a more productive way, or taking business to a new level. Learn the ways of Red Thread Thinking:

Red Thread One: "Innovation--It's All in Your Head"--We can fire up our brains to become better at observing and interpreting what we see around us

Red Thread Two: "Everything Old is New"--Take a fresh look at the past to gain remarkable advantage

Red Thread Three: "People: The Strangest Animals in the Zoo"--Know what makes your market tick, and you'll know what makes them spend

Red Thread Four: "What You See Is What You Get"--Learn how to create an entirely new and accessible "language" to make your product stand out and be universally understood

Red Thread Five: "The Force of Passion"--Persevere, review, and refine your ideas without compromising your integrity or core beliefs.

Red Thread Thinking teaches you to activate your own knowledge and resources to make better connections, have more and superior insights, and apply history as a valuable source for future-leaning innovation.

• Language: English
• Publisher: McGraw-Hill Education
• Release date: Mar 1, 2013
• ISBN: 9780071808224

Book preview

Reviews for Red Thread Thinking

[aegossman · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Amazing book... well sourced, well written, clear and consistent. A lovely read.

[Fitra Rahma Mulyani · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This book works as a reminder on how to train your brain to find an innovation

[pennyshima · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Kayne has written a deeply researched book on how to change one’s thinking habits to increase creativity. She shows how the innovative thoughts we all desire to take our businesses and work to the next level are actually not-so-elusive. By drawing on experience with her clients, research into traditional literature, exploring what other innovators are doing, and looking into many other sources (including Strunk & White, pinterest, and other modern technologies) Kayne proves that it is possible to methodically produce innovative thought. What is innovation? It is the braiding or weaving together of core areas (developing new ideas, engaging in challenging tasks, broadening knowledge, and interacting with stimulating people and places), areas which when specifically worked on, enhance people's ability to innovate. I also appreciated two aspects of her book. First, reminding us to sleep on it. When I'm trying to solve a sticky issue, I try to do one (or all!) of the following: go for a trail run, knit something, take a nap... this time taken for mediation, me time, or sleep has been shown to help boost creativity. Second, and this should come as no surprise, the inclusion in the appendix of "Discussion and Question Guide for Cat Research" found me head over heels in love. First that it is for cat research, second because of how detailed it is and how by not being just a bland and irreverant focus group but an in-depth interview that includes a request to allow the interviewer to see the owner interact with their cat reminded me that this is a well thought out book.This book is not for the faint-of-heart. It is not one of those super quick light reading business books that crowd the shelves. It is a valuable resource if you wish you thought a little more differently or you wanted to more systematically refine your approach. I highly recommend it. I received my ARC of this title through Net Galley.