Semiotics and Open InnovationThe Food and Drink Innovation Network – Open Innovation Summit

prepared for: food and drink innovation network prepared by: dr. kishore budha date: 14 Oct 2010 issue: 01

contents

Introduction to 1HQ

Semiotics. Language as a social sign system

Social construction of innovation — managing risks of meaning.

Innovation process modelling — how to signify opening up? – Semiotics steps — uncovering and aligning meanings.

Case study

1 hard question, asked and answered…

Leading Global Brand Agency.

70 insight, strategic, creative and commercial specialists.

UK’s largest independently owned brand agency, established in 1993.

Working with global, regional and local brands with clients ranging from major multi-nationals (inc. Unilever, Nestle, General Mills, Premier Foods, Allied Bakeries) to entrepreneurial start-ups.

WHO ARE ?

Semiotics Overview

What is semiotics?What is semiotics?

Semiotics is the science of study of (cultural) meaning of things. It is an analytical tool that makes use of a wide array of data to answer the

question: what does a product or service mean culturally?

Semiotics is the science of study of (cultural) meaning of things. It is an analytical tool that makes use of a wide array of data to answer the

question: what does a product or service mean culturally?

The “open” (cultural) shaping of the bicycleThe “open” (cultural) shaping of the bicycle

1843, 18881843, 1888

18981898

1860-18791860-1879

The “open” (cultural) shaping of the personal computerThe “open” (cultural) shaping of the personal computer

1990-early 20001990-early 2000

TodayToday

mid-late 2000mid-late 2000

SEMIOTICS, CULTURE, INNOVATION

Innovation Process (Inside)

Value

Innovation processes and outcomes aim to create and capture value (e.g., products/services).

Signs and symbols

Innovation stakeholders understand and convey meaning of value through signs and symbols.

Semiotics Inside

“Semiotics inside” is the science of uncovering meanings of value within the innovation process and locating their cultural impact and worth

Outcomes (Outside)

Meaning

Users/consumer values are cultural meanings, not just products and services.

Signs and symbols

Users/consumers read those signs and symbols in their cultural contexts

Semiotics Outside

“Semiotics outside” is the science of uncovering relevant meanings of innovation value in the wider cultural context of use and consumption.

Semiotics helps align innovation values with cultural meanings of valuesSemiotics helps align innovation values with cultural meanings of values

Semiotics helps “join up” Open Innovation.Semiotics helps “join up” Open Innovation.

Semiotics uncovers the meanings innovation stakeholders and processes give to outcomes and how those meanings resonate in the wider cultural context of consumption

Semiotics uncovers the meanings innovation stakeholders and processes give to outcomes and how those meanings resonate in the wider cultural context of consumption

It discovers this question by exploring meaning in the wider innovation and social contextIt discovers this question by exploring meaning in the wider innovation and social context

Social Construction of Meaning

Why is it important to uncover meanings

Business CaseRising costs of tech development TO product development To taking it to marketShorter product life cycles

Innovation as a management/socio-cultural processWritten and spoken words and visual aids are central to any formal process.

– e.g., briefs, research & insight, concept development, workshops, charts, images etc.

Language shapes our understanding of the world but limited human ability (and commercial pressures) to capture and communicate complex ideas on paper and understand meanings encoded by others.

Processes of Design and Technology, Insights, Strategy, Management and Creative development use discipline-specific discourses/taxonomies to understand, define and create meaning.

– External stakeholders compound this problem

Commonly shared meaning = rhetorical closure: “IT WORKS!” or “DOESN’T WORK”

Semiotics uncovers meanings across all stakeholders.

It helps arrive at a shared meaning – springboard for

innovation

UsersUsers

Stakeholders[e.g., media,

govt, etc]

Stakeholders[e.g., media,

govt, etc]

Organisation[strategy,

vision, goals]

Organisation[strategy,

vision, goals]

Designers,Technologists,

etc

Designers,Technologists,

etc

Semiotics uncovers consumers and user interpretation of product or service

ProductService Brand

ProductService Brand

Semiotics asks: how will/do stakeholders make meaning of product/service?

How does the organisationinterpret the

product/service?

How do designers and technologists make meaning of

the product/service

Using semiotics to socially construct meaning

what semiotics delivers

Semiotics is a 21st century approach and tool for innovation which accounts for culture in the innovation process and outcomes.

This enables brands/products/services to propose powerful, resonant and lasting meanings for consumers and users each time they interact with the value.

Audit of ideas out thereWhat are the ideas out there? What is their cultural value? How can the value be leveraged?

Defining an idea and collaborating with external partnersDoes a new value require creation?

Audit of ideas out thereWhat are the ideas out there? What is their cultural value? How can the value be leveraged?

Defining an idea and collaborating with external partnersDoes a new value require creation?

Semiotics helps manage the risks and pressures of short product life cyclesSemiotics helps manage the risks and pressures of short product life cycles

Innovation process modelling and semiotic steps

open innovation archetypes

Outside-In Process

Inside-out Process

Coupled Process

Boundaries of the company

ExternalKnowledge

Exploitation outsidethe company

Locus of innovation inside the company

Locus of innovation inside the company

Source: Oliver Gassmann, Ellen Enkel, Towards a theory of open innovation

role of semiotics in uncovering meaning

Culturally evaluating external knowledge and rapid development of scenarios– Desk-based analysis of cultural contexts

Uncovering meanings within internal and external disciplines and stakeholders and helping arrive at shared meaning

– Interviews/Ethnographies/Discourse analysis

– Analysis of current knowledgebase and documentation (e.g., briefs, plans etc)

– Workshop facilitation

– Concept development

Semiotics tools | Methods used by semiotics

Depth interviewsInterviews with stakeholders to uncover meanings

Cultural analysisWhat are the big cultural frames that would influence the outcomes

Discourse analysisFrom readily available detailed and rich material that is generated by the volition of humans or social processes, e.g., case-studies, memos, notes, literature, media reports, online conversations, books, films etc.

Ethnographies and field studiesDetailed ethnographies to uncover opportunities for concept development

Scenario buildingUsing cultural trends forecasting to build scenarios and profiles of lead users

Case studytea bag innovation

Case Study: Black Tea bag innovation

Overview

Black tea (in bag) is the most-widely consumed tea in the UK. How can we innovate to “own” the tea bag, strengthening the position of the brand.

Black tea is culturally deeply embedded – will not be abandoned.

Semiotics brief

Audit and guide the innovation process to ensure cultural resonance

Defining technological needs culturally – makes hunt focused and saves time

Signifies “British cultural way” of looking at the worldSignifies “British cultural way” of looking at the world

Tea drinking: 365-year-old British traditionTea drinking: 365-year-old British tradition

Reasonable flexibility of law when interpreting and applying them.

e.g., English Law

Reasonable flexibility of law when interpreting and applying them.

e.g., English Law

Rule (brew + milk and sugar) interpreted for individual tastes

e.g., Tea

Rule (brew + milk and sugar) interpreted for individual tastes

e.g., Tea

BRITISH CULTURAL WAY: FIRM, GENERAL RULES & LAWSBRITISH CULTURAL WAY: FIRM, GENERAL RULES & LAWS

Cultural diffusion and TeaCultural diffusion and Tea

Cultural ideas diffuse into society either without any change – e.g., traditional dinner jacket – or the general “rule” of the dinner jacket gets adapted. Similarly, tea as a “rule” is understood as

brew + milk/sugar, which diffuses in varying degrees

Cultural ideas diffuse into society either without any change – e.g., traditional dinner jacket – or the general “rule” of the dinner jacket gets adapted. Similarly, tea as a “rule” is understood as

brew + milk/sugar, which diffuses in varying degrees

The cultural idea of tea is drawn from the firm law that THE basic brew can be customised allowing its cultural diffusion.

The cultural idea of tea is drawn from the firm law that THE basic brew can be customised allowing its cultural diffusion.

Even though each tea is different, they reference the “firm law of tea”Even though each tea is different, they reference the “firm law of tea”

Any radical change to this core

impacts the shared meaning of tea

BREW STRENGTH. e.g., Builders Tea, weak tea

MILK

SUGAR

CONTEXT, OCCASION, OTHER ADDITIONS e.g., High Tea, Afternoon Tea, Lemon in tea

BLACK TEAGeneral

contents* & ritual of

preparation is “firm law”

cultural diffusion

through personalisation of

firm law

cultu

ral d

iffusio

n

through

perso

nalisa

tion o

f

firm la

w

cultural diffusion

through personalisation of

firm law

cultu

ral d

iffusio

n

thro

ugh

pers

onali

satio

n of

firm

law

*Tea, Hot Water + Milk/Sugar

Pyramid tea bags “enhances” core

BLACK TEAShared cultural

idea of drink

cultural diffusion

through personalisation of

firm law

cultu

ral d

iffusio

n

through

perso

nalisa

tion o

f

firm la

w

cultural diffusion

through personalisation of

firm law

cultu

ral d

iffusio

n

thro

ugh

pers

onali

satio

n of

firm

law

Our approach and solution

Uncover

Cultural meaning of tea, cultural meaning of innovation

Articulate

Define opportunities and boundaries – visual examples

Audit

Ideation

Audit Creation

Executional guidance

Hunt for technologiesHunt for technologies

Semiotics and Open InnovationThe Food and Drink Innovation Network – Open Innovation Summit

prepared for: food and drink innovation network prepared by: dr. kishore budha date: 14 Oct 2010 issue: 01