Join me and my special guest Richard Hall, founder of Pd-m International Limited, an innovation, product design and manufacturing consultancy.

We discuss the success factors of getting a product from concept to commercialisation or use in practice.

Richard shares his definition of innovation and the different levels and types of innovation, from incremental to disruptive.

Richard and I both use design thinking in our workshops, and we explore what it is and how we use it. Richard gives the example of how he has used design thinking to create medical innovations for surgeons.

Richard gives us his six trigger points for establishing a successful innovation, innovation process and the 'fog of uncertainty' and how innovation in the beginning can be like the flight of a bumblebee! Also why the process of co-design with customers is so important and how he has continued to do that through Covid-19 using online platforms.

I share why designing the "fog of uncertainty"- sometimes also known as the "groan zone" in innovation sprints and workshops is important.

Finally we discuss approaches and techniques that can be used in workshops and innovation more generally to achieve success, and different mindsets to challenge thinking - including asking "so wot?", "wot now?" and then "wot next?".

Richard also shares how he has pivoted his business to manufacture face shields that carry the CE mark. He plans to continue innovating and growing the business.

Thank you Richard for a great conversation, I'm sure you and the team will go from strength to strength.

Here is the Design Council reference we talked about for the Innovation Process : https://www.designcouncil.org.uk/news-opinion/what-framework-innovation-design-councils-evolved-double-diamond.

To join me free private facebook group for facilitators, Idea Time for Workshop Facilitators, use this link here.

For Force Field Analysis, Risk Register and Reverse Brain Storming workshop templates for delegates, please email me at [email protected] and I will send them across to you.

Richard's bio:

Richard started his career aged 16 in 1986 as an Engineering Apprentice at Rolls-Royce Plc. After four years of training Richard was posted to the Engineering Drawing Office at the Derby fan blade facility. After studying part-time night class whilst working Richard then studied BA (Hons) Industrial Design full time. On graduating in 1994 Richard worked for 11 years in industry in the UK, Eastern Europe, the US and China. In 2005 Richard founded Pd-m International Limited, an innovation, product design and manufacturing consultancy. In addition to running the business Richard has been the lead mentor for the Design Council spark innovation fund, a visiting tutor at the Royal College of Art and Leeds Becket University. Richard currently consults for Innovate UK and is studying a Masters Degree part time in Senior Leadership at The University of Leeds Business School. In 2018 Richard was awarded Fellowship at the Royal Society for the encouragement of Art, Manufactures and Commerce.

To find out more about Richard or get in touch with him you can find him here: