ABOUT THE BOOK

Making Progress is a tactical guide for Innovation Leaders. Its goal is to provide a blueprint of responsibilities brought to life through examples and tactical activities. It’s published by the great folks over at Sense & Respond press.

 

READING LIST

In addition to all of the great and forthcoming Sense & Respond books, here are the collection of books that have informed and inspired our innovation work.

The Progress Principle

Amabile and Kramer study creativity and joy in the workplace. Turns out what creates it is making progress!

A Technique for Producing Ideas 

James Webb Young writes down his creative process circa 1940. Still applies. h/t Russell Davies.

Discovery-Driven Growth

All of Rita’s writing is helpful. This book connects many of the dots.

 

The Universal Traveler

What all the groovy design-thinkers read in the 1970s.

Designing for People

The first people-centered design book of the modern industrial age by Henry Dreyfuss.

 

Hard Facts, Dangerous Half-Truths And Total Nonsense: Profiting From Evidence-Based Management 

Bob Sutton, with Jeff Pfeffer, get you thinking about evidence and its importance for good decisions.

Let My People Go Surfing

The founder of Patagonia hides a business book under the veneer of a soulful climber’s autobiography.

The Lean Startup

Eric Ries excellent scientific method for building new companies.

 

The Startup Way

Ries’ takes the method into large organizations.

Conceptual Blockbusting

Another one of the early hits.

The Four Steps to the Epiphany

This book describes customer discovery as a process. Steve Blank’s blog is great too.

 

Emotional Design

Read the first five chapters.

Change by Design

Tim Brown, CEO of IDEO (where I used to work), makes the case for design as a problem-solving methodology for change. I make a cameo. :)

The Innovator's Dilemma

Obviously, x2.

ABOUT THE PRESS

Sense & Respond Press “publishes short, beautiful, actionable books by leading practitioners in the field of innovation, digital transformation, product
management, and design.” 

 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Written by Ryan Jacoby, the founder of MACHINE, a strategy and innovation company that helps its clients Think Big and Act Small. Prior to founding MACHINE, Ryan led teams and relationships at the design and innovation firm IDEO. He was a founding member and location head of the IDEO New York office and built the Business Design discipline at the firm.

 

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