Connecting the Dots: Balancing Technology with Human Insight

A kind of connect the dots like pattern, fading into a white horizon.

Making Innovation A Reality

For Marci Ruman, Global Innovation Strategist at Kimberly-Clark, cultivating the right innovation mindset is key, regardless of the technology one is leveraging. Thinking things through when it comes to innovation is also important.

“I think you need to have unconstrained thinking when it comes to really dimensioning what the opportunities are and what the potential is,” says Ruman. “And then, as you go further from the vision and the strategy to the road map, then you need to think about what is required in order to have a viable business solution. A lot of times, what I’ve observed with young people is that they’re very excited about solving the problem and also coming up with a new product innovation. But sometimes they fall short on the question, is it viable or not? How am I going to make it a reality?”

She adds, “It’s really important to have that balance of, what does the consumer need, but also what are the requirements to have a viable business opportunity such that your company wants to invest in it.”

“Innovation isn’t just about inventing something brand new—it’s about understanding problems, thinking creatively, solving problems efficiently, and staying ahead of trends,” advises Ruman. “Team members need to have a learning mindset, master the fundamentals, embrace emerging technologies, and collaborate with cross-functional team members/mentors to create the future.”

In a related question, what makes you ahead of the pack? Does innovation technology help move you to the head of the pack, or do you feel it’s more of the thinking differently aspect, the mindset, the culture?

“I think it very much depends on your role,” says Ruman. “But obviously, innovation technology can help you be more productive and streamline how you do things to make you more efficient and move more quickly. One of the tools that I really love using is AI because when I go back to want to look at past research, I can use that tool to summarize a huge amount of data to tell me these were the key themes from these 25 reports, for example. I’ve used AI to help me understand patent claims when I’ve been looking at lots of patents.”

“Even though I’m older in my generation and have been in the industry for many years, I found that the AI tool is really exciting. That’s becoming a tool that younger people naturally probably gravitate to and use. But, in order for me to remain current and competitive, that’s the tool that I needed to learn how to leverage,” relates Ruman.

So just what makes you as an innovation practitioner ahead of the pack? For Ruman, some key takeaways include:

  • To be visionary, one must have both imagination and wisdom.
  • Imagination: the ability to envision what doesn’t yet exist, to dream beyond current limitations.
  • Wisdom: the discernment to understand what is meaningful, sustainable, and beneficial in the long term.

“Together, these qualities allow someone not only to dream big but to guide those dreams toward impactful, real-world innovation,” she says.

Dealing With Uncertainty

When it comes to innovation, Divya Harpalani, Product Manager at B&H Photo, feels that grappling with uncertainty is a skill that every level of associate needs to master. There is an ambiguity to this profession, to be sure, and it means that you have to stay focused on your overall mission.

“You are never going to have it all figured out,” says Harpalani. “Especially when you start approaching any problem, there is always going to be ambiguity. It is you as the innovator who must make sense of this and prioritize your focus with what’s the most important steps to take. Always start small, that ultimately contributes to your overall big arching goal.”

While working in the gray areas of uncertainty is a skill that many innovation executives cultivate, balancing short-term goals and long-range plans is also an important characteristic to optimize. Envisioning the ultimate goal is key.

Harpalani continues, “When you start connecting the dots with what you are doing and the outcomes associated with it, you are already envisioning the practice of innovation. While you are doing that it is always important for you to evaluate your risks/assumptions and have clarity of what success is going to look like for you. This thought process helps you think holistically about the issue at hand and already includes the best practice habits of a practitioner before the start of any innovation project.”

Related stories in the Innovation Technology series:

Video courtesy of Edison365

From Friction to Flow: Streamlining Innovation

Large white crosswalk on busy city street.

First, Know Your Why

So just what are some of the right ways to go about choosing the best technology product or service for the needs of innovation? As it turns out, many in the community feel, it’s not really about the best hardware or software solution. That’s still important. But it’s about focusing on the right innovation questions, best practices and organizational methods to move the process along in an efficient step-by-step way. First, you must put your innovation strategy and roadmap into place.

For Marci Ruman, Global Innovation Strategist at Kimberly-Clark, it’s significant to cultivate the right mindset first. She notes, “My focus is vision strategy and roadmaps. So for me, it’s very important to have a growth mindset and to really be open to learning different things. I have a mantra that I use and repeat to myself all the time when I’m doing work. It’s something as simple as ‘know your why.’ Because if you know your why, that really helps to inform your vision.”

Ruman adds, “To challenge current thinking, it helps to inform your strategies so you’re not necessarily making a better product of the version that you already have in the market, but maybe you’re actually making a product that could potentially make you obsolete. And then make it happen is really about asking, what has to be true, and that informs your roadmap.”

Clearly, innovation professionals need to develop the bigger picture, so to speak, for their vision and what the ultimate goals are of the project, such as aligning the vision and strategy to business goals. Having that roadmap is key to development. So, is technology just a tool or is it integral to the innovation process?

“You can look at technology in different ways. You can look at technology as a tool to actually do your innovation, and there are many tools out there,” says Ruman. “However, you could also talk about technology in terms of what you’re studying to make your product better. So there’s a lot of different ways to look at technology as it relates to innovation.”

Some key takeaways from Ruman, as it pertains to technology and innovation best practices:

  • Know your why. Listen, don’t interrogate. This informs your vision.
  • Challenge current thinking. Ask, why not? This informs your strategy.
  • Make it happen. Ask, what has to be true? This informs your roadmap.

The Innovation Approach

Divya Harpalani, Product Manager at B&H Photo, also has a decidedly non-technical approach to approaching technology and innovation. There are many methodologies and frameworks the corporate innovator can follow, but it’s the best practices that you set in place that can pave the way forward.

“When it comes to innovation, most of us are familiar with various innovative frameworks that can be used to structure our approach towards innovation but what’s important is to keep up with certain practices that will help in successful implementation of those frameworks. There are key best practices that I make sure to check while following any approach for innovation,” says Harpalani. These best practices include:

  • Know Your Target Audience: Start by deeply understanding the users who are most likely to use your product. What are their needs, expectations and behavior when using your product.
  • Sensemaking: Extract meaningful insights from user research to define the problem clearly that helps in making sense of data that you are able to extract from your research.
  • Communication and Storytelling: Clearly articulate the problem, vision, and potential solutions to gain alignment.
  • Risk-Taking: Embrace experimentation and be willing to test bold ideas early.
  • Iteration and Pivoting: Continuously refine your solution based on feedback and learnings in the process. Innovation isn’t about taking a linear approach but about the ability to have that flexibility to iterate and pivot.
  • Retrospective Reflection: Regularly evaluate what worked and what didn’t to improve the process. This step can help in making informed decisions for change throughout the process.
  • Constant Learning: Embrace failure as a steppingstone to success and keep evolving.

Perhaps both Ruman and Harpalani, as established innovation practitioners, are highlighting similar themes when it comes to best practices, such as developing an innovation roadmap.

An innovation roadmap is a strategic, visual plan that outlines how an organization will achieve its innovation goals over time. It acts as a guide, detailing specific projects, timelines, and resources needed to translate innovation strategies into tangible results. By clearly defining the path forward, it helps align teams, manage resources effectively, and adapt to changing market conditions.

Develop the roadmap, and the innovation technology will follow with the best resource choices and the best fit for the purpose of the job. In essence, an innovation roadmap provides a clear path for organizations to translate their vision into reality by strategically managing the innovation process from start to finish, including any technology solutions associated with the initiative.

Innovation Technology, 101

All Things Innovation recently produced a guide, “Technology: Powering the Future of Innovation.” The driving forces of innovation are increasingly intertwined with technology. Innovation technology encompasses the tools, platforms, methodologies, and digital infrastructure that enable, accelerate, and scale the creation and implementation of new ideas, products, services, and processes. This guide, created with the support of Gemini, provides a comprehensive overview of innovation technology, exploring its definition, diverse types, significant benefits, inherent challenges, wide-ranging applications, essential best practices, and use cases.

Video courtesy of Future Factory

Technology: Powering the Future of Innovation

Large array radar dish on night sky background.

1. Defining Innovation Technology

Innovation technology refers to the digital and technological resources leveraged to foster, manage, and execute innovation initiatives. It’s not just about the latest gadgets or software; it’s about strategically applying technology to enhance creativity, collaboration, experimentation, and the efficient translation of novel concepts into tangible value.

Key aspects of innovation technology include:

  • Enabling Creativity: Tools that facilitate brainstorming, ideation, and the generation of new ideas.
  • Facilitating Collaboration: Platforms that connect individuals and teams across geographical boundaries to work together on innovation projects.
  • Supporting Experimentation: Technologies that allow for rapid prototyping, simulation, and testing of new concepts with minimal risk and cost.
  • Managing Innovation Processes: Software and systems for tracking ideas, managing projects, and measuring the impact of innovation initiatives.
  • Analyzing Data for Insights: Tools that help identify trends, understand customer needs, and inform innovation strategies.
  • Scaling Innovative Solutions: Technologies that enable the efficient deployment and widespread adoption of new products, services, and processes.

2. Types of Innovation Technology

Innovation technology encompasses a broad spectrum of tools and platforms, including:

  • Ideation & Brainstorming Platforms: Digital whiteboards, mind-mapping software, idea management systems that allow for collaborative idea generation and capture.
  • Collaboration & Communication Tools: Project management software, communication platforms (e.g., Slack, Microsoft Teams), virtual meeting tools that facilitate teamwork and knowledge sharing.
  • Prototyping & Simulation Software: CAD (Computer-Aided Design), 3D printing, virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) tools that enable rapid creation and testing of prototypes.
  • Data Analytics & Business Intelligence (BI) Tools: Platforms for analyzing large datasets to identify trends, customer insights, and opportunities for innovation.
  • Artificial Intelligence (AI) & Machine Learning (ML): Technologies that can automate tasks, generate insights, personalize experiences, and even aid in the creative process.
  • Cloud Computing: Provides scalable and accessible infrastructure for developing, deploying, and managing innovative solutions.
  • Internet of Things (IoT): Enables the collection of real-time data from connected devices, providing valuable insights for product and service innovation.
  • Blockchain Technology: Offers secure and transparent platforms for managing intellectual property, supply chains, and new business models.
  • Digital Twins: Virtual representations of physical assets or processes, enabling simulation and optimization for innovation in manufacturing and operations.
  • Open Innovation Platforms: Online marketplaces and communities that connect organizations with external innovators, startups, and researchers.

3. Benefits of Leveraging Innovation Technology

Adopting and strategically implementing innovation technology offers numerous advantages:

  • Accelerated Innovation Cycles: Tools for rapid prototyping and testing significantly reduce the time it takes to bring new ideas to market.
  • Enhanced Collaboration: Platforms facilitate seamless teamwork across different locations and expertise levels, fostering cross-functional innovation.
  • Improved Idea Generation: Digital tools can broaden participation in ideation processes and capture a wider range of perspectives.
  • Data-Driven Decision Making: Analytics and AI provide valuable insights to inform innovation strategies and assess the potential of new ideas.
  • Reduced Costs: Virtual prototyping, simulation, and efficient project management can lower the financial risks associated with innovation.
  • Increased Efficiency: Automation of tasks and streamlined workflows free up resources for more strategic innovation activities.
  • Greater Agility and Adaptability: Technology enables organizations to respond quickly to changing market demands and emerging opportunities.
  • Wider Reach and Scalability: Digital platforms facilitate the deployment and scaling of innovative solutions to a larger audience.
  • Better Management of Intellectual Property: Blockchain and digital asset management tools can help protect and track innovative creations.
  • Attracting and Retaining Talent: Utilizing cutting-edge innovation technologies can make an organization more attractive to innovative and tech-savvy individuals.

4. Challenges in Implementing Innovation Technology

Despite the benefits, organizations face several challenges when adopting and implementing innovation technology:

  • Integration with Existing Systems: Ensuring new technologies seamlessly integrate with legacy infrastructure can be complex and costly.
  • Data Security and Privacy Concerns: Handling sensitive data generated through innovation processes requires robust security measures.
  • Skill Gaps and Training Requirements: Employees need to be trained to effectively use new innovation technologies.
  • Resistance to Change: Individuals and teams may resist adopting new tools and processes.
  • Cost of Implementation and Maintenance: Some innovation technologies can be expensive to acquire, implement, and maintain.
  • Information Overload: The abundance of data and tools can be overwhelming if not managed effectively.
  • Choosing the Right Technology: Selecting the most appropriate technologies for specific innovation goals can be challenging.
  • Maintaining Data Quality: Ensuring the accuracy and reliability of data used for innovation insights is crucial.
  • Organizational Silos: Lack of communication and collaboration between IT and innovation teams can hinder effective technology adoption.
  • Keeping Up with Rapid Technological Advancements: The landscape of innovation technology is constantly evolving, requiring continuous learning and adaptation.

5. Applications of Innovation Technology Across Industries

Innovation technology is transforming various sectors:

  • Manufacturing: Digital twins for simulating production processes, 3D printing for rapid prototyping and customized parts, AI for predictive maintenance and quality control.
  • Healthcare: AI for drug discovery and personalized medicine, VR/AR for surgical training and patient education, IoT for remote patient monitoring.
  • Finance: AI for fraud detection and algorithmic trading, blockchain for secure transactions and smart contracts, data analytics for personalized financial advice.
  • Retail: AI for personalized recommendations and chatbots, AR for virtual try-ons, IoT for smart inventory management and optimized supply chains.
  • Transportation: AI for autonomous vehicles and traffic management, IoT for connected cars and optimized logistics, data analytics for route optimization and predictive maintenance.
  • Energy: AI for smart grids and renewable energy management, IoT for remote monitoring of infrastructure, digital twins for optimizing plant operations.
  • Agriculture: IoT for precision farming and automated irrigation, AI for crop monitoring and disease detection, data analytics for yield optimization.
  • Education: AI-powered personalized learning platforms, VR/AR for immersive educational experiences, collaboration tools for remote learning.
  • Entertainment: VR/AR for immersive gaming and experiences, AI for content creation and personalized recommendations, blockchain for digital asset ownership.

6. Best Practices for Implementing Innovation Technology

To maximize the benefits of innovation technology, organizations should follow these best practices:

  • Align Technology with Innovation Strategy: Ensure technology investments directly support overarching innovation goals.
  • Start with Clear Use Cases: Identify specific innovation challenges or opportunities where technology can provide tangible value.
  • Focus on User Adoption: Provide adequate training and support to ensure employees effectively utilize new tools.
  • Prioritize Data Security and Privacy: Implement robust measures to protect sensitive information.
  • Foster Collaboration Between IT and Innovation Teams: Establish clear communication channels and shared goals.
  • Embrace Experimentation and Iteration: Treat technology implementation as an ongoing process of learning and improvement.
  • Invest in the Right Talent: Hire or train individuals with the necessary skills to manage and utilize innovation technologies.
  • Establish Clear Metrics for Success: Define how the impact of innovation technology will be measured.
  • Stay Informed About Emerging Technologies: Continuously monitor the evolving technology landscape for new opportunities.
  • Promote a Culture of Digital Literacy: Encourage employees to embrace and explore new technologies.

7. Use Cases Illustrating the Power of Innovation Technology

  • Tesla: Leverages AI for autonomous driving capabilities, IoT for vehicle connectivity and data collection, and advanced simulation tools for vehicle design and testing.
  • Amazon: Employs AI for personalized recommendations and efficient logistics, cloud computing for scalable infrastructure, and robotics for warehouse automation.
  • Pfizer: Utilizes AI and machine learning for accelerated drug discovery and development, data analytics for clinical trial optimization, and digital twins for manufacturing process improvement.
  • IKEA: Uses AR technology to allow customers to visualize furniture in their homes before purchasing, enhancing the online shopping experience  and reducing returns.  
  • Siemens: Implements digital twins for optimizing the design, operation, and maintenance of industrial equipment, leading to increased efficiency and reduced downtime.

More Resources on Innovation Technology

  • “Mastering Technology Innovation Management: Strategies for Business Success,” from Qmarkets. This article will delve into the importance of managing technology innovation within the broader scope of business innovation. We’ll explore strategies for effective technology innovation management, including leveraging existing tech, scouting for new technologies, and fostering a tech-driven innovation culture.
  • “3 ways that new technologies are accelerating innovation,” from Ericsson. Most innovation is directly or indirectly driven by new technology – even business model innovation and changed consumer behaviors – and the way new technology transforms our world and various markets. In this way, an understanding of new technology and its impact is a prerequisite to be able to innovate, and to do it constantly.
  • “How Are Technology and Innovation Interrelated?” from Cypris. The evolution of technology has had a profound effect on how we innovate. But how are technology and innovation interrelated? How can organizations leverage both to create lasting value and achieve their goals?

Top Innovation Technology Podcasts

  • “Best Podcasts for Innovation Leaders in 2025,” from Itonics. Looking for podcasts about innovation and leadership? We believe that learning from others’ insights and breakthroughs can provide you with a fresh perspective on your own organization’s challenges. Hearing an expert’s take on an emerging technology can also clarify its potential impact and relevance to your business.
  • “20 Innovation Podcasts to Listen to In 2025,” from the CTO Club. Do you want a direct line to progress in tech? Innovation podcasts bring you ear-to-ear with the brilliant minds and breakthroughs in our industry. Stay ahead of trends, gain diverse perspectives, and learn from others’ successes and failures.
  • “The Innovation Engine,” from 3Pillar. The Innovation Engine podcast features interviews with best-selling authors and innovation experts from around the world. We focus on innovation in software and product engineering, corporate leadership, and emerging technologies.
  • “Top Technology & Innovation Podcasts,” from IndustryPods. Technology is constantly evolving, and staying up to date with the latest innovations is crucial for anyone in the tech industry or interested in emerging trends. From artificial intelligence and cybersecurity to blockchain and digital transformation, these podcasts offer insights from industry leaders, tech pioneers, and innovators who are shaping the future.

Video Resources on Innovation Technology

  • “Embracing Innovation: The Role of Technology in Business Growth,” from Deloitte US. Stay ahead of the curve and learn how to harness the power of technology to propel your business forward. In this enlightening video, Deloitte experts explore the pivotal role of technology in driving business growth and innovation. Discover how cutting-edge technologies are transforming industries, enhancing efficiencies, and creating new opportunities for businesses to thrive in a competitive market.
  • “Innovation Management Explained,” from Hype Boards. The Innovation Explained series covers everything innovation, providing you with valuable insights in a compact, easy to follow format. These days the term “innovation management” is pretty commonly used in the corporate world, but most people don’t quite understand what it is, let alone know how to approach it in practice. We’ll give you our quick take on the fundamentals of innovation management, as well as provide you with some actionable tips for getting better at it if you’re already a practitioner.

More On This Topic from All Things Innovation

Innovation Technology

One of the featured categories on All Things Innovation, Innovation Technology features emerging and disruptive business technology and a range of helpful information for the innovation professional. This category for technological innovation in business includes technology, artificial intelligence, data & analytics, measurement, and more foundational knowledge for the innovation expert and novice alike.

Enabling Progress

Innovation technology is no longer a futuristic concept but a fundamental enabler of progress across all sectors. By strategically adopting and integrating the right tools and platforms, organizations can unlock new levels of creativity, efficiency, and impact in their innovation endeavors. While challenges exist, a thoughtful and well-executed approach to innovation technology is essential for organizations looking to thrive in an increasingly dynamic and technologically driven world. Embracing these technologies is not just about staying competitive; it’s about shaping the future of progress and creating lasting value for stakeholders and society as a whole.

Video courtesy of Tiff in Tech

Editor’s Note on Sources: The content generated is based on a combination of Gemini’s knowledge and training, along with information it’s been trained on from a massive dataset of text and code. This includes academic papers, articles, books, and other reliable sources on innovation technology.

Meeting at the Intersection of AI & Innovation

Graphic showing a city freeway system with roads branching off. At night.

Focal Data aims to streamline data collection for innovation professionals by automating some tasks, positioning their service as an “expert researcher in a box.” FEI themed its tracks this year to feature an AI day, a human intelligence day, all kind of encompassing collective intelligence. Can you tell us about your company and the AI solutions it offers?

“It’s nice to be at FEI with a backdrop of some different focus areas, especially in the discipline of how innovation professionals are going to market, how they’re leveraging data and insights, because that’s what we really want to fit into at Focal Data,” says Pasqualina. “We’ve had our ‘coworker’ as a platform to be able to help innovators look at early-stage setup, delivery of interviews and collection of data and insights. It’s really about facilitating that process, and we’ve taken a lot of the repetitive tasks of research and automated those through AI and machine learning.”

Coworker is the term you use to describe the AI platform that Focal Data employs.

He adds, “We’re really anti-tool. We feel like the industry doesn’t need another tool. After all, you’ve got 20 already in your arsenal, and you probably don’t use half of them. We really think about the platform as sort of an expert researcher in a box, someone who’s a member of the team and is helping you move faster through the early-stage learning and exploration process, to talk to consumers and get that real learning back into those employees who can translate and turn insights from it.”

Pairing AI With the Innovation Mindset

There are indeed so many tech tools out there, and AI obviously helps with automation and efficiencies of that sort. But there’s still that human element for the innovator as well. At FEI, we held our Rogue Mindset roundtables and keynote presentation. How does that mindset fit into the AI framework and innovation community?

“The innovation mindset really fits in pretty well with AI,” relates Pasqualina. “At Focal Data, we have really thought about how to enable as much support for the user as you want. You can kind of create your own adventure in terms of you could let the setup agent work through all of your research goals and sub-goals for you. Or you can play a more active role and say, hey, I really want to learn this. And then take that first layer of learning and then iterate on it. You can be as involved in the early stages leveraging our platform as you want to be, and it doesn’t take the human element out of it.”

Focusing on the Innovation Journey

Executives in the community talk about the innovation journey, a process from the beginning stages and leading up to the final phase of the process. What does collective intelligence mean to you and your organization? How can this help in terms of understanding consumer behavior and problem-solving?

“We think about the double diamond theory and how to approach problems, giving researchers the ability to sort of circle back and relearn or reinterview and improve through iteration and other techniques for getting to that ‘why.’ We know consumers do x, y, or z. Why do they do it? And really understanding that journey. That just doesn’t come from one part of the organization,” says Pasqualina.

He adds, “There was a comment earlier in the rogue mindset presentation about a 120-year-old company trying to do things differently. That’s exciting. There’s some value and some tradition in having all that learning, but there’s also a way to leverage AI and other technologies to really improve.”

To improve and perhaps to take away some of the roadblocks to innovation.

“We’ve pointed our AI at sort of both the productivity side as well as the insight side,” notes Pasqualina. “There are tasks that we can offload from the researcher and give them more time, but there’s also thinking and learning that AI can do just as much at a faster speed. Having that balance across our portfolio at Focal Data is important.”

Thinking Bigger: Managing Innovation

Man lying on the grass, daydreaming and thinking under open sky.

During FEI, Sanchez participated in the keynote panel, “Actioning The Rogue Mindset: Aligning Innovation with Business Strategy.” She also held the session, “Delivering on R&D Strategy,” which examined how to craft and execute a winning R&D strategy, touching on topics like strategic alignment, organizational buy-in, cross-functional collaboration, future proofing and more.

Managing Innovation in an R&D Setting

One of the themes of this conference has been about aligning innovation with business strategy. Your session touched on this in the context of the impact of research and development.

Sanchez relates, “We had the opportunity to talk about how you manage an innovation portfolio in an R&D setting when you’re looking far out into the future. It is imperative for business strategies to drive growth and to derive profitable growth into the future, and this kind of activity brings a high level of value into those portfolios.”

Innovation has always dealt with uncertainty. How can you manage that?

“Uncertainty is a big deal for the innovation executive,” agrees Sanchez. “Most of the time when we’re working close in, we’re working on managing risk and de-risking propositions, but when you’re working far out on the front end of innovation, you’re really managing uncertainty, and it takes a whole new set of rules to be able to do that.”

Innovation certainly can thrive on that uncertainty. Just how can the innovation professional make an impact in their role?

“It’s important to allocate resources to these spaces to be able to create a sustainable future for your innovation portfolio,” she says. “And although the majority of our resources, 70 to 80% are dedicated to things that are closer in and well understood, about 20 to 30% of the resources have to be protected and kept in that future space that allows you to create, to learn, and to really plot a path towards that profitable growth. We do that by ring fencing the resources. We make sure that we devote that effort in that space because otherwise, the problem solved today will consume all of the resources you have with other people or money or time or access to what you need to run your experiments.”

“You really have to be future looking for that innovation journey. In order to have a balanced portfolio over time, to create the opportunities for the future, you have to start early enough to have time to complete the development, and that’s what FEI is all about,” says Sanchez.

Key Takeaways from FEI25

Speaking of FEI, we featured the rogue mindset round tables and keynote panel presentation yesterday. It’s an interesting framework as part of the innovation mindset.

Sanchez notes, “It was a fantastic way to start the day. What we were able to do was to set ourselves up to broaden our thinking, to broaden our expectations, to think a little bit outside of the box, and go learn in those spaces in a way that you can bring your knowledge and your tools back into your box where you operate—and end up doing a broader set of work, changing the rules a little bit, and, helping your business, your company, your effort actually think bigger and broader.”

Looking ahead, today FEI is grouped around AI themes and this concept of collective intelligence. What does collective intelligence mean to you and your organization?

“One of the big themes of the first day was about the culture,” observes Sanchez. “The culture you have to create, the learning environment, what does it need to look like in order for you to be able to thrive in this creation of innovation. Today, collective intelligence is about augmenting the toolbox that you have and getting the culture ready for the future. It’s like AI can be a blessing, a set of tools that help you actually learn better, more productively, faster, to be able to sort through larger sets of data and so on. But on the flip side of that, there’s a lot of apprehension about what does it really mean, what will it do to the people that are working in these spaces. But as long as we incorporate it as a tool into our portfolio, it would just help us do our work better.”

Better, faster, more accelerated, deeper insights?

“A little bit of both,” she says. “There’s definitely an efficiency gain by being able to look systematically at more data with broader access to things that otherwise will take too much effort or too much time. But it’s also about creating the right learning environments for that tool that you’re using or those models, to teach themselves around the right sets of primary data that will allow you to get real information and not hallucinations as you repeat and repeat the experiments.

Certainly, human judgment is still very important.

“Humans are going to be super important in this journey all along,” says Sanchez. “It’s like how you create personas, how you write prompts, what context do you use, all of that will inform how those AI models will work, and all of that comes from your human knowledge.”

“Today’s innovators are thinking already about tomorrow’s skills, which are here for us now. If you go back five years, it would have been a digitization journey. If you go before that, it will be a computer enhancement journey. We’ve been in this technology evolution journey for a long time, and AI will be one of those that is here with us to stay.”

The CPG Leadership Reset: What It Means for Innovation

A thumbs up/ thumbs down in a business office setting.

Unilever: Schumacher Out After 18 Months

Hein Schumacher’s departure from Unilever in early 2025 raised eyebrows—and share prices dipped soon after. Appointed in July 2023, Schumacher was an external hire from the dairy industry who was brought in to sharpen Unilever’s execution and boost sluggish growth.

Why He Was Let Go

  • Underperformance: Unilever’s revenue growth and market share lagged behind competitors like P&G and Nestlé.
  • Strategic Delays: His plan to spin off the underperforming ice cream division (which includes Ben & Jerry’s) stalled. A cost-cutting initiative fell short of its job reduction target.
  • Cultural Fit Issues: As an outsider, Schumacher reportedly struggled to win internal support or move quickly on bold decisions.
  • Investor Pressure: Activist investor Nelson Peltz had been vocal about the need for faster action, possibly influencing the board’s decision.

What’s Next

Fernando Fernandez, a Unilever veteran, stepped in on March 1, 2025, with a mandate for speed and sharper execution. Expect faster portfolio optimization, a focus on high-growth categories like skincare and wellness, and likely acceleration in digital product innovation and sustainable packaging.

CVS Health: Lynch Ousted Amid Financial Pressure

In a surprising shakeup, CVS Health CEO Karen Lynch was dismissed in November 2024. While Lynch had led the company through a major strategic evolution—including the acquisitions of Signify Health and Oak Street Health—her departure reflects growing board impatience with underwhelming financials and execution risk.

Why She Was Let Go

  • Rising Medical Costs: Health insurance claims exceeded expectations, hitting profitability hard.
  • Integration Challenges: CVS’s shift into value-based care brought growing pains and unclear ROI on recent acquisitions.
  • Activist Agitation & Board Concern: Investors were reportedly concerned about the speed of CVS’s transformation into a healthcare company.

What’s Next

David Joyner took over as CEO, bringing deep operational expertise. Innovation at CVS may now lean away from splashy M&A and toward more focused, executional bets—think AI-driven pharmacy automation, personalized health journeys, and efficiency-led digital health offerings. Expect restructuring, likely more layoffs, and a recommitment to ROI-based innovation.

Estée Lauder: Freda Set to Retire Amid Performance Slump

After 16 years at the helm, Estée Lauder CEO Fabrizio Freda announced he would step down at the end of fiscal 2025. While technically a retirement, many in the industry view this as a gentle push prompted by recent missteps.

Why He’s Out

  • China Dependency: Heavy reliance on the Chinese market backfired as recovery stalled post-pandemic.
  • Overexpansion: The company’s prestige beauty portfolio became bloated, with unclear differentiation.
  • Slow Digital Pivot: Estée Lauder was late to fully embrace DTC and digital-first marketing, especially compared to competitors like L’Oréal and Fenty Beauty.

What’s Next

The incoming CEO will face pressure to revamp the innovation pipeline. That means simplifying the brand portfolio, doubling down on AI-driven skincare personalization, and repositioning the company for Gen Z consumers. Expect a tech-forward pivot, more influencer-led marketing, and renewed investment in experiential retail.

Campbell Soup: Clouse Retires but Questions Linger

Mark Clouse, CEO of Campbell Soup Company since 2019, stepped down in early 2025 to become president of the NFL’s Washington Commanders—a move framed as a “retirement,” though some analysts suggest pressure had been building due to underwhelming stock performance.

Why It Matters

  • Campbell had recently acquired Sovos Brands (owner of Rao’s), betting big on premiumization. But integration questions and consumer budget tightening put pressure on margins.
  • Innovation under Clouse had been cautious. Stakeholders now want bolder moves.

What’s Next

New CEO Mick Beekhuizen is expected to focus on product innovation, supply chain optimization, and value-focused offerings. Watch for new format experimentation and growth in functional and health-forward foods.

The Broader Pattern: Why Now?

Across the board, a few themes emerge:

  • Investor and Board Impatience: Investors want innovation, but they want it fast and profitable. The days of five-year strategic roadmaps are over.
  • Execution Over Ideation: Boards are prioritizing operators over visionaries. The new mandate is execute faster, simplify portfolios, and hit financial targets.
  • Underperformance vs. Peers: When companies trail competitors in share price, market share, or innovation velocity, leadership is now swiftly replaced.

What Does This Mean for Innovation?

Far from stifling innovation, these shakeups could accelerate it—but only if paired with the right leadership mindset.

  • Innovation will be faster, leaner, and ROI-driven.
  • Expect less moonshot R&D, more agile experimentation.
  • Personalization, AI, and sustainability will dominate pipelines.
  • Partnerships with startups and tech firms will rise as companies seek new ideas without long-term risk.

Boards are sending a clear message: Innovate smart, execute fast, or step aside.

Click here for more columns by Gail Martino; if you enjoy this content, please consider connecting with Gail Martino on LinkedIn.

Inspired at FEI25 by Out-of-the-Box Thinking

A large field of bright sunflowers in bloom.

The conversation kicked off initially on the first day of the show, during the Rogue Mindset keynote and roundtables, as the audience was encouraged to use the show as a way to think outside the box—while literally filling out postcards and submitting them to the suggestion/idea box embedded into the art mural pieces. From there, the art team took over, inspired by the themes of the conference and the individual suggestions. It was indeed a creative process that took shape throughout the three-day conference.

The murals were produced by creative partner TwoLine Studios (more information can be found at www.twolinestudios.com) and inspired by FEI25’s theme of “Harvesting Innovation.”

Heather Willems, TwoLine Studios founder and visual strategist, notes that, “At FEI2025, our goal was to visually capture the theme of Harvesting Innovation and the dynamic tension between human creativity and new technology. We listened deeply and heard Steve Wozniak remind us to stay open to inspiration, while Rita McGrath emphasized ‘tinkering’ as a path to learning. One thing was crystal clear: the future belongs to those who can merge artificial intelligence with artistic intelligence.”

She adds, “As we embrace AI as a thought partner, we also need to protect our human skills: imagination, empathy, and curiosity. That is how innovation will flourish.”

Highlights from the FEI25 Idea Box Artwork

  • “Human Intelligence + Artificial Intelligence = Collective Intelligence.”
  • “How can we build the space economy?”
  • “FEI25 = No hype AI conversation.”
  • “What is the state of flying vehicles in urban markets?”
  • “AI needs nuclear energy.”
  • “Quantum computing is upon us.”
  • “Enter first. Do the best you can.”
  • “Chief Disruption Officers… report directly to the board.” —Steve Wozniak
  • “We live in different worlds but on the same planet.”
  • “Humans only activate humans.”
  • “We can’t search for inspiration. Inspiration finds us. Be open to it. Let your mind wander.”
  • “Celebrating a quarter century of innovation luminaries.”
  • “Innovation is not a thing, it is a choice.”—Jamaar Smiley
  • “And authenticity is universal.”
  • “2nd annual FEI Seed Stage Startup Competition: Collective Intelligence.”
  • “Be patient but be impatient with your patience.”—Rita McGrath
  • “Establishing a corporate accelerator.”
  • “Aligning innovation with business strategy through analytics.”
  • “Delivering on R&D strategy.”
  • “It is human and AI, not human or AI.”
  • “Establishing an innovation culture roadmap.”
  • “Using AI to connect community, creatives, commerce and content to innovate and create new products.”
  • “You have no vision in innovation, you have purpose.”—Linda Hill
  • “Innovation leaders co-create the future.”
  • “Bridgers.”
  • “Catalysts.”
  • “Scaling AI for better decision-making.”
  • “Innovation ROI: Harness emissions to drive profitability.”
  • “Engaging deliberate rapid prototyping.”
  • “The AI spark / The Human experience.”
  • “Insights are everywhere.”
  • “Create a differentiated journey that competitors can’t recreate.”
  • “Improve innovation’s impact.”
  • “Sow the seeds of end-to-end innovation.”
  • “Harvesting innovation, making sure we grow.”
  • “Inclusive design is an innovation catalyst.”
  • “Show your team.”
  • “Evolution of the new for organizational transformation.”
  • “Enact data partnership for innovation.”
  • “The future is inside of us.”
  • “Learning happens faster when we tinker.”—Rita McGrath
  • “Let’s make the next thing together.”
  • “Bringing outside of the box thinking inside the box.”
  • “Invest in the future you want to see.”
  • “You must be willing to lose your job and invest personally.”
  • “Listen to the dissenting point of view.”
  • “Leaders seek out and listen to the truth, and the customer.”
  • “Have caution of the echo chamber of incompetence.”
  • “It just got easier for people to be dumber.”—Anushka’s Dad
  • “Dig deeper into the non-AI. They will merge. Know what you don’t want to lose.”
  • “How do you choose to engage the narrative?”
  • “Art & emotion are everything.”
  • “Humans are best a activating humans.”
  • “Use your imagination. Human creativity drives AI.”
  • “Amplified Intelligence.”
  • “Cognitive amplifier.”
  • “Use for efficiency but be aware of ethics.”
  • “Attract diversity of thought. It is critical to develop the organization.”
  • “Open mindset.”
  • “Focus on the customer.”
  • “Innocence.”
  • “Curiosity.”
  • “Intrinsic learning.”
  • “There is endless opportunity.”
  • “AI is the new frontier.”
  • “Find new ways to tell stories.”
  • “Create a think differently culture.”
  • “Attend conferences like FEI!”

Rogue Mindset Report

A key piece of inspiration for the artwork, FEI and All Things Innovation’s “Rogue Mindset Report 2025: A Collaborative Approach to Decision-Making” set out to explore the topic of thinking differently and to examine just how this curiosity-infused and unique, unconventional mindset can unlock innovation, insights and creativity for an individual, a team and an organization.

We’d like to thank 16 thought leaders in innovation, insights, data science, and academia for exploring this out-of-the-box mindset with passion, creativity, and enthusiasm, and for helping to define just what makes it a perfect fit for innovation and insights.

Access the Rogue Mindset Report