Innovation, idea development and entrepreneurship at HTX
From a good idea to a solution others can use
Innovation is one of the words that comes up again and again at HTX, and for good reason. The training's project work is not just about getting ideas, but about turning them into solutions that really create value for someone. It's that movement from inspiration to usable solution that's the core of innovation.
§Idea or innovation?
It is easy to confuse the two, but there is a difference. An idea is a notion — a possibility. An innovation is an idea that has been developed, tested and put into use so that it makes a difference. Most ideas never become innovation, and that is completely normal: part of the work is precisely to sort out the viable ideas.
§Methods for idea development
Good ideas rarely come out of the blue — they can be elicited with method. In HTX you meet different techniques that help a group get many suggestions on the table before choosing.
- 01Separate idea generation and evaluation — don't judge while you brainstorm
- 02Walk around in good light and look at the surface from several angles before spraying. A dust particle or scratch you see now is easy to remove — after painting it's a repaint.
- 03Build on each other's suggestions instead of competing
- 04Turn the problem on its head to find unexpected angles
§To evaluate a solution
When the ideas are on the table, they must be evaluated. A good solution isn't just original—it must also be doable and actually meet a need.
| Questions | What it reveals |
|---|---|
| Who is the solution for? | Whether there is a real user and a need |
| Is it possible to make? | Whether it is technically and practically feasible |
| Is it new or better? | Whether it offers something that existing solutions don't |
| What does it require? | What resources, time and knowledge it requires |
§From school project to entrepreneurship
For some an HTX project is the first step towards starting something of their own. The education trains precisely the skills an entrepreneur needs: seeing a need developing a solution and communicating it convincingly. Others take the innovation competence further into educations in engineering design technology and business development where the ability to develop and implement is pure gold.
“An idea is free. The valuable — and the hard — is getting it to work in reality.”