2.2 Radical innovation

In contrast to the slow and steady of incremental innovation, radical innovation is about making dramatic changes in a way that might perhaps be unusual or unexpected. Radical innovations such as the digital camera which mark a distinct change from what has gone before are often what people think of when they hear the term innovation.

Figure 5 The evolution of the camera

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A picture of three cameras lined up side by side. The camera to the left is an old model dating back a number of decades. The camera in the middle is a later design than the camera to the left. The camera furthest to the right is modern and with digital features.

Figure 5 The evolution of the camera

The reality, however, is that in many cases radical innovations are simply the result of numerous incremental innovations. For example, the radical innovation that was the iPhone was, in that sense, simply the result of many smaller innovations over time.