From The Author

Sustaining innovations are often confused with incremental innovations. They are not the same. Incremental innovations are small incremental improvements to a current product or process. Sustaining innovations can be incremental or radical improvements to a current product or process. Many authors refer to this type of innovation including Christensen and O’Connor.

The Invention

• Element Change – 0 or 5
• Depending on whether or not the invention is incremental or radical, will depend on whether or not there is a dramatic change to the elements.
• Systems Change – 0 or 5
• Depending on whether or not the invention is incremental or radical, will depend on whether or not there is a dramatic change to the system.
• Performance – 0 or 5
• Depending on whether or not the invention is incremental or radical, will depend on whether or not there is a dramatic change in performance.
• Benefit - 0
• These types of innovations are not about offering a benefit that is desirable to non-consumers or over-served customers.

Commercialization

• Target Customers - 1
• Targets under-served and well served customers.
• Need Creation - 0
• Attempts to fully address current customer’s needs.
• Value Network/Industry Shakeup - 1
• Industries remain stable.
• Production systems tend to be the same, although a radical invention may require new equipments and systems.
• Market Size & Growth - 1
• Targets large current markets. Generally not high growth unless it’s a radical innovation.

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