This course builds insights and skills in innovation processes – the contexts and drivers of innovation, the types and outcomes of innovation – and provides frameworks and tools for analysing, enabling and managing innovation processes, mainly in established organisations. The course frameworks can be applied to scientific/technological innovations as well as to innovations in other contexts, including the public sector.  

The course explores different types of innovation – radical, architectural, incremental – also focal outcomes – new products, new processes, new business models – as well as different contexts for innovation – within established organisations, as well as start-ups and spin-offs.  Each type, focus and context requires a different management framework. The course provides understanding of these different frameworks, including the skills and knowledge required to use them effectively. 

The course is delivered in the form of seminars, workshops, case studies and practical exercises.

Learning Outcomes

Upon successful completion, students will have the knowledge and skills to:

1. Describe the contexts, drivers, types and focal outcomes of innovation
2. Apply frameworks to identify problem areas that need new approaches, potential focus areas for innovation and appropriate drivers, constraints and frameworks
3. Analyse cases to illustrate different approaches to innovation, including their processes and outcomes in different contexts
4. Implement basic tools & frameworks in the scoping, evaluation, implementation and management of innovations
5. Integrate concepts and theories with real cases of local innovation ecosystems
6. Evaluate ideas, relationships, resources and networks by engaging with innovation stakeholders
7. Reflect on the significance of innovation in their personal future careers and society at large

Research-Led Teaching

The course draws on state-of-the-art innovation research relevant to innovators, entrepreneurs, management practitioners, and academics. To relate theory to practice, course participants will learn about relevant, real-world examples and discuss case studies of successful innovation in various contexts, including established organisations, entrepreneurial ventures, and public institutions. There is an equal focus on learning from rigorous, high-quality academic research and gaining relevant insights into real-world innovation.

Field Trips

There are no organised field trips for this course.

Additional Course Costs

There are no additional costs for this course.

Examination Material or equipment

There are no exams for this course.

Required Resources

There are no required resources for this course.

Recommended Resources

Recommended readings will be advised on Wattle.

Staff Feedback

Students will be given feedback in the following forms in this course:

• Written comments
• Verbal comments
• Feedback to the whole class, to groups, to individuals, focus groups

Student Feedback

ANU is committed to the demonstration of educational excellence and regularly seeks feedback from students. Students are encouraged to offer feedback directly to their Course Convener or through their College and Course representatives (if applicable). The feedback given in these surveys is anonymous and provides the Colleges, University Education Committee and Academic Board with opportunities to recognise excellent teaching, and opportunities for improvement. The Surveys and Evaluation website provides more information on student surveys at ANU and reports on the feedback provided on ANU courses.

Class Schedule

Week/Session	Summary of Activities	Assessment
1	Introduction to Innovation Recommended Readings:Kahn, K. B. (2022). Innovation is not entrepreneurship, nor vice versa. Journal of Product Innovation Management, 39(4), 467-473.Hölzle, K. (2022). No innovation without entrepreneurship: from passion to practice. Journal of Product Innovation Management, 39(4), 474-477. Activity:Getting to know each other	n/a
2	PART I DISCOVER (Weeks 2-4) Mapping the Innovation Ecosystem Recommended Readings:Adner, R. (2006). Match your innovation strategy to your innovation ecosystem. Harvard Business Review, 84(4), 98. Activities:Identifying Stakeholders & Mapping the Innovation Ecosystem	n/a
3	Identifying Stakeholder Needs Recommended Readings:Christensen, C. M., Anthony, S. D., Berstell, G., & Nitterhouse, D. (2007). Finding the Right Job for your Product. MIT Sloan Management Review, 48(3), 38. Activities:Mapping Customer Profiles	n/a
4	Co-creating with Technology Recommended Readings:Bouschery, S. G., Blazevic, V., & Piller, F. T. (2023). Augmenting human innovation teams with artificial intelligence: Exploring transformer-based language models. Journal of Product Innovation Management, 40(2), 139-153.Hoyer, W. D., Chandy, R., Dorotic, M., Krafft, M., & Singh, S. S. (2010). Consumer cocreation in new product development. Journal of Service Research, 13(3), 283-296. Activities:Guest Lecture on Technology (Focus on AI)	n/a
5	PART II DEFINE (Weeks 5-6)Imagining the Future Recommended Readings:Comi, A., & Whyte, J. (2018). Future making and visual artefacts: An ethnographic study of a design project. Organization Studies, 39(8), 1055-1083.Michaud, T., & Appio, F. P. (2022). Envisioning innovation opportunities through science fiction. Journal of Product Innovation Management, 39(2), 121-131. Activity:Generating a Future Vision	Assessment Task 1 Part 1 (Reflective essay)DISCOVER Reflection (10%)Due: Friday, 21 March 2025, 23:59 AEST
6	Managing Uncertainty Recommended Readings:Rice, M. P., OConnor, G. C., & Pierantozzi, R. (2008). Implementing a learning plan to counter project uncertainty. MIT Sloan Management Review, 49(2), 54.Rylander Eklund, A., Navarro Aguiar, U., & Amacker, A. (2022). Design thinking as sensemaking: Developing a pragmatist theory of practice to (re) introduce sensibility. Journal of Product Innovation Management, 39(1), 24-43.  Activities:Mapping Assumptions	Assessment Task 2 (Stakeholder map) Due: 28 March 2025, 23:59 AEST
7	PART III DEVELOP (Weeks 7-9) Developing Creative Ideas Recommended Readings:Dorst, K. (2011). The core of ‘design thinking’ and its application. Design Studies, 32(6), 521-532. Activities:Experimenting with Creativity Techniques	Assessment Task 1 Part 2 (Reflective essay)DEFINE Reflection (10%)Due: Wednesday, 16 April 2025, 23:59 AEST
8	Prototyping Recommended Readings:Bogers, M., & Horst, W. (2014). Collaborative prototyping: Cross-fertilization of knowledge in prototype-driven problem solving. Journal of Product Innovation Management, 31(4), 744-764. Activities:Prototyping	n/a
9	Designing User Experiences Recommended Readings:Bitner, M. J., Ostrom, A. L., & Morgan, F. N. (2008). Service blueprinting: a practical technique for service innovation. California Management Review, 50(3), 66-94.Zomerdijk, L. G., & Voss, C. A. (2010). Service design for experience-centric services. Journal of Service Research, 13(1), 67-82. Activities:Experience and Journey Mapping	Assessment Task 3 (Prototype Solution)Due: Friday, 2 May 2025, 23:59 AEST
10	PART IV DELIVER (Weeks 10-12) Business Model Innovation Readings:Osterwalder, A. (2010). Business model generation: a handbook for visionaries, game changers, and challengers.Osterwalder, A., Pigneur, Y., Bernarda, G., & Smith, A. (2015). Value proposition design: How to create products and services customers want. John Wiley & Sons.Zott, C., & Amit, R. (2015). Business model innovation: Toward a process perspective. The Oxford Handbook of Creativity, Innovation, and Entrepreneurship, 395-406. Activities:Business Model Canvas	Assessment Task 1 Part 3 (Reflective essay)DEVELOP Reflection (10%)Due: Friday, 9 May 2025, 23:59 AEST
11	Effective Communication Readings:Damanpour, F., & Schneider, M. (2006). Phases of the adoption of innovation in organizations: Effects of environment, organization and top managers. British Journal of Management, 17(3), 215-236. Activities:Argumentation Mapping	n/a
12	Final Presentations & Course Debriefing Recommended Readings:Dyer, J., Gregersen, H., & Christensen, C. M. (2019). The Innovator's DNA. Harvard Business Press. Activities:Course Recap	Assessment Task 4 (Final Presentation)During the Seminar on Tuesday, 20 May 2025
13	no class	Assessment Task 1 Part 4 (Reflective essay)DELIVER Reflection (10%)Due: Friday, 30 May 2025, 23:59 AEST.

Tutorial Registration

N/A

Assessment Summary

Assessment task	Value	Due Date	Return of assessment	Learning Outcomes
Reflective Essay	40 %	*	26/06/2025	7
Ecosystem Report	20 %	28/03/2025	11/04/2025	1, 2, 3
Prototype Solution	20 %	02/05/2025	09/05/2025	4, 5, 6
Final Presentation	20 %	20/05/2025	26/06/2025	2, 3, 4, 5, 6

* If the Due Date and Return of Assessment date are blank, see the Assessment Tab for specific Assessment Task details

Policies

ANU has educational policies, procedures and guidelines, which are designed to ensure that staff and students are aware of the University’s academic standards, and implement them. Students are expected to have read the Academic Misconduct Rule before the commencement of their course. Other key policies and guidelines include:

• Student Assessment (Coursework) Policy and Procedure
• Special Assessment Consideration Policy and General Information
• Student Surveys and Evaluations
• Deferred Examinations
• Student Complaint Resolution Policy and Procedure

Assessment Requirements

The ANU is using Turnitin to enhance student citation and referencing techniques, and to assess assignment submissions as a component of the University's approach to managing Academic Integrity. For additional information regarding Turnitin please visit the ANU Online website Students may choose not to submit assessment items through Turnitin. In this instance you will be required to submit, alongside the assessment item itself, hard copies of all references included in the assessment item.

Moderation of Assessment

Marks that are allocated during Semester are to be considered provisional until formalised by the College examiners meeting at the end of each Semester. If appropriate, some moderation of marks might be applied prior to final results being released.

Participation

Seminars may be recorded and made available on Echo360 and Wattle. Participation is expected in all classes and assessments. Attendance at seminars, while not compulsory, is expected in line with "Code of Practice for Teaching and Learning," Clause 2 paragraph (b). Where students will not be able to attend a seminar they should advise the Convenor and discuss how to address the learning materials instead.

Examination(s)

There are no examinations for this course.

Assessment Task 1

Reflective Essay

Details of Task:

Innovation entails a research and learning process. This task aims to capture the research and learning process as it happens so that it can be referred to and drawn from when tackling challenges in the future. This task will be a reflective essay consisting of FOUR PARTS. Each part corresponds to one of the four phases in the course (DISCOVER, DEFINE, DEVELOP, DELIVER) and is worth 10% for a total of 40%. Each part should:

1. Document the research and learning journey thus far through journey mapping, photography, written documentation, or other evidence for the research and learning process.
2. Critically reflect on the overarching challenges and possible ways for overcoming these challenges in the remainder of the course.
3. How might the theories, frameworks, and tools introduced in the course be applied in the future?

Course participants should document the research and learning process while working on the semester project in journal entries and subsequently write a reflective essay that refers back and is grounded in the evidence captured in the journal entries. This ongoing documentation and reflection reduces effort, ensures key learnings are captured, and leaves sufficient time for reflective thinking to emerge

Assessment type: Individual task

Word limit: 1000 words (+/-10% leeway) per task for a total of 4000 words (+/-10% leeway). The part in excess of the word limit will not be read or assessed.

Formal requirements: 

Each reflective essay should consist of (1) process documentation that draws on work done during the seminar and as they progress on their project and (2) a short reflective essay (750 words +10% leeway). Each submission should include:

1. Evidence of the process taken during one of the four phases in the course (Discover, Define, Develop, Deliver).
2. Description of key insights and things that went well during the phase.
3. Description of key challenges faced and things that could have been done differently.
4. Reflection on how the tools and frameworks used could be applied in the future.

Further information about reflective writing can be found here: https://www.anu.edu.au/students/academic-skills/writing-assessment/reflective-writing. Reflective writing is a deeply personal endeavour, so referencing is not mandatory. However, please follow the APA referencing guidelines whenever referring to secondary material, such as books or journal articles that inform your thinking. To document the process, please use images of teamwork, collect evidence of work in process, and document activities undertaken during the course.

Submission date: Each part must be submitted via Turnitin via the course Wattle site on the following dates:

Part 1: DISCOVER Reflection (10%) – 21 March 2025, 23:59 AEST.

Part 2: DEFINE Reflection (10%) – 16 April 2025, 23:59 AEST.

Part 3: DEVELOP Reflection (10%) – 9 May 2025, 23:59 AEST.

Part 4: DELIVER Reflection (10%) – 30 May 2025, 23:59 AEST.

Due date for return of assessment: Marks with feedback will be provided within 10 working days of submission. Feedback on Part 1 will be provided by 28 March 2025.

Marking Criteria: A detailed rubric will be made available on the course Wattle site at the beginning of semester.

Assessment Task 2

Ecosystem Report

Details of Task:

Every innovation project begins with an initial understanding of an organisation's challenges and opportunities. Gaining this understanding requires research into the organisation's internal and external environments. The theories, frameworks, and tools discussed in the course's first part will allow you to develop a renewed perspective on the organisation's environment. This assessment task aims to use innovation frameworks and tools to gather data that will later help inform your project objectives and potential outcomes. Although the task will be assessed individually, course participants are encouraged to collaborate in a group and co-create the report to ensure a thorough understanding of the ecosystem is obtained.

Assessment type: Group. This assessment item requires group work; see further details for formation and management of group work below

Word limit: 1,000 (+/-10% leeway) per group member. Please note that excess submissions above the word count will not be counted, read or marked, hence be concise and clear; the word count will not include the heading, table of contents, or references.

Submission date: Wednesday, 28 March 2025, 23:59 AEST.

Report format:

• Use of frameworks to describe the internal environment of the organisation.
• Analysis of the innovation ecosystem, identifying key stakeholders and their characteristics.
• Use of tools to describe the different needs, challenges and opportunities present.
• Use of evidence from a range of sources. These can vary and should consider scholarly literature, industry reports, stakeholder input and personal experience—preliminary findings, including possible problems to be addressed through an innovation process.
• Course participants are encouraged to use visuals such as images, diagrams and charts where appropriate.
• Reference style: Please use APA referencing style: https://apastyle.apa.org/style-grammar-guidelines/references/examples
• Use of AI: The use of AI such as ChatGPT to generate an essay or report is not allowed as it is akin to plagiarism. Students are required to demonstrate achievement of critical, analytical and synthesis skills in high-quality, independently generated works.

Submission: Turnitin via the course Wattle site. One group member to submit on behalf of the group.

Return of Assessment: Wednesday, 11 April 2025 with feedback and comments

Marking criteria: to be provided on the course Wattle site at least two weeks prior to the due date.

Group work:

How will groups be formed? 

Groups will be formed by self-selection in Weeks 1 and 2 into groups of 4-5 students based on the maximum diversity principle. Each group ought to display diversity in terms of educational background, skillset, and prior work and life experience. Students who do not form into a team by the the end of week 2 or find self-selection challenging will be allocated into a team in consultation with the lecturer. Students will remain in the same groups throughout the semester. 

How will marking be determined? 

The ANU expect groups to manage themselves and work collaboratively with equal contribution from each member towards the successful completion of the project. The ANU may give members in a group different marks for the assessments submitted by the group, if member/s have not contributed equally. Group members’ contribution is determined by the group members; for this purpose a group member contribution form will be provided and submitted with the assessment submission.

What help is there to assist the group? 

The following support is provided. Further details including advice on management and resolution of intra-group conflict will be provided on the Wattle site.

1. Group work best practice will be covered in class, and

2. Group activities will be conducted each week to develop your group work skills and build group cohesion, and

3. Groups may contact the lecturer for assistance in managing their group including any conflict or workload issues.

Assessment Task 3

Prototype Solution

Details of task:

Innovation is an iterative process, with projects often requiring multiple rounds of testing to refine and adapt the project to stakeholder needs, interests, and requirements. For this purpose, it is essential to develop simple representations, or prototypes, that allow stakeholders to engage and interact with emerging solutions. This task aims to develop the ability to produce low-fidelity prototypes early in a project, engaging key stakeholders to obtain their input and feedback. This task will provide course participants with the tools to create prototype solutions to test assumptions and reduce uncertainty. Course participants will continue working in a small team to complete this assessment. Team members will be assessed individually via their statement of contribution towards marking criteria.

Assessment type: Group task.

Time limit: Strict 10-minute limit, any presentation over 10 minutes will not be included in the marking of this assessment.

Presentation requirements: 

Working in a team, students are required to submit a video showcasing a prototype solution for their innovation project. The video should be between 8-10 minutes, with the equal participation of all team members. Any part of the video beyond the length limit (10 minutes) will not be assessed.

In the presentation, students should:

1. Clearly define the problem to be addressed in your project
2. State the specific goals to be achieved by your team which collectively help address the problem identified.
3. Present a low fidelity prototype of the solution. This could be a system diagram, a series of interactive slides, a paper-based mock-up, a combination of these.
4. Argue why/how you think the prototype will work to address the problem you identified.
5. Show the process your team engaged with stakeholders to come up with the prototype (i.e. how did you come up with the prototype).

This presentation should be highly visual in nature, containing photos, images, diagrams and other content showing the development of the prototype and its use in engaging with stakeholders.

Submission date: 2 May 2025, 23:59 AEST. Video should be uploaded to Wattle. One group member to submit on behalf of the group.

Return of Assessment: 9 May 2025. Feedback will be provided via Wattle.

Marking Criteria: A detailed rubric will be made available on the course Wattle site from the beginning of semester.

Group Work: This assessment item requires group work; see further details for management of group work under Assessment Task 2.

Assessment Task 4

Final Presentation

Details of Task:

Increasing the chances of success of an innovation project requires approval and support from key organisational stakeholders. This requires clear communication of how an innovation project will contribute to an organisation's ability to achieve sustained competitive advantage. This task aims to provide a strategic approach to communicating the opportunities and challenges of an innovation project to obtain support for its continuation. The task will focus on recognising how an innovation project will fit within an organisation's business model, providing value to the key stakeholders involved. It will also address some of the adoption, execution, and complementary innovation risks that the project may face. Team members will be assessed individually via their statement of contribution towards marking criteria.

Assessment type: Group task.

Time limit: Strict 10-minute limit, any presentation over 10 minutes will not be included in the marking of this assessment.

Presentation time: Tuesday, 20th May 2025, during the Week 12 seminar.

Presentation format:

This assessment will take the form of a pitch-style presentation. Every team member needs to deliver an equal share of the presentation. All members will be required to answer questions about the project. Presentations will be video recorded, which will enable later validation and verification of assessment if required (in accordance with point 7 in the ANU Student Assessment (Coursework) Policy).

In the presentation, students should:

• Provide an overview of the problem being addressed by the project.
• Describe the proposed solution, including any feedback obtained from key stakeholders.
• Introduce the high-level business model for the solution and describe how it would interact with the organisation's current activities and resources.
• Summarize strategies to deal with adoption, execution and complementary innovation risks.
• Communicate the potential value to the organisation and explain how this value could be measured.

Submission of presentation: Upload a PDF version of your presentation to Wattle by 23:59 on the day before presentation (19 May 2025). One group member to submit on behalf of the group.

Presentation date: Tuesday, 20 May 2025, during the Week 12 seminar.

Return of assessment: With final grades' release, 26 June 2025, with comments and feedback.

Marketing criteria: to be provided on the course Wattle site at least two weeks before the due date.

Group Work: This assessment item requires group work; see further details for management of group work under Assessment Task 2.

Academic Integrity

Academic integrity is a core part of our culture as a community of scholars. At its heart, academic integrity is about behaving ethically. This means that all members of the community commit to honest and responsible scholarly practice and to upholding these values with respect and fairness. The Australian National University commits to embedding the values of academic integrity in our teaching and learning. We ensure that all members of our community understand how to engage in academic work in ways that are consistent with, and actively support academic integrity. The ANU expects staff and students to uphold high standards of academic integrity and act ethically and honestly, to ensure the quality and value of the qualification that you will graduate with. The University has policies and procedures in place to promote academic integrity and manage academic misconduct. Visit the following Academic honesty & plagiarism website for more information about academic integrity and what the ANU considers academic misconduct. The ANU offers a number of services to assist students with their assignments, examinations, and other learning activities. The Academic Skills and Learning Centre offers a number of workshops and seminars that you may find useful for your studies.

Online Submission

The ANU uses Turnitin to enhance student citation and referencing techniques and to assess assignment submissions as a component of the University's approach to managing Academic Integrity. While the use of Turnitin is not mandatory, the ANU highly recommends Turnitin is used by both teaching staff and students. For additional information regarding Turnitin please visit the ANU Online website.

Hardcopy Submission

For some forms of assessment (hand written assignments, art works, laboratory notes, etc.) hard copy submission is appropriate when approved by the Associate Dean (Education). Hard copy submissions must utilise the Assignment Cover Sheet. Please keep a copy of tasks completed for your records.

Late Submission

Late submission of assessment tasks without an extension are penalised at the rate of 5% of the possible marks available per working day or part thereof. Late submission of assessment tasks is not accepted after 10 working days after the due date, or on or after the date specified in the course outline for the return of the assessment item. Late submission is not accepted for take-home examinations.

All requests for Assessment Adjustment (including Requests for Extension and for Consideration of Extenuating Circumstances) should be submitted via ISIS.

Referencing Requirements

Accepted academic practice for referencing sources that you use in presentations can be found via the links on the Wattle site, under the file named “ANU and College Policies, Program Information, Student Support Services and Assessment”. Alternatively, you can seek help through the Students Learning Development website.

Returning Assignments

Please see relevant assessment task details above.

Extensions and Penalties

Extensions and late submission of assessment pieces are covered by the Student Assessment (Coursework) Policy and Procedure The Course Convener may grant extensions for assessment pieces that are not examinations or take-home examinations. If you need an extension, you must request an extension in writing on or before the due date. If you have documented and appropriate medical evidence that demonstrates you were not able to request an extension on or before the due date, you may be able to request it after the due date.

Resubmission of Assignments

Unless specified otherwise in the assessment requirements, resubmissions are permitted up until the due date and time, but not allowed afterwards.

Privacy Notice

The ANU has made a number of third party, online, databases available for students to use. Use of each online database is conditional on student end users first agreeing to the database licensor’s terms of service and/or privacy policy. Students should read these carefully. In some cases student end users will be required to register an account with the database licensor and submit personal information, including their: first name; last name; ANU email address; and other information. In cases where student end users are asked to submit ‘content’ to a database, such as an assignment or short answers, the database licensor may only use the student’s ‘content’ in accordance with the terms of service — including any (copyright) licence the student grants to the database licensor. Any personal information or content a student submits may be stored by the licensor, potentially offshore, and will be used to process the database service in accordance with the licensors terms of service and/or privacy policy. If any student chooses not to agree to the database licensor’s terms of service or privacy policy, the student will not be able to access and use the database. In these circumstances students should contact their lecturer to enquire about alternative arrangements that are available.

Distribution of grades policy

Academic Quality Assurance Committee monitors the performance of students, including attrition, further study and employment rates and grade distribution, and College reports on quality assurance processes for assessment activities, including alignment with national and international disciplinary and interdisciplinary standards, as well as qualification type learning outcomes. Since first semester 1994, ANU uses a grading scale for all courses. This grading scale is used by all academic areas of the University.

Support for students

The University offers students support through several different services. You may contact the services listed below directly or seek advice from your Course Convener, Student Administrators, or your College and Course representatives (if applicable).

• ANU Health, safety & wellbeing for medical services, counselling, mental health and spiritual support
• ANU Diversity and inclusion for students with a disability or ongoing or chronic illness
• ANU Dean of Students for confidential, impartial advice and help to resolve problems between students and the academic or administrative areas of the University
• ANU Academic Skills and Learning Centre supports you make your own decisions about how you learn and manage your workload.
• ANU Counselling Centre promotes, supports and enhances mental health and wellbeing within the University student community.
• ANUSA supports and represents undergraduate and ANU College students
• PARSA supports and represents postgraduate and research students