David Cutler - The GAME of Innovation

Zeynep Temel

Assistant Professor,

Robotics Institute,

Carnegie Mellon University

INVENTION

My Challenge:

Build a robot that emulates the movement of an ant.

On Our Approach to Gamifying Challenges

I may just have discovered the secret sauce to innovation! This book showed me how a-ha moments result from focused efforts that set the stage ambitiously. I look forward to witnessing my own teams transformation, achievements, and unforgettable experience after following guidelines presented here. We are playing this GAME to win.

Donna Walker-Kuhne

Founder,

Walker International

Communications Group

MARKETING

My Challenge:

How do we build, engage, and sustain diverse communities when promoting projects and products?

On Our Approach to Building Teams

Cutler and his team have a distinctly dynamic approach to training and providing entrepreneurial experiences to multicultural participants. Doing so ensures that important assumptions get challenged, new perspectives are considered, and ultimate solutions are significantly richer.

Felipe Buitrago Restrepo

Minister of Culture,

Colombia

GOVERNMENT

My Challenge:

How might we reignite our national cultural sector following the disruptive Covid pandemic?

On Our Approach to GAMEs

Updating cultural policy is hard and time consuming. Cutlers powerful approach to designing problem-solving GAMEs (Guidelines, Arena, Materials, Experience) has helped my team develop innovative ideas that rapidly adapt and expand existing support mechanisms for the new normal.

Dr. Dilhani J. Uswatte

Principal,

Rocky Ridge Elementary

EDUCATION

My Challenge:

Develop a strategy to ignite long-term curiosity such that students truly become lifelong learners.

On Our Approach to Training Teams

This book made me realize that as a principal, I need to foster the right conditions for innovative thinking. It will not just happen magically. Efforts must be made to proactively train the team and create an energizing space where WOW thinking happens NOW.

John Simpkins

President & Chief

Executive Officer,

MDC

LEADERSHIP

My Challenge:

Envision an initiative that brings historically marginalized groups into the leadership circle of at least 10 companies.

On & Defining Problems

Think big AND get to the point. Through the timeless wisdom of Mother Goose and beyond, this chapter offers practical, actionable advice on how to frame creative challenges, surface ideas from the team, and motivate change.

Jeremy Leung

Associate Director,

Corporate Relations and Sponsorships,

Carnegie Hall

PHILANTHROPY

My Challenge:

When pitching to new donors, how can we make a compelling case without creating information overload?

On & Problem-Solving Tools

This chapter showed me how physical and virtual materials can transform problem solving with a team like mine. Strategic tools help convey an idea, inspire and galvanize stakeholders, and ultimately bring concepts to life. (At least, thats what I wrote on a newly acquired sticky note.)

Ramone Dickerson

Executive Chef and Co-Owner,

2 Fat 2 Fly

RESTAURANTS

My Challenge:

If we were 20 times bigger, how would our business model look?

On & Innovation Conditions

Since reading this, my thinking has evolved regarding what it means to build a successful team. Considering which tasks are best suited for soloists, like-minded specialists, diverse communities, and even non-puzzler participants has created a COMPLETELY new level of clarity for my problem-solving approach!

Rosanna Stephens

Manager, Digital Workplace Experience,

Adobe

TECHNOLOGY

My Challenge:

Design a connected digital work environment that fosters flexibility, well-being, collaboration, and productivity.

On & Experience Design

As a tech leader focused on digital experiences, I find constraints crucial to creativity, like banks of a river allowing water to flow. This chapter gave me many ideas to help build new riverbanks so we can flow together in directions never imagined!

Michelle Logan-Owens, DHA, RN

Chief Operating Officer,

McLeod Regional

Medical Center

HEALTHCARE

My Challenge:

Improve the patient and family experience by reducing the wait between procedure arrival and start time.

On & Problem-Solving Lenses

The delivery of exceptional patient-centered care requires efficient and effective problem solving. The 5 lenses of innovation require teams to stay focused. They ensure that valuable inputs arent overlooked, but are considered at the appropriate time. With the dynamics of the healthcare environment, I am grateful to have discovered this power tool!

Liela Shadmani

First Sergeant,

US Army

MILITARY

My Challenge:

Revamp professional military curriculum to focus on leadership experience and best practices.

On & Creative Exploration