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Innovation Frameworks Library

30+ proven methodologies to structure your thinking and generate breakthrough innovations

What Are Innovation Frameworks?

Innovation frameworks are structured approaches to solving complex problems and generating novel solutions. Each framework provides a systematic methodology with proven steps, tools, and outputs.

Why use them? Frameworks make innovation repeatable, teachable, and defensible. They generate better artifacts for patents, ensure you haven't missed critical perspectives, and help you articulate your innovation process to examiners and investors.

Design Thinking is the default (great for beginners and human-centered problems), but other frameworks unlock specific capabilities for technical inventions, business strategy, risk management, and IP protection.

Find Your Framework Fast

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Discovery & Definition

Understand problems and user needs

• Jobs-to-Be-Done

• Customer Journey Mapping

• Systems Thinking

• Double Diamond

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Ideation & Innovation

Generate breakthrough concepts

• TRIZ

• C-K Theory

• SCAMPER

• Morphological Analysis

• Blue Ocean Strategy

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Risk & Safety

Identify and mitigate failures

• FMEA

• STPA/STAMP

• HAZOP

• Ethics by Design

business_center

Strategy & Business

Validate business models

• Business Model Canvas

• Value Proposition Design

• Wardley Mapping

• OKRs

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IP-Specific

Patent creation and protection

• Problem-Solution Approach

• Patent Landscaping

• Claim Charting

• Portfolio Matrix

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Execution & Delivery

Build and ship solutions

• Agile (Scrum/Kanban)

• Stage-Gate

• Shape Up

• RICE/ICE Prioritization

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Quality & Engineering

Design for reliability

• Six Sigma (DMAIC/DMADV)

• QFD/House of Quality

• V-Model

• TRL Assessment

security

Responsible AI & Data

Governance and trust

• NIST AI RMF

• FAIR Data Principles

• Safety Case/GSN

Featured Frameworks

psychology

Design Thinking

Recommended

Human-centered innovation process: Empathize → Define → Ideate → Prototype → Test

Best for: Beginners, human-centered problems, full innovation lifecycle

Works with: All session types

Outputs: Journey maps, personas, prototypes

engineering

TRIZ

Inventive problem solving through contradiction analysis and 40 inventive principles

Best for: Technical inventions, physical/engineering problems, patent claims

Works with: Ideation, Innovation, Critique

Outputs: Contradiction matrix, solution concepts, prior-art analogs

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Jobs-to-Be-Done

Customer outcome mapping: Job mapping → Outcome statements → Opportunity scoring

Best for: Customer needs, product-market fit, outcome metrics

Works with: Interview, Ideation, Refinement

Outputs: Job stories, unmet outcome list, prioritization

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Blue Ocean Strategy

Seek uncontested market spaces through strategy canvas and ERRC grid (Eliminate-Reduce-Raise-Create)

Best for: Market differentiation, competitive strategy, value innovation

Works with: Innovation, Consolidation, Review

Outputs: Strategy canvases, ERRC grid

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Systems Thinking

Feedback-rich, nonlinear problem analysis using causal loops and stock-flow diagrams

Best for: Complex systems, root cause analysis, leverage points

Works with: Interview, Innovation, Critique

Outputs: Causal loop diagrams, stock-flow models, leverage plan

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C-K Theory

Concept-Knowledge theory: Explore beyond current knowledge to expand the invention space

Best for: Radical innovation, knowledge expansion, patent families

Works with: Interview, Ideation, Innovation

Outputs: Concept lineage, knowledge gaps, exploration map

speed

Lean Startup

Build-Measure-Learn loops for rapid hypothesis testing and pivoting under uncertainty

Best for: High uncertainty, fast learning, MVP development

Works with: Ideation, Innovation, Review, Critique

Outputs: Experiment charters, MVPs, learning reports

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Wardley Mapping

Strategy under evolution: Map components by value/visibility and plot evolution for gameplay

Best for: Strategic positioning, component maturity, competitive gameplay

Works with: Interview, Innovation, Critique

Outputs: Wardley maps, gameplay moves

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Problem-Solution Approach

EPO-style patent framing: Define closest prior art → objective technical problem → non-obvious solution

Best for: Patent applications, inventive step arguments, examiner responses

Works with: Innovation, Refinement, Review, Critique

Outputs: PSA triplet, distinctiveness narrative

View Complete Catalog (30+ Frameworks) arrow_forward

Framework Comparison

Framework	Phase	Complexity	Duration	Output Type
Design Thinking	All	★☆☆ Beginner	2-4 hrs	Journey maps, prototypes
TRIZ	Ideation/Innovation	★★★ Advanced	2-3 hrs	Contradiction matrix, concepts
Jobs-to-Be-Done	Discovery/Ideation	★★☆ Intermediate	1-2 hrs	Outcome list, job stories
Blue Ocean	Ideation/Assessment	★★☆ Intermediate	2-3 hrs	Strategy canvas, ERRC grid
Systems Thinking	Discovery/Innovation	★★★ Advanced	3-4 hrs	Causal loops, leverage points
C-K Theory	Ideation/Innovation	★★★ Advanced	2-4 hrs	Concept lineage, knowledge gaps
Lean Startup	All	★☆☆ Beginner	1-2 hrs	Experiments, MVPs, pivots
Wardley Mapping	Assessment/Execution	★★☆ Intermediate	2-3 hrs	Maps, gameplay strategies

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