Insights into the Individual Innovation Process in the 2020s: Updating Prevalent Understanding

Abstract

This paper examines individuals' experiences of their innovation process. The aim is to gain deeper insight into the features of individual innovation and thereby update the prevailing theoretical understanding of the concept of individual innovation process. To achieve this, the paper uses a qualitative single case study approach. A systematic data-driven analysis of 34 semi-structured interviews - conducted in an agile product development environment - showed that at the team member level, the individual innovation process consists of six activities: identifying needs, managing constraints, developing solutions, testing, evaluating, and implementing. The paper extends previous understanding by zooming in on the individual experience and highlights the previously unidentified role of individual agency in the innovation process. The study contributes to innovation and management literatures by challenging the current understanding of how individuals innovate, and how this process can be managed.