The invention of wheel is regarded as a breakthrough innovation that proved to be a game changer in the history of human civilization by serving as a harbinger of the industrial revolution, which happened much later. Over last so many centuries wheel technology has evolved, through many incremental improvements, making the wheel of today far better than what it used to be in the past.
Similarly, development of smart phone was another breakthrough innovation which has revolutionized the way we interact with others and with the world in general. As with the wheel, over last few years if not decades, smart phone technology has evolved, through many incremental improvements, making the smart phone of today far better than what it used to be in the past.
The above two examples of wheel and smart phone illustrate the way products and services evolve to serve human needs in an increasingly powerful way. A combination of breakthrough innovations followed by incremental improvements makes new products and services usable and useful to the general mass.
Breakthrough innovation is crucial for an organization and more so for those selling products and services to end users. These innovations may be a result of traditional innovation or radical innovation or disruptive innovation. Breakthrough innovations result in new products and services being offered or existing products and services being launched in new formats, new segments or new styling, et al.
