Appreciate how much innovation is compatible with a design project

As a general rule, a customer will always ask you to be as innovative as possible when responding to a project. But is this the right way to respond? There are certain advantages to innovation. But these advantages may be counterbalanced by questions, or even definite disadvantages.

• It can give you a monopoly. But will your customer accept the fact that you're a "must-have"?

• It's best to avoid "innovation at all costs" ending up in a losing poker game. You'll need to be even more draconian when it comes to defining the boundaries of your project, to avoid drifting towards considerable investment with no return. Is this innovation likely to lead to a patent? Will your customer have the right (or the possibility) to exploit this discovery without you?

• Can this innovation be used by another customer? This raises the question of project financing and return on investment.

• Is innovation necessarily less robust to exploit than traditional channels? This is a question that should be asked throughout project development. The opposite question, whether an innovation can prove more robust to operate than a traditional process, is just as legitimate.