 What is responsible innovation and why is it important? Of course, no one sets out to innovate irresponsibly. Most innovators want to solve problems to improve lives and to make the world a better place. But all too often, good intentions end up causing harm as the best laid plans go awry. This may be due to sheer bad luck or an excessive tunnel-visioned enthusiasm, or it could be the result of overlooking the collateral damage that all too easily accompanies half-baked ideas. The problem is, in today's increasingly complex and interconnected world, enthusiastic and well-meaning innovation can all too easily end up looking like bloody stupid innovation if we're not careful. This is bad news if you're someone who's at the sharp end of a good idea that ends up benefiting others at your expense. But it's also bad for business if, despite your best intentions, you end up being branded as irresponsible. So how do you ensure that good intentions in innovation lead to new ideas and capabilities that achieve what you aspire to without causing unnecessary harm? One place to start is with these five risk-bite rules of thumb. 1. Remember that the first rule of responsible innovation is to talk about responsible innovation. It's amazing what a difference it can make if you take the time to talk to others about how best to be responsible. 2. Think through the possible social and ethical consequences of what you're planning and how you're going to navigate these. 3. Consider what's important to you and the people your innovation will touch, and importantly, think about how you can stay true to your values while respecting theirs. 4. Think about how your innovation might exclude or discriminate against some people and how you can work with them to ensure that this doesn't happen. And 5. Plan ahead for how you'll handle the inevitable yet often unexpected downsides of your innovation. And think about how you'll change direction when this happens to ensure you end up doing more good than harm. The bottom line here is that innovation always has its downsides as well as its benefits, and with the best intentions in the world, the chances are that at some point you'll make a mess of things. But by being proactive about innovating responsibly, you'll increase the likelihood of success not just for yourself, but for the people whose lives are affected by what you do. For more information on responsible innovation, please do check out the links below. And as always, stay safe.