Innovation does not happen all at once. It follows a journey — one that always begins with an idea, matures through trial and error, and eventually becomes so natural that we hardly notice it. Understanding this journey not only explains the past, it helps us lean into the future with confidence and excitement.
Take smartphones. Their story shows us how innovation unfolds in five phases.
Phase 1: Spark (The Idea)
Every innovation starts with a spark — the foundational concept that makes something new possible. For smartphones, that spark was the landline telephone. The idea of connecting people through voice laid the groundwork for every advancement that followed.
Phase 2: Pioneering (Complex, Clunky)
The first working versions of an innovation are rarely smooth. They’re built around what’s technically possible, not what users actually want. For smartphones, this meant bulky PDAs and awkward devices that required styluses and patience.
Phase 3: Refinement (Incremental Improvement)
Once users begin interacting with a product, their feedback drives refinement. Features get smoothed out, reliability improves, and usability begins to catch up to imagination. For smartphones, this was the Blackberry moment — better, more reliable, but still not mainstream-friendly.
Phase 4: Streamlined (Elegant, User-Centered)
The breakthrough moment comes when innovation bends around people instead of asking people to bend around technology. For smartphones, this was the iPhone: sleek, intuitive, and designed around the user experience. Suddenly, the smartphone was not a niche device — it was for everyone.
Phase 5: Invisible Innovation (Personalized & Ubiquitous)
The final stage of innovation is invisibility. The product becomes so embedded, so natural, that people stop noticing the technology and only notice the results. For smartphones, this is where we are today. We do not marvel at them anymore; we just expect them to connect us, guide us, and personalize our lives.
Why This Matters for the Future
When we recognize these five phases, we stop fearing the messy beginnings. A clunky prototype does not mean failure — it means we are on the journey. Each phase builds on the last, moving us closer to innovation that empowers people, not overwhelms them.
That’s a future worth leaning into with excitement, not fear.
Looking for a bit more depth on the topic? Here are relevant academic sources on innovation phases, maturity models, and the evolution of user experience and technology adoption.
Enkel, E., Bell, J., & Hogenkamp, H. (2011). Open innovation maturity framework. International Journal of Innovation Management, 15(6), 1161–1181.
Gupta, A. (2011). Business Innovation Maturity Model: Facilitating the process of innovation institutionalization. International Journal of Innovation Science, 3(3), 141-150.
Lawson, B., & Samson, D. (2001). Developing innovation capability in organisations: A dynamic capabilities approach. International Journal of Innovation Management, 5(3), 377-400.
Röglinger, M., Pöppelbuß, J., & Becker, J. (2012). Maturity models in business process management. Business Process Management Journal, 18(2), 328-346.
Schenker, A., & Guertin, N. H. (2024). A Model for Evaluating the Maturity of a Modular Open Systems Approach. Defense Acquisition Research Journal, 31(1).
Rogers, E. M. (2003). Diffusion of innovations (5th ed.). Free Press.
MIT Sloan Management Review. (2007). The five stages of successful innovation. MIT Sloan Management Review, 48(3).
Bodell, L. (2019, December 27). Simplify your innovation process into 5 phases. Forbes. https://www.forbes.com/sites/lisabodell/2019/12/28/simplify-your-innovation-process-into-5-phases/
Interaction Design Foundation (IxDF). (2025, September 24). The 5 stages in the design thinking process. https://www.interaction-design.org/literature/article/5-stages-in-the-design-thinking-process
Discover more from Micah Shippee, PhD
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
