Fixedness

Fixedness is the inability to see known objects in a new light, limiting one's ability to innovate. In the workplace, fixedness affects our thinking about products and services, customers and competitors, and future opportunities. The most dangerous type of fixedness is being stuck on the current business model, which prevents us from challenging our assumptions and limits innovation potential. Even customers suffer from fixedness, which makes it difficult for them to offer new ideas. However, structured innovation tools and principles can break fixedness and help us see problems and opportunities in new ways, enabling innovation.