The Innovation Crowd with Helen Dawson – Details, episodes & analysis

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The Innovation Crowd with Helen Dawson

Helen Dawson

Business

Frequency: 1 episode/58d. Total Eps: 24

Everyone has an Innovation or AI story. Almost nobody tells you what it cost and who blocked it. My guests do. I'm Helen Dawson. Chartered chemical engineer. Ex-Shell. 25 years of change programmes in big organisations. I help boards decide which AI bets deserve the money. Politics isn't an inconvenience. It's the job. AI Confidence Snapshot (4 mins): scorecard.helen-dawson.com The Hard Part newsletter: helen-dawson.kit.com/the-hard-part LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/helen-dawson/

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🇬🇧 Great Britain - management
04/08/2026
#38

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https://www.linkedin.com/in/helen-dawson/
4 shares
https://www.linkedin.com/in/sandieessemann/
2 shares
https://uk.linkedin.com/in/graham-p-young/
1 share

https://uk.bookshop.org/a/2487/9780670921607
1 share
https://uk.bookshop.org/a/2487/9780593076118
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https://uk.bookshop.org/a/2487/9781119551447
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Score global : 32%

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The Hard Part: Why successful pilots don't scale

Monday, July 27, 2026 • Duration 08:13

Most AI pilots succeed. Then they die on the way to scale and leaders blame the technology when the real problem was the pilot itself.In this solo episode, Helen Dawson takes apart the most expensive mistake in corporate innovation: running a pilot that proves the wrong thing. A pilot that "works" tells you almost nothing if it tested an assumption you already believed, in a corner of the business that doesn't matter, on data too thin to act on. Helen walks through how to design a pilot that actually tests what scaling will demand, so the win you get is a win you can build on.In this episode:- Why a "successful" pilot is often just proof you already had the answer, not proof it will scale- The trap of piloting in the low-stakes, low-resistance part of the business, where nothing you learn transfers- Pilots don't test whether the technology works. They test value and assumptions. Confusing the two is where the money goes.- Why sample size and data-gathering time quietly decide whether a pilot can ever inform a real decision- The obstacles a too-clean pilot never surfaces: the operational friction and adoption resistance that only appear at scale- How to pick the right pilot for what you actually need to prove: the business case, customer demand, or technical feasibility — and why those need different designs

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The Hard Part: The First AI Decision on Andy Burnham's Desk

Monday, July 20, 2026 • Duration 17:55

Key decisions on AI for government and business leaders.

In this episode, Helen Dawson explores the critical considerations for integrating AI into government and business. She emphasizes that AI should be viewed as an ingredient within broader solutions rather than a standalone fix, emphasizing outcomes over technology buzzwords.Main topics:

The three-layered framework of AI: infrastructure, models, and functionality
The importance of using AI to improve government outcomes and solving hard challenges
Risks of vendor capture and the 'siege' dynamic in critical infrastructure contracts
Edge cases and the unique challenges in public sector AI deployment
The notion of AI as an ingredient versus a meal – focusing on real-world impact
Ethical concerns: fairness, bias, and the distribution of gains in AI-powered society
Strategic decisions governments face, exemplified by the NHS Palantir contract
The importance of protecting supply chains and avoiding vendor lock-in

Sign up for the newsletter for more insights like this: https://helen-dawson.kit.com/the-hard-part?utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=episode&utm_campaign=the-hard-part&utm_content=burnham

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S2 E3: Super Useful Super Brands with William Lidstone

Season 2 · Episode 3

Monday, December 9, 2024 • Duration 32:43

In this conversation, Helen Dawson speaks with Chief Growth Officer William Lidston about his career journey and insights into marketing and growth strategies. They discuss the concept of 'super useful super brands' and how brands can create meaningful roles in consumers' lives. William shares his experiences working with McDonald's and emphasizes the importance of product quality, positioning, and technology in building successful brands. He introduces his philosophy of 'win by an inch,' focusing on incremental improvements in business practices. The conversation also touches on the need for collaboration between product, technology, and security teams to create cohesive customer experiences. Finally, William shares a valuable lesson learned in his career: that OK is not OK if you want to win in a competitive landscape.

00:00 Becoming a Chief Growth Officer

04:10 Understanding Super Useful Super Brands

10:45 The Magic of McDonalds

14:28 Win by An Inch

22:13 Delivering Technology with Complete Assurance

29:24 OK is not OK

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S2 E2: Digital Twins & Dynamic Wins: Construction's High-Tech Transformation with David Ayeni

Season 2 · Episode 2

Wednesday, November 20, 2024 • Duration 39:53

David Ayeni, Director of Construction Product Strategy at Bentley Systems, talks to Helen about the role of digital twins and data in the construction industry. He emphasizes the importance of automation and efficient processes in improving productivity. He also highlights the need for collaboration between principal contractors and owner-operators to achieve better digital outcomes. He stresses the significance of data quality and its role in unlocking the potential of technologies like AI and digital twins.

If you're working in construction or asset management, this episode is for you.

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S2 E1: Partners & Pitfalls: Navigating the Path to Win-Win Joint Ventures with Emma Blackley

Season 2 · Episode 1

Wednesday, November 6, 2024 • Duration 41:15

In this conversation, Helen Dawson and Emma Blackley discuss the challenges and pitfalls of partnerships and collaborations in business.

They emphasize the importance of proper planning, understanding the goals and needs of both parties, and building strong relationships. They also highlight the need for flexibility, adaptability, and clear communication in order to navigate the complexities of partnerships.

Emma shares her insights on the differences between working with large corporations and smaller, more innovative companies. As ever, the conversation emphasizes the importance of people and relationships in successful collaborations.

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Episode 10 - Customer-led Digital Transformation in Specsavers with Carolyn McKeever

Season 1 · Episode 10

Monday, May 15, 2023 • Duration 44:27

Group Marketing Director of Specsavers, Carolyn McKeever, join us to talk about:

How to transform a successful business at the pace of its customers.
Adapting to a younger generation while still serving the main customer base
Investing in legacy systems rather than living with "sticky-back plastic" tools
Working in a founder-owned business versus a large corporate
Why 'growing your own' talent is vital
And why being right is less important than building relationships.

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Episode 9 - Innovation and the IKEA effect with Warren Minde

Season 1 · Episode 9

Monday, March 20, 2023 • Duration 40:08

In this episode, Helen talks to Warren Minde of Innovation Leap about innovation as a human-centred activity.

We talk about:

The Ikea Effect - why gatekeepers have more buy-in if they can co--create.
Innovation's not a process, it's a human activity. And it's not linear, it's like a pinball machine.
How to avoid the trap of listening to the Highest Paid Person's Opinion.
How Warren's experience on Lynx deodorant taught him that 'customers don't give a f**k about you'
Why benefits come before features when talking to stakeholders
Thinking backwards from the future to get more radical new business models.
Serious play and why work should be fun.
And why you should call it out when things get weird.

You can find Warren at https://innovationleap.co.uk/

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Episode 8 - Curiosity & Harvesting Ideas with Nils Jeners

Season 1 · Episode 8

Monday, March 6, 2023 • Duration 30:43

In this episode, Nils Jeners joins Helen to dive into methodology and how to build the skills needed to be an innovator. We cover:

Why innovators are great networkers
How to use workshops to harvest ideas using the Double Diamond Approach
Why curiosity is the key attribute for team members
The importance of visualising information to help teams make decisions and using those two by two matrices.
Why your MVP should stay small
Why networking with 1-2-1 virtual coffees is one of our favourite ways to meet people

Resources:

Double Diamond approach: https://www.designcouncil.org.uk/our-work/skills-learning/the-double-diamond/

Business Model Canvas by Alex Osterwalder https://www.strategyzer.com/canvas/business-model-canvas

Lean Start-Up by Eric Ries

Sprint by Jake Knapp

Testing Business Ideas by David Bland and Alex Osterwalder

The Mom Test by Rob Fitzpatrick

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Episode 7 - Leading at the Edges with Neel Arya

Season 1 · Episode 7

Monday, February 20, 2023 • Duration 42:07

Neel Arya, founder of Mettle Consulting, and Helen discuss the attributes needed by today's leaders, operating at the limits of their organisational structure and traditional problem-solving. Rather than definitive answers, we debate:

Approaching the zone of confusion through child-like eyes.
How do you create a space where people feel safe and can bring their true selves? The mindset needed for serious play.
Vertical development for leaders.
The importance of emotions in leadership and the workplace.
The role of serendipity in success.
Why we should be wary of case studies holding up organisations as exemplars in innovation.
Doughnut economics and how systemic change might be needed.
The importance of divergent thinking to hold potential futures lightly.
The strengths needed by leaders and how that might differ for corporations versus start-ups

Resources for further reading:

The four Cs that we talk about are: Courage, Curiosity, Collaboration, Compassion
Cynefin framework: A Leader’s Framework for Decision Making (hbr.org)
Bob Moesta’s Jobs to Be Done: What Is the Jobs to Be Done Framework (JTBD)? | Built In and 8 Elements of Jobs to Be Done: How to Uncover Customers' JTBD (therewiredgroup.com)
Kate Raworth Doughnut Economics Doughnut | Kate Raworth
Hogan profiles Hogan Assessments | Personality Tests That Predict Performance

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Episode 6 - The Power of The Crowd with Richard Holdsworth

Season 1 · Episode 6

Monday, February 6, 2023 • Duration 35:43

Richard Holdsworth of V-Box joins us to talk about ways in which collaboration across the maritime industry is helping to use innovation to create better conditions for seafarers.

We talk about:

The power of crowd-sourcing ideas from employees.
Why corporations should resist the urge to buy bean bags and hoodies and instead, focus on forging partnerships with start-ups. Richard gives us practical tips on how to make those collaborations work.
How rewarding it is to test ideas with customers.
And how everything boils down to Sales 101 in some way.

And Richard shares some real examples to bring this to life.

Find out more at www.v-box.io

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The Innovation Crowd with Helen Dawson – Details, episodes & analysis

Podcast details

Recent rankings

Apple Podcasts

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The Innovation Crowd with Helen Dawson – Details, episodes & analysis

Podcast details

Recent rankings

Apple Podcasts

Spotify

Shared links between episodes and podcasts

Other12

LinkedIn4

Bookshop4

RSS feed quality and score

Publication history

Latest published episodes

Similar podcasts and content

Related Shows Based on Content Similarities

Apple Podcasts

Spotify

Related Shows Based on Content Similarities

Other12

LinkedIn4

Bookshop4