Innovation Strategist, Bill O'Connor, and I sometimes work on what Bill has coined "The Innovation Genome." We have an Autodesk Labs project set up where you can learn about it and provide feedback.

Learn more.

So I am always on the lookout for innovation. What separates an innovation from invention is adoption. An innovation is something new or different, successfully brought into the world, creating a significant impact. Inventions are nice, but they are not innovations unless they have impact.

I recently spent Thanksgiving with family in Chicago. In the "robots took our jobs" category, here is an invention being used at Hyatt, and probably other hotels, that could become an innovation. I was able to enjoy a pleasant stay without ever interacting with a human.

1. I made a reservation online and received and email.

   

2. A while later I got an email that I could use to check in.

   

3. I received an email when my room was ready.

   

   I went to a kiosk and used the bar code in that email (displayed on my iPhone) to print 2 room keys.

4. I got an email that allowed me to check out.

   
   
   

5. I got an email that allowed me to get a copy of my bill.

   

Hotel innovation is alive in the lab.