Everyone and their mom is talking about being “innovative”. Though I understand the use of buzzwords, when things become so ubiquitously used their meaning can easily be stretched. The degradation of repetition.

My frustration with buzzword-ology has me wondering…how do we really even know we’re being innovative? In our projects, in our work, in our method, our thought?

The root of “innovate” comes from the Latin “innovatus”, to renew or restore, but also to change. To bring in new things, alter established practices. It seems to me that innovation is the goal that is proven after years of use. Retrospection will allow us to see with a clear scope.

I wonder how innovative we can be with methods of community engagement. Community engagement is simply a fancy way of describing listening. How can listening be innovative? Perhaps it’s the questions we ask that become our craft, then.