“Creating a smudge-proof mascara”-innovation tasks critical to success

A commercially successful R&D project was analyzed from a team skills perspective and from observation of the most common tasks. The most valuable “innovation tasks” that emerged from commercially successful technology projects are invention/idea generation, problem solving, and a technology specialization. Success is increased when people who are excellent in one or more of these innovation tasks are brought together with people who are excellent at one or more complementary innovation tasks