INDUSTRIAL DESIGNERS: three phrases that signal a company won't innovate

Saw someone recently break down these phrases that kill innovation in organizations. Thought it was worth sharing because you've probably heard all three:

"That's not how we do things."

"That's not on brand for us."

"We tried that before and it didn't work."

Any one of these tells you the company values consistency over learning. They'd rather repeat what's safe than risk what might be better.

For designers, this matters because innovation isn't just about new features. It's about being willing to challenge assumptions about materials, manufacturing processes, user expectations, or business models.

If you're hearing these phrases when you propose alternatives, you're not actually being hired to design. You're being hired to execute someone else's predetermined vision.

The companies that build breakthrough products don't say "that's not how we do things." They say "we haven't done it that way yet, show us why we should."

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