The Where, Why and Triggers for Transformation, Innovation and Development
Businesses often blur the lines between Business Development, Transformation, and Innovation. They use the words interchangeably, which creates confusion, muddled expectations, and the wrong people tasked with the wrong jobs.
These disciplines are not the same. They serve different purposes, require different mindsets, and operate on different horizons. When you understand their distinctions, you can use each one deliberately, rather than hoping one approach will solve every challenge.
At Wrixle, I use four categories to make the lines clear:
Core Intent
Scope and Remit
Mindset
Primary Focus.
When you look through these lenses, the differences become obvious.
Below is a more rounded, real‑world view of where each discipline belongs and why they matter.
Development
Development is the discipline of extending success. It builds on proven offerings and established capability. The work is commercial, outward facing, and growth driven.
Core Intent: Expand what already works
Scope & Remit: Strengthen performance, widen reach and scale the core
Mindset: Exploit existing capabilities, exploit what you already do well
Primary Focus: Customer growth, Partnerships, Market reach, Increased market share
Where It Happens:
Businesses with stable, validated products or services
Entering new geographies or customer segments.
Product line extensions, upselling, and cross‑selling initiatives.
Typical Triggers:
Proven and strong market demand for existing offerings.
Competitive pressure to increase market share.
Investor expectations for top‑line growth.
Examples:
A SaaS company expanding into new industries with its existing CRM tool
A retailer opening new stores in new, untapped regions.
A consultancy forming strategic partnerships to access new client bases.
Development keeps the engine running. It is fuel for the present.
Transformation
Transformation is about evolving the core. It improves performance, changes behaviours, and upgrades systems or culture so the business stays competitive and resilient.
Core Intent: Improve how things are done
Scope & Remit: Modernise processes, eliminate friction, strengthen operations.
Mindset: Optimise, refine, streamline.
Primary Focus: Operational efficiency, Agility, Cultural alignment
Where It Happens:
Organizations facing stagnation or disruption.
Situations where legacy systems or culture hinder growth.
Periods of major digital, structural, or cultural change
Typical Triggers:
Declining margins or customer satisfaction.
New leadership with a mandate to reset direction.
Regulatory or technological shifts that demand adaptation.
Examples:
A manufacturer digitizing its supply chain to reduce lead times.
A bank shifting from siloed departments to agile cross-functional teams.
A healthcare provider redesigning patient journeys for better outcomes.
Transformation keeps the business fit for purpose. It is fuel for longevity.
Innovation
Innovation is the discipline of creating the future core. It steps beyond what exists and explores new value, new models, or entirely new markets.
Core Intent: Reimagine what’s possible
Scope & Remit: Create the next core. Discover, experiment, prototype.
Mindset: Explore new frontiers, challenge assumptions, embrace uncertainty.
Primary Focus: New value creation, Disruption, Future readiness
Where It Happens:
In R&D labs, innovation hubs, or skunkworks teams.
When exploring emerging tech or unmet customer needs.
In response to industry‑level change or existential threat, or ambitions to build something that doesn’t yet exist.
Typical Triggers:
Market saturation or commoditisation of current offerings
Emerging technologies (e.g., AI, blockchain).
Shifts in customer behaviour, values, or societal trends
Examples:
A logistics firm developing drone delivery services.
A food company launching a plant-based product line.
A telco exploring metaverse-based customer experiences.
Innovation prepares the business for what comes next. It is fuel for the future.
These aren’t silos—they’re interconnected
Development funds and sustains the business. It builds and scales what already succeeds.
Transformation ensures it remains viable, competitive and capable.
Innovation secures its future relevance and growth avenues.
The skill is knowing which discipline you need, when you need it, and how to integrate them without confusing their purposes.