The Insider's Guide to Innovation at Microsoft

In this unique guide, you’re not just reading about innovation—you're learning how to do it from the people behind some of the biggest breakthroughs of the last 50 years at one of the most influential and valuable companies in the world. Are there innovation truisms that hold from one initiative to the next? Are there strategies that appear again and again in the success stories of businesses as varied as gaming and cloud infrastructure? Are there behaviors common to creative leadership in every role, from research to sales? And if these patterns exist, could they be distilled into teachable practices? These are the questions Dean Carignan and JoAnn Garbin, two senior innovation leaders at Microsoft, set out to answer. The Insider’s Guide to Innovation at Microsoft reveals the patterns behind Microsoft’s biggest wins and losses—from the Xbox revolution to the Windows Mobile miss and the unexpected rise of Bing in AI. Based on dozens of interviews only fellow “Microsofties” could secure, this book shares behind-the-scenes stories brimming with insights and proven practices that transcend time and technology.

About the Author :
Dean Carignan’s career spans international economic development, startup ventures, and strategic roles in technology. An alumnus of Georgetown University and INSEAD, he was a charter member of McKinsey & Company’s advanced technology practice. During his 20 years at Microsoft, he has guided new businesses—including the early internet division, Xbox, and multiple AI efforts—through the critical growth phases to their first billion dollars in revenue. Most recently, Dean has focused on leading AI innovations within Microsoft Research and the Office of the Chief Scientist. His intrapreneurial spirit, deep institutional knowledge, and expansive internal network made the behind-the-scenes perspective of The Insider’s Guide to Innovation at Microsoft possible. JoAnn Garbin is a sustainability and technology entrepreneur with a 25-year track record of leading teams “from nothing to something to scale,” creating numerous innovative products and profitable businesses. During her tenure as Director of Innovation in Microsoft’s cloud business, she guided her team in developing billion-dollar opportunities, including the Regenerative Datacenter of the Future. In 2024, she founded Regenerous Labs, a collaboration committed to creating cross-sector transformations. JoAnn is an active alumnus of Villanova University, where she studied mechanical engineering and philosophy. Her fresh eyes and thought leadership were instrumental in driving novel insights into The Insider’s Guide to Innovation at Microsoft.

Review :
“The Insider’s Guide to Innovation at Microsoft emphasizes the need for structured collaboration, executive champions, and intentional discovery as essential elements in keeping a company innovative...Their insight highlights a critical gap in how many companies approach innovation.” “Readers should take the authors’ advice and dip into the seven case studies the book provides, or explore the four patterns that they discerned there.” “Dean Carignan and JoAnn Garbin used their insider access to create a guide for all those who want the right mindset and tools for mastering the art of innovation.” “The Insider's Guide to Innovation at Microsoft pulls back the curtain on an organization that has innovated time and time again for decades. For anyone who wants to establish a culture of innovation, the detailed principles and product stories showcase ways to address the key human challenges of inspiring people to co-create together. A bookshelf-worthy choice for current and future innovation leaders.”  “Microsoft has defied age and gravity, entering new businesses with the agility and ferocity of much younger competitors. How do they do it? The Insider's Guide takes you on a tour of what worked, what didn't, and most importantly what the company has learned along the way about innovation.” “The gods must be crazy: I’m giving a blurb to a book about innovation at Microsoft. But this book provides a comprehensive look into the mechanisms and mindsets that have driven Microsoft's continuous reinvention and sustainability. By revealing insider strategies and first-hand insights, this guide equips readers with the tactics Microsoft has used to enhance its edge, influence, and market cap.” “This isn't just a book—it's your golden ticket to Microsoft's factory of creativity and constant learning. Full of case studies on how to innovate well, you'll need not just one, but two highlighters. If you're ready to dive into a world of self-disruption where innovation is as natural as breathing, come on in, the water's fine! Crisp, clear, captivating.” “Similar to the way Blue Ocean Shift guides the implementation of Blue Ocean Strategy, The Insider’s Guide to Innovation at Microsoft unlocks the innovation playbook at the heart of Microsoft.” “This book delves into how Microsoft has transformed its entire value chain, from organizational structures to customer engagement strategies, to drive sustained innovation and create significant value. It is a compelling read for anyone looking to understand how to build a robust innovation strategy.” “My time at Microsoft was marked by rapid transition: from Balmer to Satya, license to usage, disk to download, on-prem to online. But Microsoft has always been evolving, often in ways not seen by the public...until now. Carignan and Garbin have collected case studies from across Microsoft eras to open the curtain on what makes the world's most fundamental tech company so successful.”