Jugaad — a Hindi word often translated as clever fix or improvisation — is getting a fresh look for a world that prizes speed, sustainability and scale. A new book argues that this frugal, make-do mentality can be reshaped into a disciplined approach to innovation that works across global markets, not just in resource-constrained settings.
What the book proposes
Rather than celebrating ad hoc fixes, the authors recast jugaad as a structured mindset. It combines lean problem-solving, deep user empathy and rapid prototyping with processes that help ideas survive quality, safety and regulatory scrutiny. The goal is to keep jugaad’s strengths — agility, low cost and contextual insight — while eliminating its downsides, such as short-lived solutions or corner-cutting risks.
From improvisation to repeatable practice
The book breaks down how teams can turn improvisation into repeatable practices:
- Frame constraints. Treat limited resources and tight timelines as design fuel rather than obstacles.
- Prototype fast, fail cheap. Move quickly from idea to low-fidelity prototype to learn what works in the real world.
- Systematize learning. Capture local insights and user feedback in a way that can inform broader product or service design.
- Build scaling guardrails. Add quality checks, safety tests and compliance steps as early parts of the iteration cycle.
Why this matters for the global innovation economy
Companies in developed and emerging markets face similar pressures: rising costs, climate risks, talent shortages and fast-changing customer needs. The book makes a case that a disciplined form of jugaad can help organizations respond faster and innovate more affordably. It is particularly relevant for sectors like healthcare, agriculture, urban services and clean energy, where simple, scalable fixes can have large social and economic impact.
Three business benefits highlighted
- Cost-efficient experimentation: Small bets reduce waste and reveal viable paths before big investments.
- Market fit: Close engagement with users uncovers needs that conventional R&D may miss.
- Resilience: Flexible solutions help operations adapt during supply-chain shocks or regulatory change.
Practical steps for managers
The book offers actionable advice for leaders who want to harness frugal innovation without risking reputation or safety:
- Set up cross-functional squads that include operations, compliance and customer-facing staff.
- Define a lightweight governance rubric that flags when a quick solution needs more rigorous testing.
- Create metrics that value learning and adaptation, not just short-term revenue.
- Partner with local innovators and communities to co-create solutions that scale sensibly.
Real-world examples — how jugaad adapts
Examples in the book show how simple ideas, refined and systematized, can scale. In healthcare, a rapid, low-cost diagnostic tool that started as a local workaround became a vetted device after rounds of testing and partnership with regulators. In urban mobility, modular service concepts were adjusted to meet safety standards and then rolled out city by city with local customization.
Caveats and risks
The authors warn against romanticizing makeshift fixes. Jugaad without discipline can lead to poor quality, liability and widening inequality if solutions benefit only a few. The book stresses that ethical considerations, worker safety and environmental impact must be part of any frugal-innovation playbook.
How investors and policy makers can help
Investors can support disciplined jugaad by funding early-stage pilots that include built-in validation steps. Policy makers can help by creating sandboxes for testing, streamlining compliance paths for low-risk innovations and promoting standards that enable safe scaling. Both groups play a role in turning local ingenuity into broad social value.
Final takeaways
The reimagined jugaad is not a loophole for cutting corners. It is a practical framework for turning constraints into competitive advantage while staying accountable and scalable. For businesses navigating a fast, uncertain world, the message is clear: learn to do more with less, but do it with discipline, transparency and an eye toward long-term impact.