Putting aside their big-box ways, giant retailers Wal-Mart Stores Inc. and Target Corp. are going urban with a new look and a metro-oriented feel as they expand in Southern California.

When innovation comes to mind, the first thing people might think of is creativity, spontaneity or a momentary stroke of genius. But can innovation occur out of a structured, repeatable process? The answer, in short, is yes.

No organization can avoid coming to grips with the rapidly evolving behavior of consumers and business customers. They check prices at a keystroke and are increasingly selective about which brands share their lives. They form impressions from every encounter and post withering online reviews. These changes present significant organizational challenges, as well as opportunities. The biggest is that all of us have become marketers: the critical moments of interaction, or touch points, between companies and customers are increasingly spread across different parts of the organization, so customer engagement is now everyone's responsibility.