Innovation Management Foundations

Presented By:

Think For A

Change

Course No. 102 – Idea Management Concepts

Course 102 – Idea Management Concepts Target Student Audience:

Little to no experience with:– Creative Problem Solving Concepts– Idea Management Concepts– Idea Suggestion Schemes– Organized Idea Campaigns

• Frustrated with:– Lack of quality ideas– Lack of ideas targeted to actual business

problems– Lack of action after idea generation sessions– Limitations of the “Suggestion Box”– Sustainability of idea campaigns

Course 102 – Idea Management Concepts Course Objectives:

• At the conclusion of this training, the student should have:– Working knowledge of the Idea Management

process– Understanding of various idea sourcing

strategies– Understanding of difference between creative

problem solving, idea management and innovation management

– Actionable steps to developing an idea management initiative

Course 102 – Idea Management Concepts Course Syllabus:

Introduction to Idea Management

Idea Management Process

Review and Demonstrate What You’ve Learned

Segment One

Segment Two

Quiz

Tools / Benefits / RisksSegment Three

Introduction to Idea Management

Segment One

Introduction to Idea Management

• Creative Problem Solving vs. Idea Management vs. Innovation Management:– Creative Problem Solving

• Creative problem solving is the mental process of creating a solution to a problem

– “Coming up with an idea”– Idea Management

• Provides an organized method for collecting and moving ideas from conception to selection

– “Capturing the idea so it can be made “real”– Innovation Management

• The discipline of managing the innovation process– “Taking action on the idea to create it in such as way

that it has value to someone.”

Introduction to Idea Management

• What is “Idea Management?”– A structured process for:

• Developing a targeted idea search strategy• Soliciting ideas that address the defined

problem• Develop a methodology for capturing ideas• Establishing idea evaluation criteria• Evaluating and scoring/ranking ideas• Determine which ideas have the greatest

potential to add value to the organization• Taking action on the most promising ideas

Introduction to Idea Management

• Two main models for idea management:

1. Open Suggestion Scheme2. Targeted Idea Campaign

Many organizations will use a blend of both types

Introduction to Idea Management

• Idea Management…A History– Suggestion Box

• Traditionally a physical box with a slot in the top to submit ideas, comments, concerns anonymously

• First used in 1880 at the William Denny & Brothers Shipyard in Scotland to anonymously report safety and quality concerns along with soliciting cost savings ideas from employees

• NCR was the first major organization (1892) to use the suggestion box as a source of employee ideas for new product development

• Concept was moved beyond internal suggestions to customer suggestions in the 1970s

• Physical suggestion boxes began to be replaced by email or other electronic submission methods beginning in 1994

• Still in use today across all industry/business categories.– However, an estimated 85% of all suggestion “schemes” are

completely ineffective

Introduction to Idea Management

• Idea Management…A History– Suggestion Box (Benefits & Failures)

• Benefits:– Allows for anonymous contribution– Provides mechanism for feedback

• Failures:– Allows for suggestions that do not align with actual business

problems– Allows for suggestions that do not apply to the business at all– Frequently results in duplicate ideas/suggestions– Once submitted, feedback regarding status of the suggestion

is rarely provided– Results in “suggestion overload” which requires significant

resource commitment to review and determine the disposition of each suggestion

Introduction to Idea Management

• Idea Management…A History– Idea Campaigns

• Event focused on generating ideas and solutions relating to a specific business problem and/or need

• Begins with an identification of the “Problem to be Solved”– Root cause defined

• A challenge is then issued to a pool of potential participants– Employees, customers, general public, etc.

• Evaluation and selection criteria are established and published to focus ideas solely on the problem defined in the challenge

• The Idea Campaign is communicated, marketed and promoted to increase participation

• Ideas are captured, assessed, scored and selected• Ideas are shared to avoid duplication and to allow collaborative

recombination• Ideas selected are forwarded to development teams who are ready

to accept them and determine feasibility• Continuous communication and feedback on the status of idea

submissions

Introduction to Idea Management

• Idea Management…A History– Idea Campaigns (Benefits & Failures)

• Benefits:– Focuses idea generation activity on key business problems– Promotes collaborative problem solving and teamwork– Provides an organized, repeatable process for managing

ideas– Auto-screens unworkable ideas based on evaluation and

selection criteria

• Failures:– Ignores potentially valuable ideas for problems that are not

yet known or identified– Limits creative problem solving activity and energy to only

the current idea campaign– Places limitations on idea submissions based on evaluation

and selection criteria

Idea Management Process

Segment Two

Introduction to Idea Management

Introduction to Idea Management

• Idea Management Process– Problem Definition

• In Open Suggestion Schemes:– Generalized problem themes may be communicated– Looking for:

» Improvement ideas» Quality issues» Safety concerns» “Next Big Thing” ideas

• In Targeted Idea Campaigns– Root Cause Analysis– Strategic Alignment– Cost/Benefit Analysis– Problem Statements– Challenge Questions– Looking for:

» Solutions to known problems

Introduction to Idea Management

• Idea Management Process– Idea Capture and Collaboration

• In Open Suggestion Schemes:– Suggestion Box (physical and/or electronic)

» Traditionally little to no collaboration» All ideas/suggestions moved forward to review

• In Targeted Idea Campaigns:– Suggestion Box (physical and/or electronic)

» Collection or capture is pretty straight-forward– Idea publication/sharing

» Helps to avoid idea duplication» Helps stimulate new ideas

– Idea building/combining/collaborating» Promotes new ideas via combination, addition,

subtraction, etc.» Gives everyone a “voice” on the ideas

Introduction to Idea Management

• Idea Management Process– Idea Review and Scoring

• In Open Suggestion Schemes:– Traditionally, little to no review criteria or scoring

mechanisms are pre-established» Each idea is reviewed on its own merit» Ideas may be categorized by type (improvement, safety,

etc.)– May be very time consuming due to review of duplicate ideas

and initial volume of ideas

• In Targeted Idea Campaigns:– Ideas are mostly pre-filtered based on the publication of the

review and scoring criteria at the beginning of the campaign– Ideas are categorized and duplicates are removed– Ideas are scored against the pre-determined review criteria – Based on the goal, the highest scoring ideas are moved to the

next stage

Introduction to Idea Management

• Idea Management Process– Idea Disposition

• In Open Suggestion Schemes:– May be communicated if selected for execution– Rarely communicated if idea was not selected

• In Targeted Idea Campaigns:– As the idea travels through the idea management process, it is

tracked and it’s current status is openly communicated– Following the assessment and scoring, final idea disposition will

be determined:» Approved; with next step recommendation» Denied; with reasoning » Hold; with reasoning (timing, more info, etc.)

– Disposition is communicated to the original idea generator first, then to the rest of the organization

» The original idea generator has multiple opportunities for additional comment and questions

Introduction to Idea Management

• Idea Management Process– Idea Feedback

• In Open Suggestion Schemes:– Rarely provides feedback to the original idea generator or

organization at large» This is the traditional complaint and frustration

surrounding open suggestion schemes

• In Targeted Idea Campaigns:– Feedback is provided to the original idea generator

continuously throughout the idea management process:» In progress tracking mechanism» Review and assessment scores» Disposition decision

– Recognition and reward programs established to thank all contributors, promote creative and innovative culture and ensure repeat idea submission

Tools / Benefits / RisksSegment Three

Introduction to Idea Management• Software/Internet Based Idea Management Tools:

Introduction to Idea Management• Software/Internet Based Idea Management Tools:

– All follow an overall similar methodology but have unique market and value propositions:

Introduction to Idea Management

• Idea Management Benefits:– Organize and manage the solicitation and collection of

ideas– Ensure ideas solve real business problems– Discover new, better ideas– Increase revenue through new, better ideas– Provides a creative outlet for employees, customers,

vendors and others – Increase employee morale/customer engagement– Provides process, oversight and discipline – Provides for repeatability and actionable ideas

Introduction to Idea Management

• Idea Management Issues/Risks:– It is just a process…make it fit your specific needs and

circumstances– Idea Management Software is just a tool…its not a “silver

bullet”– Requires dedicated leadership engagement in order to be

successful– Requires dedicated resources to manage in order to be

successful

Introduction to Idea Management

• Suggested Idea Management Document Artifacts:– Idea Campaign Strategy– Idea Filtering/Criteria Plan– Reward & Recognition Plan– Idea Capture Process Map – Idea Owners/Champion Roster– Risk Analysis Document– Idea Charter– Communications Plan– Change Management Plan– Idea Management Process Map or Storyboard

Demonstrate What You’ve Learned!

QUIZ

Idea Management ConceptsQuiz – Question 1:

Q1.What are the two (2)

traditional models of idea management?

Idea Management ConceptsQuiz – Question 1:

Q1.What are the two (2)

traditional models of idea management?

A1.A1.

1.1. Suggestion Suggestion SchemesSchemes

2.2. Targeted Idea Targeted Idea CampaignsCampaigns

Idea Management ConceptsQuiz – Question 2:

Q2.Formal Idea Management

provides an organized method for ____________ and ____________ ideas from conception to selection.

Idea Management ConceptsQuiz – Question 2:

Q2.Formal Idea Management

provides an organized method for ____________ and ____________ ideas from conception to selection.

A2.A2.

• CollectingCollecting

• MovingMoving

Idea Management ConceptsQuiz – Question 3:

Q3.Name one (1) benefit

and one (1) failure associated with open idea suggestion schemes.

Idea Management ConceptsQuiz – Question 3:

Q3.Name one (1) benefit

and one (1) failure associated with open idea suggestion schemes.

A3.A3.Includes any of the following:• Benefits:

– Allows for anonymous contribution

– Provides mechanism for feedback• Failures:

– Allows for suggestions that do not align with actual business problems

– Allows for suggestions that do not apply to the business at all

– Frequently results in duplicate ideas/suggestions

– Once submitted, feedback regarding status of the suggestion is rarely provided

– Results in “suggestion overload” which requires significant resource commitment to review and determine the disposition of each suggestion

Idea Management ConceptsQuiz – Question 4:

Q4.Put the five (5)

phases of idea management in the correct order:

____________________Idea Review & Scoring

Idea FeedbackProblem Definition

Idea Capture & CollaborationIdea Disposition

Idea Management ConceptsQuiz – Question 4:

Q4.Put the five (5)

phases of idea management in the correct order:

____________________Idea Review & Scoring

Idea FeedbackProblem Definition

Idea Capture & CollaborationIdea Disposition

A4.A4.

1.1. Problem DefinitionProblem Definition2.2. Idea Capture & Idea Capture &

CollaborationCollaboration3.3. Idea Review & ScoringIdea Review & Scoring4.4. Idea DispositionIdea Disposition5.5. Idea FeedbackIdea Feedback

Idea Management ConceptsQuiz – Question 5:

Q5.

A software-based tool is all you need for successful idea management.

TRUE or FALSE?

Idea Management ConceptsQuiz – Question 5:

Q5.

A software-based tool is all you need for successful idea management.

TRUE or FALSE?

A5.A5.

FALSE…FALSE…

Idea Management Software is Idea Management Software is only a tool, and therefore, is only a tool, and therefore, is only as good as the process, only as good as the process, people and data that people and data that surround itsurround it

Innovation Management Foundational Concepts

Course No. 102 – Idea Management Concepts

Presented By:Think For A Change

Congratulations!

You have completed:

For more information on best/next practices, educational training, tools, techniques and process models for:

•Creative Problem Solving•Idea Management•Innovation Management

Please visit: http://www.thinkforachange.com