Best Practice: The Idea Management Process
"Establishing a systematic process to capitalize on creativity is an essential capability for enterprises operating in an accelerated business environment"
- Gartner Group, Focusing the Innovation Process
Idea Management has proven to be a powerful source of competitive advantage for companies. The rules for effective Idea Management are very different to the old-fashioned suggestion box, and many of the best practice methods that we have developed may appear counter-intuitive at first sight. However, studies by Imaginatik Research and others have found time and time again that there are several critical elements that make a successful program, and if these elements are not addressed satisfactorily, an Idea Management program is likely to wither on the vine and die.
Imaginatik's extensive experience has helped our clients understand the critical success factors, and ensure that their projects are highly successful in a short period of time.
In this section, we share some of the principles that deliver results. This document contains two sections: Key Principles of Successful Idea Management, and the Overview of an Idea Management Project.
Key Principles of Successful Idea Management
Our experience shows that the following general principles are key to achieving the best results from an Idea Management system.
Focus initiatives on specific business issues: Targeted initiatives are most likely to result in suggestions that get implemented. People with particular expertise in an area are more easily motivated to participate, and the company can assign dedicated resources to drive promising ideas towards implementation.
Launch timely periodic campaigns: Open-ended initiatives with no clear deadlines are likely to fail, as participants' interest fades over time. To obtain high participation rates, Idea Management initiatives require defined deadlines that leverage the promotional effort and create a time pressure to contribute.
Selectively involve wide audiences: Many of the most valuable ideas can be found beyond the business functions that a collective intelligence initiative directly relates to. Extending participation across functions produces highly innovative results. Moreover, it is important to invite large audiences in order to ensure a steady flow of contributions, since only a fraction of all potential contributors will submit ideas.
Stimulate interaction: Ideas can be significantly improved through interaction among different participants. Getting people to share their ideas with others also fosters continuous learning and community building. A successful Idea Management system requires effective collaboration features.
Follow a structured review process: Reviewing ideas effectively and efficiently is as important as collecting them. It is key to follow a structured review process which ensures that good ideas are identified fast and decisions are taken promptly. A structured review process increases the value obtained from ideas and fosters motivation among contributors.
Foster user involvement: Capturing people's attention during the course of the whole initiative is critical to its success. Workflow features that automatically inform participants of relevant matters on an ongoing basis, as well as a user-friendly environment allow people to participate effortlessly. Easy access through the corporate intranet and integration with e-mail are important features of any Idea Management system.
Bridge inhibitions: Experience shows that timidity and political sensitivities are critical inhibitors that will stop many people from contributing. Features like an anonymity option increase trust, and help foster involvement of people that otherwise would not contribute.
Recognize contributions: Whether it is intrinsic or extrinsic, recognition of contributors is essential. Prizes for the best ideas as well as rewards for participation in general should be part of a company's Idea Management program.
Run Idea Management initiatives as projects: Project management principles should be applied to Idea Management. The next section outlines the main issues that need to be considered in an initiative.
Overview of an Idea Management Project
There are many aspects to consider when implementing Idea Management in an organization. Poorly thought-through projects are likely to fail, and companies tend to have a long memory of failed projects. Our advice to companies is that they need to set out to be successful from day one, and that means establishing a quality process from the beginning.
Imaginatik has invested a significant amount of time and resources doing research with leading academics and customers to develop the Idea Management Process™, a business manual for implementing Idea Management initiatives. The methodology covers the major steps of planning and managing those projects, and offers recommendations on the best approach for your organization. Imaginatik, together with its partners around the world, provides you with the tools and the services you need to be successful with Idea Management. Below you find some of the issues that you need to consider in the different phases of an initiative.
Requirements and decisions prior to launch
- gain executive support and commitment
- define objectives and measures of success
- define desired types of input
- define audience
- define intellectual property policy
- define reward approach
- define approach to idea implementation
- define review team approach
- identify required technical resources
- define communications approach
Preparations for launch
- collect challenges from executives
- select and prepare review team
- prepare communications and feedback
- configure the application
During the event
- launch internal marketing campaign
- launch event
- manage the audience
- manage the review process
- manage executives
Closing the event
- finish reviews and conclusions
- present results to executives
- award rewards
- define plans for implementation
- evaluate the performance and establish potential improvements
- send closure communications