Blog: 7 Rules for Innovation: #5 Process

Seven Rules for Innovation: #5 Process

Sep. 23, 2010 — Many companies truly want to innovate, but don’t know where to start. It all begins with defining a clear, straight-forward process. If you want success, you simply have to create, implement, and enforce a process for how innovative ideas and projects will flow through your organization from early stage to completion.

Without getting too technical or obtuse in the course of a 300 word blog post, here are some of the general questions you’ll need to be prepared to answer up front:

• How are concepts found or uncovered in your company? How could that be better?

• Who needs to be involved in reviewing and making decisions on “go forward” strategies?

• What are the stages a project or concept must go through to move from development to action? (Make it as few as possible).

• What are the criteria and benchmarks for moving the concept through each of these phases?

• Who are the folks who need to be involved in enforcing the rules and criteria at each various stage?

• What are the approximate costs of each stage and do you have the money earmarked to execute?

• Who is ultimately accountable?

If you can answer most or all of these questions, then you’re starting to fill out the data you need to map the process. Now think of the workflow which a concept must travel through and create a diagram of all of these stages.

If at all possible, it’s highly important to hire employees that have “been there and seen it before”. Before you bring in a consultant to teach you the ways of innovation, see who you already have in your company that are experienced with process. Innovation is no different than any other strategic or functional business process, and needs to be built and managed by folks whose clear strengths are in these areas.

If your company does a lot of talking about innovation, but really isn’t producing measurable results, then you’re definitely in the majority. Chances are what’s missing is either strong leadership or a solid process. The good news is you can easily change both of those things.

###

For more information contact:

1-412-489-5900 x4
mmtsales@mindmatters.net