All successful companies are successful because they have a good system in the production of products or services, in sales, in human resources, in financing and in the rest. Systems bring more value. What about a lean innovation system?
We are sharing a series of 8 short blog posts. The individual components form a whole concept of a lean innovation system.
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We have to manage innovation through phases. The processes of innovation include three major steps. First, collecting the ideas. Second, their incubation into proven business models and concepts. And third, their boost on the market and final integration into organization’s regular business.
Several organizations already have experience with collecting, evaluating and awarding useful suggestions received from their employees. Ideas collected in idea boxes are mostly focused on solving simpler solutions that cut costs. A part of the concept of “idea-boxes” are often also members of a commission that often evaluate ideas slowly.
An important add-on to idea-boxes are short hacka-sprints and longer hackathons. Also innovation days, innovation weekends and team buildings. In this guided processes, we can tackle innovation of products or processes, new business models, new disruptive technologies, changes in work culture, talent search, branding … The main purpose of these activities is giving voice to people in our organizations. The people we don’t usually hear from and support them on their entrepreneurial journey.
First of all, it is important that we really work on innovation. Not just think, talk or write. We need to work in short iterations, focused, disciplined and in collaboration with our stakeholders. Because this is the best way to gather new knowledge and experiences, but also to test what does (not) work on the market.
The more we focus on collecting ideas, the higher is our chance to find a new one. An idea, that will disrupt the way we do business. Besides the number of collected ideas, there are other important metrics. First, a number of experiments we make and second, the amount of new experiences and learnings we gained during the process.
“Everything begins with an idea.” ― Earl Nightengale
Start your new year as Chief Innovation Officer – Apply for Certification Program here or join us at Lean Innovation Week!
