How can you find the most intuitive idea prioritization tools for your innovation pipeline?

a) In my experience, we started by mapping out the specific needs of our team, identifying the types of projects and the most relevant innovation criteria. b) This allowed us to filter out tools that directly met our priorities, eliminating less useful options and saving time in the selection phase. c) A practical example was the choice of a tool with strong data analysis capabilities, crucial for our focus on innovations based on market trends.

If you are a small business, start off with what you have to see if it will meet your specific needs. If you are a Microsoft house, then try assessing Microsoft 365 for your specific needs.

Setting clear and fair rules is key to picking the best ideas. These rules can include how well the idea fits with the company's goals, how much people might want it, what resources it needs, and how risky it is. By using the same rules for every idea, we make sure each one is judged equally. This makes the process easier and helps explain to everyone why certain ideas are chosen.

Sometimes it's best to use what you currently have as a tool. For example, most businesses are already using either the Microsoft or Google platform for email. If you are already using Office 365, you can use OneNote or other Office 365 apps (Teams, Outlook Task & Calendar, etc) since you are familiar with the interface. If the suite of apps in the current platform doesn't work for you, then you make want to use a CRM. Each CRM has their own strengths and weaknesses, so you will need to pick a CRM that fit you business objectives amd easy to use so your team will be able to use it.

The easiest tool for prioritizing is paper and pen. But in case you don’t have them, use a simple notes app. Try to make a list with all your ideas. For each add advantages, disadvantages, ease of implementation, resources required, etc. You can do the same using a spreadsheet.

When picking an idea prioritization tool, it's super important to get feedback from the people who'll actually use it every day. Their input will tell you if the tool is truly easy to use. If it’s clunky or doesn’t fit their work style, they’ll likely resist using it. So, make sure the tool not only has the right features but also aligns with how your team likes to work. This way, they’ll actually adopt it, making your innovation process smoother.

Running trial tests with shortlisted idea prioritization tools is a ideal. It lets you see how the tool actually works in a real-world example, showing any pros or cons that might not have been obvious at first. This hands-on experience helps you and your team evaluate how intuitive and effective the tool really is, ensuring you make the best choice before fully committing.

Make sure the idea prioritization tool you choose plays nicely with the systems you already have in place. If it doesn't, you could end up with data silos that slow things down and make collaboration harder. The tool should easily connect with other software your team uses, like project management or CRM systems. Getting this right will help keep your innovation process smooth and efficient.

When looking for the most intuitive idea prioritization tools, it's helpful to consider real-world examples or stories from other businesses that have successfully implemented similar tools. Hearing about their experiences—what worked, what didn’t—can offer valuable insights that go beyond standard features and specs. Also, think about how the tool might adapt as your needs evolve. Flexibility and scalability can be just as important as current functionality, especially in a rapidly changing innovation environment. Finally, don't underestimate the power of team buy-in. Sometimes, the best tool is the one your team is most excited to use.