You’re looking to streamline your innovation process. What software can help you do it?

That is an excellent innovation project: how to streamline the process ? If you have this problem, then you already have worked with people with innovative mindset. So just drop this as a new challenge, foster collaboration, communicate the value add and see what happens. It is important that streamlining really has a value, and the people see it. Good luck!

Before you involve software here is My Nu 1 tip to streamline innovation:- Set up ONE Innovation Roadmap with the same information on it for everyone in the organisation that STREAMLINES Your Process and Company Values together. Then software will work more effectively as everyone will be sharing the same information from the same place about the same vision and same product. This may sound SIMPLE and SIMPLE is WHY this method works. Simplicity is measurable, using a google doc to SIMPLIFY your process first is already enough to 10X your results then layer on software. If you found this helpful, reshare this post to our network and follow me @sarasimmonds for Daily Strategies on Innovation, Impact and Purposeful Growth at 8 am EST.

Streamline innovation with simplicity, NOT just software Before jumping to software solutions, assess if you truly need them. Often, innovation management is more about effectively organizing a pipeline of initiatives. A robust, simple template, possibly coupled with familiar visualization tools like PowerPoint or Excel, can be surprisingly sufficient. These tools offer flexibility, are widely understood, and avoid the complexity and cost of specialized software. Focus on structuring your process clearly – identify stages, responsibilities, and metrics. Remember, the best tool enhances your process without overshadowing it.

I would like to disagree with the idea that before starting any innovation project, one needs to have a clear vision of what they want to achieve. In my opinion, when we set sail on an innovation journey we need to be able to identify relatively well what is the problem we are trying to solve. Once the problem is more or less clear we need to approach the people who have this problem. From them, we can hear and get into the deep-end of the problem. Once their real problem/s have been identified, we are ready to frame an innovation journey question. Yes, question! Not a goal. With this well-defined question, we are ready to start the innovation journey.

Effective innovation begins with idea generation and validation, a crucial phase streamlined by innovation process management software. This tool fosters collaborative brainstorming and feedback. Create challenges, invite participants, and organize ideas seamlessly. Evaluate and rank ideas based on specified criteria. The software's utility extends to testing ideas with real users, gathering valuable insights and data. It serves as a comprehensive solution, navigating the complexities of the innovation process and ensuring the viability and resonance of generated ideas.

Ideas chosen, now bring them to life! Innovation software fuels your journey from concept to launch. 1- Build prototypes 2- Run tests. 3- Gather feedback. all in one place. Manage resources, track progress, and keep your goals front & center. Watch ideas blossom into solutions that wow your customers.

When it comes to choosing an innovation management software, it is great to adopt a test-for-free approach. I have witnessed that many organizations start with the free versions of Miro or Mural, and once they have access to the usefulness and the ease with which their employees work with it, they either purchase the paid versions or experiment with other software. As a lecturer, at different universities, I prefer using Mural as it gives free access to academic institutions. It also has a lot of innovation temples I can choose from, and my students find them easy to follow and enjoy the process. Some other software I can recommend looking into are 1. PlanView IdeaPlace; 2. Aha! Roadmaps; and 3. Oracle Fusion Cloud PLM.

Organizations that are lower on budget, can also utilize standard tools in the M365 portfolio. For example, ideation in Loops, tasks in Planner, and an innovation roadmap with Lists

Structure, clarity, and cross-departmental buy-In For innovation to thrive, a structured process with clear objectives and comprehensive buy-in is essential. It's not just about having great ideas; it's about systematically nurturing them to fruition. Define clear stages of the innovation process – idea generation, evaluation, development, and implementation. Each stage should have specific objectives and metrics to measure success. Equally important is securing buy-in across departments. Innovation often stalls due to lack of alignment or support.