Brainstorming Approach March 4, 2008

Goals for today Define innovation and ideation – what’s the relationship between them Look at different types of ideation Review a best practices approach for ideation Answer your questions about ideation and how we can help

Define innovation and ideation – what’s the relationship between them

Look at different types of ideation

Review a best practices approach for ideation

Answer your questions about ideation and how we can help

Definition of Innovation Innovation has as many definitions as there are people in the room We often use the word assuming other people have the same definition It’s critical that everyone has the same definition for good communication

Innovation has as many definitions as there are people in the room

We often use the word assuming other people have the same definition

It’s critical that everyone has the same definition for good communication

OVO’s Definition Innovation is people putting ideas into valuable action Innovation is not just “creativity” Innovation is not just idea generation Innovation requires putting ideas into action – developing new products and services Those new products and services need to drive value for the business

Innovation is people putting ideas into valuable action

Innovation is not just “creativity”

Innovation is not just idea generation

Innovation requires putting ideas into action – developing new products and services

Those new products and services need to drive value for the business

Your Definition What’s the common definition of innovation for Your Firm? Should the focus be on disruptive or radical ideas, or incremental change, or both? Should the innovators consider ideas that may become new products and services, new processes, new strategies/business models? Who should be involved? How broadly is the innovation capability distributed? Internal only? Channels? Partners? Customers?

What’s the common definition of innovation for Your Firm?

Should the focus be on disruptive or radical ideas, or incremental change, or both?

Should the innovators consider ideas that may become new products and services, new processes, new strategies/business models?

Who should be involved? How broadly is the innovation capability distributed? Internal only? Channels? Partners? Customers?

Innovation and ideation Brainstorming or Ideation ≠ Innovation Think of innovation as a business process Generating ideas happens first Then capturing and evaluating the ideas Then prototyping or market validation Then transfer the ideas to new product development Then the ideas are launched All of these steps are included in an innovation process Ideation is most relevant in the first phases

Brainstorming or Ideation ≠ Innovation

Think of innovation as a business process

Generating ideas happens first

Then capturing and evaluating the ideas

Then prototyping or market validation

Then transfer the ideas to new product development

Then the ideas are launched

All of these steps are included in an innovation process

Ideation is most relevant in the first phases

Define brainstorming and ideation Brainstorming is the generation of ideas, in a face to face setting However, ideation can take place in a distributed fashion: Distributed ideation, when the participants are available at the same time “ Asynchronous” ideation or idea jams are generation events for distributed team members that last for several days or weeks

Brainstorming is the generation of ideas, in a face to face setting

However, ideation can take place in a distributed fashion:

Distributed ideation, when the participants are available at the same time

“ Asynchronous” ideation or idea jams are generation events for distributed team members that last for several days or weeks

Forms Brainstorm – usually conducted with less than 15 people, in a room, writing ideas on a flip chart Ideation – usually conducted online, in a distributed fashion. Live Or as an Idea Jam

Brainstorm – usually conducted with less than 15 people, in a room, writing ideas on a flip chart

Ideation – usually conducted online, in a distributed fashion.

Live

Or as an Idea Jam

Live Distributed Ideation A team forms and generates ideas, but they interact in a distributed basis. For example, individuals from London, Raleigh and Palo Alto can all “meet” to submit ideas online at the same time The same rules apply as in a face to face event

A team forms and generates ideas, but they interact in a distributed basis.

For example, individuals from London, Raleigh and Palo Alto can all “meet” to submit ideas online at the same time

The same rules apply as in a face to face event

Idea Jam – Distributed ideation A team forms and generates ideas, but in a distributed fashion. Individuals can “check in” and submit ideas and “check out” over a period of days or weeks Same rules apply, just a longer timeframe

A team forms and generates ideas, but in a distributed fashion. Individuals can “check in” and submit ideas and “check out” over a period of days or weeks

Same rules apply, just a longer timeframe

Other techniques Mind Mapping – good visual technique typically used on an individual basis Brainwriting – writing down ideas and passing them around rather than open dialog and discussion

Mind Mapping – good visual technique typically used on an individual basis

Brainwriting – writing down ideas and passing them around rather than open dialog and discussion

When to use each approach Brainstorming When the participants are co-located or can easily meet face to face When the topics are more strategic and less breadth of perspective is necessary When time is of the essence When the subject is fairly specific When the topic is proprietary or sensitive

Brainstorming

When the participants are co-located or can easily meet face to face

When the topics are more strategic and less breadth of perspective is necessary

When time is of the essence

When the subject is fairly specific

When the topic is proprietary or sensitive

When to use each approach Live Framed Challenge When the participants are easy to identify but distributed When time is of the essence When you need to incorporate more points of view When you want to include a partner or third party virtually

Live Framed Challenge

When the participants are easy to identify but distributed

When time is of the essence

When you need to incorporate more points of view

When you want to include a partner or third party virtually

When to use each approach Idea Jam When you need a broad audience or perspective When the challenge or opportunity is less time sensitive To encourage broad involvement or engagement To incorporate more partners or consumers When the topic or subject requires more thoughtful investigation

Idea Jam

When you need a broad audience or perspective

When the challenge or opportunity is less time sensitive

To encourage broad involvement or engagement

To incorporate more partners or consumers

When the topic or subject requires more thoughtful investigation

Ideation Best practices Planning “ Framing” the problem or opportunity Follow best practice ideation “rules” Facilitation Communications Evaluation criteria / ranking or voting methods Action after the event

Planning

“ Framing” the problem or opportunity

Follow best practice ideation “rules”

Facilitation

Communications

Evaluation criteria / ranking or voting methods

Action after the event

Best Practices - Planning Three phases Pre-work Defining the topic Identifying the participants Establishing goals and timeframes Ideation Event Post-event Ranking/evaluating Taking action Follow up communication

Three phases

Pre-work

Defining the topic

Identifying the participants

Establishing goals and timeframes

Ideation Event

Post-event

Ranking/evaluating

Taking action

Follow up communication

Best Practices - Framing Many ideation events are ineffective because there’s no clear problem or opportunity that all the participants agree on We recommend a close “framing” of the problem, challenge or opportunity First, define the topic as a POTT Then, develop a framing document and other background detail

Many ideation events are ineffective because there’s no clear problem or opportunity that all the participants agree on

We recommend a close “framing” of the problem, challenge or opportunity

First, define the topic as a POTT

Then, develop a framing document and other background detail

Framing Problem/Opportunity/Trend/Threat POTT stands for Problem Opportunity Trend Threat What is your topic, and where does it fall within the framework?

POTT stands for

Problem

Opportunity

Trend

Threat

What is your topic, and where does it fall within the framework?

Framing Document Goal: ensures that everyone who participates understands the goal of the brainstorm and the topic. The framing document provides context so everyone starts from the same “page”. The framing document also establishes scope , so the team knows what’s valuable and what’s expected

Goal: ensures that everyone who participates understands the goal of the brainstorm and the topic.

The framing document provides context so everyone starts from the same “page”.

The framing document also establishes scope , so the team knows what’s valuable and what’s expected

Framing Ideation is often unsatisfactory because the participants don’t understand the opportunity or problem Framing the problem, providing background and scope, helps set the stage and get everyone on the “same page” It indicates the types of ideas that will fulfill the challenge and keeps people within certain guidelines

Ideation is often unsatisfactory because the participants don’t understand the opportunity or problem

Framing the problem, providing background and scope, helps set the stage and get everyone on the “same page”

It indicates the types of ideas that will fulfill the challenge and keeps people within certain guidelines

Brainstorming Rules There are accepted best practice rules for ideation: Every idea is a good idea The ideas belong to the group, not to an individual Generate a lot of ideas Don’t worry about duplicates Encourage “wild” or strange ideas Don’t judge ideas as they are being generated Offer ideas and solutions, not problems or barriers

There are accepted best practice rules for ideation:

Every idea is a good idea

The ideas belong to the group, not to an individual

Generate a lot of ideas

Don’t worry about duplicates

Encourage “wild” or strange ideas

Don’t judge ideas as they are being generated

Offer ideas and solutions, not problems or barriers

Facilitation An ideation event, like any good meeting, requires excellent facilitation To encourage participation Subtly redirect the conversation To add ideas that may be controversial To ask the “stupid” question To elicit further thoughts or feedback from all participants

An ideation event, like any good meeting, requires excellent facilitation

To encourage participation

Subtly redirect the conversation

To add ideas that may be controversial

To ask the “stupid” question

To elicit further thoughts or feedback from all participants

Facilitation Just like any well-run meeting, an event has a meeting facilitator who plans and conducts the event Given the requirements of good facilitation, it is not easy for a person who has a “stake” in the idea or outcome to manage a brainstorm Internal or external consultants can offer objectivity and encourage dialog when it would be difficult for internal resources

Just like any well-run meeting, an event has a meeting facilitator who plans and conducts the event

Given the requirements of good facilitation, it is not easy for a person who has a “stake” in the idea or outcome to manage a brainstorm

Internal or external consultants can offer objectivity and encourage dialog when it would be difficult for internal resources

Communications Alert the team a week or two in advance of the event Send a framing document several days before the event starts Continue to communicate effectively during the event Follow up to thank the participants and demonstrate action on the ideas

Alert the team a week or two in advance of the event

Send a framing document several days before the event starts

Continue to communicate effectively during the event

Follow up to thank the participants and demonstrate action on the ideas

Timeframes Live brainstorm – from 30 minutes to two days, depending on framing and subject Live ideation– generally no more than 2 to 3 hours Idea Jam – 10 days or less

Live brainstorm – from 30 minutes to two days, depending on framing and subject

Live ideation– generally no more than 2 to 3 hours

Idea Jam – 10 days or less

Categorize/Group Once the idea generation is complete, it makes sense to have the team Provide more details about an idea where necessary Categorize the ideas Group ideas that are redundant or similar

Once the idea generation is complete, it makes sense to have the team

Provide more details about an idea where necessary

Categorize the ideas

Group ideas that are redundant or similar

Evaluation Criteria Determine how you’ll rank or evaluate the ideas before the event begins Voting “ Straight” voting Preference voting Ranking Evaluation Who does this, and what’s the process and timeframe?

Determine how you’ll rank or evaluate the ideas before the event begins

Voting

“ Straight” voting

Preference voting

Ranking

Evaluation

Who does this, and what’s the process and timeframe?

Best Practices Recap Planning “ Framing” the problem or opportunity Follow best practice ideation “rules” Facilitation Communications Evaluation criteria / ranking or voting methods Action after the event

Planning

“ Framing” the problem or opportunity

Follow best practice ideation “rules”

Facilitation

Communications

Evaluation criteria / ranking or voting methods

Action after the event

Who to invite When considering who to invite to a an ideation event, include: Those immediately involved in the problem or opportunity A broad cross-section of business functions – marketing, sales, customer support, etc People within the channel Customers Experts

When considering who to invite to a an ideation event, include:

Those immediately involved in the problem or opportunity

A broad cross-section of business functions – marketing, sales, customer support, etc

People within the channel

Customers

Experts

Other items to consider On-site versus off-site How focused are your participants on their “day job” Inviting customers and partners Concerns about expectations Inviting experts Sometimes helpful to invite “experts” to participate

On-site versus off-site

How focused are your participants on their “day job”

Inviting customers and partners

Concerns about expectations

Inviting experts

Sometimes helpful to invite “experts” to participate

About OVO OVO is a consulting and software development firm helping our clients build sustainable innovation capabilities. We work primarily with large, distributed organizations that seek to make innovation a consistent, repeatable capability Our clients include many Fortune 500 companies and mid-sized ones as well

OVO is a consulting and software development firm helping our clients build sustainable innovation capabilities.

We work primarily with large, distributed organizations that seek to make innovation a consistent, repeatable capability

Our clients include many Fortune 500 companies and mid-sized ones as well

OVO Capabilities We help firms Innovate on Purpose™ by defining strategic goals and implementing consistent processes Our capabilities include: Facilitated Ideation Innovation Process definition Definition of roles and responsibilities Assisting with culture, communication Defining innovation metrics

We help firms Innovate on Purpose™ by defining strategic goals and implementing consistent processes

Our capabilities include:

Facilitated Ideation

Innovation Process definition

Definition of roles and responsibilities

Assisting with culture, communication

Defining innovation metrics

About Me Jeffrey Phillips One of the lead consultants from OVO Active in a number of innovation projects for Fortune 500 firms Author of the just published book – Make us more Innovative Author of the Innovate on Purpose blog and numerous magazine articles and white papers on innovation

Jeffrey Phillips

One of the lead consultants from OVO

Active in a number of innovation projects for Fortune 500 firms

Author of the just published book – Make us more Innovative

Author of the Innovate on Purpose blog and numerous magazine articles and white papers on innovation

Wrap Up Contact Us By phone: 919-848-8675 By email: [email_address] Web: www.ovoinnovation.com

Contact Us

By phone: 919-848-8675

By email: [email_address]

Web: www.ovoinnovation.com