This document outlines a training course on idea management concepts. The target audience has little experience with creative problem solving, idea management, suggestion schemes, or organized idea campaigns. The course objectives are to provide a working knowledge of the idea management process, idea sourcing strategies, and the differences between creative problem solving, idea management, and innovation management. The syllabus includes segments on introducing idea management, the idea management process, and tools/benefits/risks. It concludes with a quiz to demonstrate what was learned.

1. Innovation Management
Foundations
Course No. 102 –
Idea Management
Concepts
Presented By:
Think For A Change

2. Course 102 – Idea Management Concepts
Target Student Audience:
Little to no experience with:
– Creative Problem Solving Concepts
– Idea Management Concepts
– Idea Suggestion Schemes
– Organized Idea Campaigns
• Frustrated with:
– Lack of quality ideas
– Lack of ideas targeted to actual business
problems
– Lack of action after idea generation sessions
– Limitations of the “Suggestion Box”
– Sustainability of idea campaigns

3. Course 102 – Idea Management Concepts
Course Objectives:
• At the conclusion of this training, the
student should have:
– Working knowledge of the Idea Management
process
– Understanding of various idea sourcing
strategies
– Understanding of difference between creative
problem solving, idea management and
innovation management
– Actionable steps to developing an idea
management initiative

4. Course 102 – Idea Management Concepts
Course Syllabus:
Segment Introduction to Idea Management
One
Segment Idea Management Process
Two
Segment Tools / Benefits / Risks
Three
Quiz Review and Demonstrate What
You’ve Learned

5. Segment Introduction to Idea
One Management

6. Introduction to Idea Management
• Creative Problem Solving vs. Idea Management vs.
Innovation Management:
– Creative Problem Solving
• Creative problem solving is the mental process of
creating a solution to a problem
– “Coming up with an idea”
– Idea Management
• Provides an organized method for collecting and
moving ideas from conception to selection
– “Capturing the idea so it can be made “real”
– Innovation Management
• The discipline of managing the innovation process
– “Taking action on the idea to create it in such as way
that it has value to someone.”

7. Introduction to Idea Management
• What is “Idea Management?”
– A structured process for:
• Developing a targeted idea search strategy
• Soliciting ideas that address the defined
problem
• Develop a methodology for capturing ideas
• Establishing idea evaluation criteria
• Evaluating and scoring/ranking ideas
• Determine which ideas have the greatest
potential to add value to the organization
• Taking action on the most promising ideas

8. Introduction to Idea Management
• Two main models for idea
management:
1. Open Suggestion Scheme
2. Targeted Idea Campaign
 Many organizations will use a blend of both
types

9. Introduction to Idea Management
• Idea Management…A History
– Suggestion Box
• Traditionally a physical box with a slot in the top to submit ideas,
comments, concerns anonymously
• First used in 1880 at the William Denny & Brothers Shipyard in
Scotland to anonymously report safety and quality concerns along
with soliciting cost savings ideas from employees
• NCR was the first major organization (1892) to use the suggestion
box as a source of employee ideas for new product development
• Concept was moved beyond internal suggestions to customer
suggestions in the 1970s
• Physical suggestion boxes began to be replaced by email or other
electronic submission methods beginning in 1994
• Still in use today across all industry/business categories.
– However, an estimated 85% of all suggestion “schemes” are
completely ineffective

10. Introduction to Idea Management
• Idea Management…A History
– Suggestion Box (Benefits & Failures)
• Benefits:
– Allows for anonymous contribution
– Provides mechanism for feedback
• Failures:
– Allows for suggestions that do not align with actual business
problems
– Allows for suggestions that do not apply to the business at all
– Frequently results in duplicate ideas/suggestions
– Once submitted, feedback regarding status of the suggestion
is rarely provided
– Results in “suggestion overload” which requires significant
resource commitment to review and determine the
disposition of each suggestion

11. Introduction to Idea Management
• Idea Management…A History
– Idea Campaigns
• Event focused on generating ideas and solutions relating to a
specific business problem and/or need
• Begins with an identification of the “Problem to be Solved”
– Root cause defined
• A challenge is then issued to a pool of potential participants
– Employees, customers, general public, etc.
• Evaluation and selection criteria are established and published to
focus ideas solely on the problem defined in the challenge
• The Idea Campaign is communicated, marketed and promoted to
increase participation
• Ideas are captured, assessed, scored and selected
• Ideas are shared to avoid duplication and to allow collaborative
recombination
• Ideas selected are forwarded to development teams who are ready
to accept them and determine feasibility
• Continuous communication and feedback on the status of idea
submissions

12. Introduction to Idea Management
• Idea Management…A History
– Idea Campaigns (Benefits & Failures)
• Benefits:
– Focuses idea generation activity on key business problems
– Promotes collaborative problem solving and teamwork
– Provides an organized, repeatable process for managing
ideas
– Auto-screens unworkable ideas based on evaluation and
selection criteria
• Failures:
– Ignores potentially valuable ideas for problems that are not
yet known or identified
– Limits creative problem solving activity and energy to only
the current idea campaign
– Places limitations on idea submissions based on evaluation
and selection criteria

13. Segment Idea Management
Two Process

14. Introduction to Idea Management

15. Introduction to Idea Management
• Idea Management Process
– Problem Definition
• In Open Suggestion Schemes:
– Generalized problem themes may be communicated
– Looking for:
» Improvement ideas
» Quality issues
» Safety concerns
» “Next Big Thing” ideas
• In Targeted Idea Campaigns
– Root Cause Analysis
– Strategic Alignment
– Cost/Benefit Analysis
– Problem Statements
– Challenge Questions
– Looking for:
» Solutions to known problems

16. Introduction to Idea Management
• Idea Management Process
– Idea Capture and Collaboration
• In Open Suggestion Schemes:
– Suggestion Box (physical and/or electronic)
» Traditionally little to no collaboration
» All ideas/suggestions moved forward to review
• In Targeted Idea Campaigns:
– Suggestion Box (physical and/or electronic)
» Collection or capture is pretty straight-forward
– Idea publication/sharing
» Helps to avoid idea duplication
» Helps stimulate new ideas
– Idea building/combining/collaborating
» Promotes new ideas via combination, addition,
subtraction, etc.
» Gives everyone a “voice” on the ideas

17. Introduction to Idea Management
• Idea Management Process
– Idea Review and Scoring
• In Open Suggestion Schemes:
– Traditionally, little to no review criteria or scoring
mechanisms are pre-established
» Each idea is reviewed on its own merit
» Ideas may be categorized by type (improvement, safety,
etc.)
– May be very time consuming due to review of duplicate ideas
and initial volume of ideas
• In Targeted Idea Campaigns:
– Ideas are mostly pre-filtered based on the publication of the
review and scoring criteria at the beginning of the campaign
– Ideas are categorized and duplicates are removed
– Ideas are scored against the pre-determined review criteria
– Based on the goal, the highest scoring ideas are moved to the
next stage

18. Introduction to Idea Management
• Idea Management Process
– Idea Disposition
• In Open Suggestion Schemes:
– May be communicated if selected for execution
– Rarely communicated if idea was not selected
• In Targeted Idea Campaigns:
– As the idea travels through the idea management process, it
is tracked and it’s current status is openly communicated
– Following the assessment and scoring, final idea disposition
will be determined:
» Approved; with next step recommendation
» Denied; with reasoning
» Hold; with reasoning (timing, more info, etc.)
– Disposition is communicated to the original idea generator
first, then to the rest of the organization
» The original idea generator has multiple opportunities
for additional comment and questions

19. Introduction to Idea Management
• Idea Management Process
– Idea Feedback
• In Open Suggestion Schemes:
– Rarely provides feedback to the original idea generator or
organization at large
» This is the traditional complaint and frustration
surrounding open suggestion schemes
• In Targeted Idea Campaigns:
– Feedback is provided to the original idea generator
continuously throughout the idea management process:
» In progress tracking mechanism
» Review and assessment scores
» Disposition decision
– Recognition and reward programs established to thank all
contributors, promote creative and innovative culture and
ensure repeat idea submission

20. Segment Tools / Benefits / Risks
Three

21. Introduction to Idea Management
• Software/Internet Based Idea Management Tools:

22. Introduction to Idea Management
• Software/Internet Based Idea Management Tools:
– All follow an overall similar methodology but have unique
market and value propositions:

23. Introduction to Idea Management
• Idea Management Benefits:
– Organize and manage the solicitation and collection of
ideas
– Ensure ideas solve real business problems
– Discover new, better ideas
– Increase revenue through new, better ideas
– Provides a creative outlet for employees, customers,
vendors and others
– Increase employee morale/customer engagement
– Provides process, oversight and discipline
– Provides for repeatability and actionable ideas

24. Introduction to Idea Management
• Idea Management Issues/Risks:
– It is just a process…make it fit your specific needs and
circumstances
– Idea Management Software is just a tool…its not a “silver
bullet”
– Requires dedicated leadership engagement in order to be
successful
– Requires dedicated resources to manage in order to be
successful

25. Introduction to Idea Management
• Suggested Idea Management Document Artifacts:
– Idea Campaign Strategy
– Idea Filtering/Criteria Plan
– Reward & Recognition Plan
– Idea Capture Process Map
– Idea Owners/Champion Roster
– Risk Analysis Document
– Idea Charter
– Communications Plan
– Change Management Plan
– Idea Management Process Map or Storyboard

26. QUIZ Demonstrate What
You’ve Learned!

27. Idea Management Concepts
Quiz – Question 1:
Q1.
What are the two (2)
traditional models of
idea management?

28. Idea Management Concepts
Quiz – Question 1:
Q1. A1.
What are the two (2)
traditional models of 1. Suggestion
idea management? Schemes
2. Targeted Idea
Campaigns

29. Idea Management Concepts
Quiz – Question 2:
Q2.
Formal Idea Management
provides an organized
method for ____________
and ____________ ideas
from conception to selection.

30. Idea Management Concepts
Quiz – Question 2:
Q2. A2.
Formal Idea Management
provides an organized
method for ____________ • Collecting
and ____________ ideas
from conception to selection.
• Moving

31. Idea Management Concepts
Quiz – Question 3:
Q3.
Name one (1) benefit
and one (1) failure
associated with open
idea suggestion
schemes.

32. Idea Management Concepts
Quiz – Question 3:
A3.
Includes any of the following:
Q3. • Benefits:
– Allows for anonymous
Name one (1) benefit contribution
– Provides mechanism for feedback
and one (1) failure • Failures:
associated with open – Allows for suggestions that do
not align with actual business
idea suggestion problems
schemes. – Allows for suggestions that do
not apply to the business at all
– Frequently results in duplicate
ideas/suggestions
– Once submitted, feedback
regarding status of the
suggestion is rarely provided
– Results in “suggestion overload”
which requires significant
resource commitment to review
and determine the disposition of
each suggestion

33. Idea Management Concepts
Quiz – Question 4:
Q4.
Put the five (5)
phases of idea
management in the
correct order:
____________________
Idea Review & Scoring
Idea Feedback
Problem Definition
Idea Capture & Collaboration
Idea Disposition

34. Idea Management Concepts
Quiz – Question 4:
Q4. A4.
Put the five (5)
phases of idea 1. Problem Definition
2. Idea Capture &
management in the Collaboration
correct order: 3. Idea Review & Scoring
____________________ 4. Idea Disposition
Idea Review & Scoring 5. Idea Feedback
Idea Feedback
Problem Definition
Idea Capture & Collaboration
Idea Disposition

35. Idea Management Concepts
Quiz – Question 5:
Q5.
A software-based
tool is all you need
for successful idea
management.
TRUE or FALSE?

36. Idea Management Concepts
Quiz – Question 5:
Q5. A5.
A software-based FALSE…
tool is all you need Idea Management Software is
for successful idea only a tool, and therefore, is
management. only as good as the process,
people and data that
surround it
TRUE or FALSE?

37. Congratulations!
You have completed:
Innovation Management
Foundational Concepts
Course No. 102 – Idea Management Concepts
Presented By:
Think For A Change

38. For more information on best/next
practices, educational training,
tools, techniques and process
models for:
•Creative Problem Solving
•Idea Management
•Innovation Management
Please visit: http://www.thinkforachange.com