PROCESS | Innovation Tool Set
Many times, employees are overwhelmed with the thought of innovation and ask themselves “Where do I begin?”. Therefore, the use of a suite of innovations tools should be put in place to enable personnel to effectively proceed through the innovation cycle in an intentional way. This intentional process begins with the use of an “innovation tool set” to speed the development of innovations.
During the past 17 years, we have developed over 100 tools which comprise our Innovation Master Toolset that are used in working with clients and their personnel to fast track their innovation efforts.
The 100 plus tools are separated into the three categories, which coalesce around the steps or phases that are necessary to take something from an initial idea through to a commercialized product. These three steps are: ideation, development and commercialization.
Ideation
Ideation involves the process of developing innovative ideas. These tools are crucial because in essence a person is starting from a blank piece of paper in the ideation phase, so the use these tools can jumpstart the creative process. There are various types of ideation tools.
- Individual ideation
- Group ideation
- Ideation facilitation
- External innovation tools
Development
The second of the three innovation tool areas involve the development of ideas into workable innovations. There are five different types of development tools.
- Design tools
- Resource allocation
- Time allotment
- Innovation support
- Validation of the design
Commercialization
The last of the three innovation tool areas involves the final actions necessary for the release of an innovation to the marketplace. Commercialization tools fall in three categories.
- Commercialization processes
- Project management
- Product roll out/transition tools
What we do – Through our Innovation Academy ™ and our FastTrack Innovation Program ™ we train an organization and its personnel how to effectively use these tools to fast track their innovation efforts.
