//innovation management tools > idea management

The Idea Management Tools helps your organization to capturing, structuring, appreciating and controlling ideas. Furthermore it presents you with the means to adapt them when needed.

This tool is web-based and can easily be customized to meet your specific demands on for instance: process flow, forms, reports, authorizations etcetera.

Below you will find a short explanation on the use of the Idea Management Tool.

 

We will provide you with a link to log in and open the tool which can be accessed from a random location.

Users can input their ideas into a form which will be followed by certain questions. By answering them, the foundation is being laid for judging the idea on its value. Results and mutations are being saved automatically, also when logging off.

 

For the purpose of getting a clear overview, ideas are divided into categories. A hierarchy can be applied within those categories. With it, appreciating ideas and allocating priorities can be done with relative ease.

Ideas can also be assigned to a category owner. This is particularly applicable when more people are involved in the idea management process. The category owner then acts as an idea manager receiving ideas and information from his or her colleagues.

 

Elaborating ideas is subject to many phases which gradually follow each other up in preparation of a project. We can distinguish for instance the: input phase, concept phase and feasibility phase.

In between those phase we can define gates. Per gate a scorecard is filled out in order to determine if an idea is ready to go to the next phase.

 

In the input phase the first assessment is performed by the idea manager. He or she then decides if the idea needs a further assessment by the senior management. Depending on the organizational structure, this idea can be assessed by a committee.

After the idea manager has inserted the idea, a link is sent to the committee. If desired, the idea manager can remain anonymous. In some cases this may benefit the process.

The committee receives a form along with a scorecard which will be displayed simultaneously on the screen for easy reference. Scoring is done per criteria in which we can also rate the level of uncertainty regarding that score. This enables us to take hard to predict factors into account which might influence the idea.

The filled out scorecard is then returned to the idea manager. He or she can join the results and calculate averages out of the scores per idea. Results can easily be put side by side in order to examine the views of the innovation board. In this way it is possible to see in a glance where the idea stands in the organization at a particular moment. The idea can be further discussed during an appraisal.

 

Insight in the amount of appreciation per idea is key in this phase. IMS provides you with the necessary tools in order to gain this insight.

Pros and cons can be balanced along with sorting ideas hierarchical. This enables the idea manager to provide well-founded feedback. Questions and comments can easily be added by contributors and are automatically sent to the idea manager. Idea management is thus made flexible without losing overview.

In a joint effort one can decide if:

·         The idea is ready for the next phase

·         The idea needs to be reworked

·         The idea is not feasible.

 

This method enables you to assess ideas in a structured and objective manner and act accordingly. An initially brilliant idea might thus prove to be not feasible at all. Positively assessed ideas can be be further elaborated into a business concept.

 

The Idea Management Tools consists of a great number of tools to streamline the idea management process. We have listed a small selection.

 

Ideas often differ on the level of complexity. Our tools enable can be customized in order to be used in every situation.

 

Many ideas are generated and evolved by discussing them. Through communities you can present ideas to each other, share insights and vote on issues and ideas.

 

Mutations are automatically sent to the idea manager through an e-mail. He or she is thus always up to date regarding the last question, comments and additions.

 

Spending too much time finding a certain mutation is often frustrating. Therefore every e-mail alert contains a direct link to the alteration.

 

There are extensive possibilities in searching specific fields within an idea form. For instance, we can see if an idea has already been inserted. In addition it is also possible to search for ideas related to each other. This enhances your overview when managing ideas.

 

It is possible to set up campaigns through IMS which are related to specific themes. When utilized throughout the organization, the process of ideation is greatly enhanced.

 

The identity of the user generating the idea is known when logged in under one’s own name. When operating from a fixed location the login information can be connected with that of Windows.

 

IMS is able to communicate with commonly used platforms like intranet and SharePoint.

 

The current SQL Database has a standard size of 4 GB. This corresponds with roughly 50,000 ideas. Upgrading to a standard MS SQL Database is possible without adaptation of the software. The size of the database is then unlimited.