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The most important benefits are:

·         A uniform method and single use of definitions

·         It creates an efficient and effective working process

·         Higher quality of internal communications due to the fact that reports are aligned to all the activities of the innovation process which are visible to those involved

·         The use of a single system reduces operational and maintenance costs

·         Maintaining overview of the innovation process is made clear and transparent.

 

Yes, this enables you to implement one or more systems in accordance to your organizations needs. An additional benefit is the specific interface per system. Users are only confronted with those elements needed for the specific task.

 

When developing IMS, we have taken into account that innovation often covers the whole organization. Most widely used systems are therefore connectable with IMS.

Please contact us for a complete list of compatible systems.

 

We will implement a stage gate process which is related to the complexity and nature of the project. The level of depth can thus be determined in a precise manner. The process of drawing up a business becomes structures and the elements are well-founded.

 

Usually it takes between 5 and 20 working days. This depends on the size of an organization and specific demands regarding configuration.

 

Yes. Users will receive an extensive training in order to fully utilize all the possibilities. In addition you can also export these elements to various MS Office applications.

 

This depends on the tools which are to be used and your experience with comparable systems. It may vary between half an hour to a couple of days.

 

The single most important feature is an integral management system supported by over a hundred innovative tools based on best practices. This enhances flexibility without losing the structural framework. The various systems and tools are fully customizable in accordance to your specific needs and demands regarding the innovation process.

 

Of course. IMS has found its way to numerous organizations ranging from small companies to multinationals and government institutions. You can find a number of references, testimonials and cases illustrating the utilization of IMS on this website.

 

 

 

 

Achieving successful innovation is feasible when:

·         Utilizing a systematic approach

·         Working with multidisciplinary teams

·         Operating whilst keeping the final consumer in mind

·         Enabling transparency in your organization

·         Possessing the right competencies, skills and methods.

 

Of course. Innovation is a process in which countless factors influence the final result. Having an open and positive attitude and the willingness to learn from mistakes are some notable features. If we want to capture the essence into a single phrase innovation is: dreaming, thinking, daring and doing.

 

A systematic approach clearly defines main and side issues and makes sure important aspects are not overlooked. Blank spots and bottlenecks can be identified making it possible to come up with adequate and creative solutions. Systematic innovation primarily leads to efficiency reducing the time to market and increasing the chance of success.

 

It is the key element. Innovation is a complex process where one will soon discover that there is more than meets the eye. A solid preparation provides a high level of control and perhaps even more important; peace of mind. The preparation phase however is often discarded due to initial costs. This has proven to be a shortsighted method. Many research reports clearly show preparation enables a high return on investment.

There is a flipside to that coin however. One has to prevent the effect of ‘paralysis by analysis’. As much as we like to see uncertainties to be diminished, overanalyzing will get us nowhere. Instead we recommend reducing uncertainties step by step. This also enables us to correct ourselves in a flexible manner.

 

In many cases it is obvious the store the idea for later use. Perhaps the idea might generate a spin-off for future ideas. Ideas can also be protected and sold in the form of a license.

 

By using the portfolio approach. Ideas can be sorted into themes and strategic objectives. The next step is to score those ideas on a level of appreciation and to start enriching and selecting ideas.

 

The idea needs to be further developed in the form of a business case. In this stage it is wise to involve as much relevant stakeholders as possible.

A well-founded business case helps convincing senior managers that your idea presents some form of added value and creates commitment throughout the organization.

 

The following elements are stated in a business case:

·         To whom or what which specific value is created

·         How this value comes to be

·         How to reach your target group

·         Risk and uncertainty analyses; on which assumptions do you base your investment

·         A cost-benefit analysis

·         Determining the strategic fit of the particular business case.

 

Many factors may influence the elements stated above. Therefore it is recommended to shape the business case in the form of a dynamic document in which new insights are to be taken into account.

 

Primarily it serves as a document on which decisions can be founded. A business case might or might not legitimize the start of a new project and draws out which problems need to be addressed in order to reach a desirable result. The business case also serves as a starting point for all future actions.

 

When the complexity of the case reaches a high level. Excel does not provide you with the means the sufficiently manage a clear overview. An additional problem is that often only the initial creator knows how to deal with the great number of formulas.

The biggest drawback however is determining the correlation and proportion between input and output. This poses a huge problem when working with multiple scenarios.

 

First we have to determine the parameters influencing the success of our business case. The next step is gathering relevant information for those parameters. It is recommended to conduct a sensitivity analysis in which we vary them to see the affects it will have on the business case. In order to manage uncertainties we will draft multiple scenarios. Finally it is worth investigating if revenue models are in existence consisting of parameters which we may influence ourselves. This provides an additional method of managing uncertainties.

 

We start with constructing a model in which we can score parameters hierarchical. Afterwards we run a Monte Carlo Simulation on this model. The Net Present Value is then calculated and subjected to a sensitivity analysis. The results are presented in a tornado diagram showing the arrangement and effect it has on the Net Present Value.

The Innovation Management Suite provides you with all the necessary tools for determining parameters as described here.

 

Targets are usually set for the short, mid and long term. One has to make sure that the portfolio consists of sufficient projects to meet those targets. Roadmapping is one of the best ways in achieving just that.

In order to reach an effective distribution of available resources projects should be sorted by priority. In addition we map the risks relative to the costs and benefits. Finally we would like to note that balancing a portfolio means having the courage to adapt whenever the situation requires you to do so.

 

Projects are often terminated because they do not present the desired results or due to lack of available resources. When utilizing portfolio management, there might arise other reasons to terminate a project. By using multiple scenarios and alternatives one can for instance conclude to terminate even thriving projects for the sake of focusing on more profitable projects. This focus also results in ‘less is more’. When an employee is occupied with too many projects we can observe a significant drop in actual productivity. Regardless of the decision one is going to make, it is always advisable to present well-founded arguments.

 

Roadmaping sets about how to achieve certain objectives and relates this to the aspect of time. Integrating market and technology strategies forms the primary goal. Within a roadmap flexibility is being implemented by chopping up projects into manageable pieces. This prevents projects getting too ambitious making them uncontrollable. We are sure you can mention a couple of megaprojects which have ended up in a debacle. Effective planning is therefore a central feature within roadmapping. Because roadmaps cover a large period of time, ever changing conditions have to be taken into account. In short, a good roadmap is a dynamic roadmap. In general a roadmap is formed out of the following:

·         Development objectives

·         Status

·         Timeline

·         Priority list

·         Proportion to competitors

·         Executive and involved parties and stakeholders

·         Milestones

·         Projects and activities.

 

By determining which competencies and technologies are responsible for creating the most value for your target group. We then score them relative to the competition. This presents us the necessary insight which competencies have durable distinguished features within the market and how to protect these against for instance imitation.