Perspectives on Innovation

Elly Madrigal, Seeker Program Manager, compares InnoCentive@Work Challenges with InnoCentive.com Challenges.

InnoCentive has two complementary platforms built upon our Challenge-based Problem Solving Methodology – the original, online InnoCentive.com, and the SaaS platform, InnoCentive@Work, which brings Challenge driven innovation into the boundaries defined by your organization.

Choosing to post a Challenge on one platform as opposed to another is predicated upon certain factors. One goal of a Challenge posted internally on InnoCentive@Work is to not only develop a Solution that meets a strategic initiative of the organization, but to also create collaboration amongst a global network of employees. Because of this, the Challenge scope, duration, and confidentiality can vary significantly, and guidelines to create well-bounded @Work Challenges are often set in conjunction with the organization’s coaching team. These guidelines, though specific to each organization, do have fundamental similarities, such as:

Limited Scope: A Challenge should not require any individual Solver to invest more than 10 hours of scheduled work-time to make a valuable contribution.

Actionable: If successful, your Challenge deliverables should include actionable results that the Challenge owner and his/her colleagues can deploy or utilize in a way that creates value for the organization.

Specific: The question posted in a Challenge should be specific and focused enough that any single individual might have the necessary skills to make a valuable contribution. Challenges that require knowledge of multiple disciplines should be narrowed down and made more specific.

Supported: Challenges should focus on business areas that are supported by management and are actively funded areas of work.

Owned: The person who suggests a Challenge is typically the one who will be responsible for writing and posting it on InnoCentive@Work. Therefore, Challenges should have a clear owner who will also be able to take responsibility for owning and implementing the results. You should not be suggesting Challenges that neither you nor your close colleagues would own.

These guidelines conveniently spell out the word L.A.S.S.O. We recognize that not all Challenges will meet all of these guidelines, but we do strongly recommend that you develop your Challenges with this acronym in mind to yield the best results possible – bringing both collaboration and open innovation to your organization and solving those problems that matter today.

Hi Everyone–

I mentioned earlier in the summer that we would be asking for your input as we develop our strategic plan for 2011-13. The time has come: We’ve begun the fall strategic planning process at InnoCentive and we need you to weigh in about what is most important to the Solver community as we develop plans, initiatives, and priorities for the coming years of growth and success.

Our goal is to create and foster the most vibrant, engaged Solver community in the world by developing a robust work environment (products, policies, services) Solvers will use continually in the flow of their careers.

We’ve heard from some of you already and we’ve got some ideas about where to focus. Right now, you can help us by telling us what you think by taking a short survey (see below). Once we’ve gathered your input, there will be more opportunities to contribute to this process of developing the future of work for Solvers. Please participate!

Take the survey now by clicking here!

As always, many thanks!

JD

Today’s guest post is courtesy of Nate Hinchey, Communications Manager for Prize4Life.

In 16 years with the New York Yankees, Lou Gehrig played in 2,164 games. From 1925 to 1939, he played in 2,130 consecutive games. He played sick, and he played hurt. He played through slumps and stardom. Whenever Gehrig’s number was called, he stepped up to the plate. You aren’t born with a nickname like ‘The Iron Horse;’ you have to earn it. For 14 years, there was no force on heaven or earth that could keep Henry Louis Gehrig from playing baseball.

And then, on May 2^nd, 1939, after months of steadily declining performance, Lou benched himself and ended his streak. In June of that year, he received the diagnosis: amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. ALS. Lou Gehrig’s disease. He would never play again.

More than 70 years later, there is still no cure for ALS.  That’s why Prize4Life was founded. Our CEO was diagnosed with the disease in 2004 at the age of 27. He knew that existing resources and research were not enough—something was needed to bring new minds and new money into the fight. Our model fills that need. Prize4Life offers large, cash prizes for targeted scientific breakthroughs that will help accelerate the search for a cure. (more…)

We recently announced that the Museum of Science, Boston, had posted a Challenge looking for new ideas for their next large-scale exhibit.  Within 3 days of posting, the Challenge already has over 100 active Solvers.  We asked Paul Fontaine, Vice President for Education for the Museum of Science, Boston, to talk to us a bit about this Challenge.

Hi Paul.  Thanks for talking to us about your Challenge.

The Museum of Science, Boston, was conceived in 1830 to collect, study and display natural specimens. Today the museum is ranked as one of the best science centers in America. Can you tell us a bit about the evolution of the museum and what you see as the role of science museums in the future of education?

The Museum can trace its evolution through three distinct eras. First, it began as a classic natural history museum and contained a large number of artifacts and natural science collections that were displayed in static, yet lovely, displays. That era spanned from 1830 to approximately 1950, when the museum physically moved to a new location in Boston and became the Museum of Science. Our second era began then, when we became one of the first museums in the world to put all of the sciences under one roof. During this time the concept of interactive exhibits became popular, a concept we employed to great success, which evolved in our institution to include a range of experiences where visitors could practice science thinking skills. Our current era as a science and technology center started in 2000 and began with the exciting concept of introducing visitors to the human-made world through experiences where they could practice the engineering design process. This is our current work – finding ways to ignite imaginations through explorations of both the natural and human-made worlds.

Can you tell us how you normally decide what topic to showcase in a new exhibit, and why you chose to seek the ideas of InnoCentive Solvers this time? (more…)