Each company has its own way of looking at innovation. For some, innovation is highly structured. It is based on a business strategy and precise management of resources, and the stages of innovation are perfectly managed and controlled. But this level of structure is not always so easy to achieve. Indeed, innovation management is a demanding discipline requiring organisation and the ability to break down silos. To achieve this, it may be worth investing in an innovation platform.
Digital transformation and innovation
Digital transformation is directly linked to new modes of innovation. Indeed, it has changed the way companies create value by revolutionising the way we work, the way we give feedback and the way we speak in companies. And of course, it has had a direct impact on the innovation process and the possibilities of thecollaborative innovation. In fact, according to a BCG report, 79% of the most successful "innovators" claim to have digitalised their innovation process. The question naturally arises: is it worth investing in an innovation platform to digitalise and optimise this process?
Indeed, most studies point out that it is essential for companies to successfully leverage digital to maintain a successful innovation process.
5 reasons to invest in an innovation platform
1- Because it structures the management of ideas
Investing in an innovation platform first of all makes it possible to structure the generation of ideas. Indeed, the ideas proposed can be classified and moderated, so that the priority ideas emerge first. In addition, you can organise the innovation as you wish. Do you want your employees to come up with ideas all year round or during certain periods? Can the ideas be about anything, or do they have to be about specific topics? Is this a process open to all, or only to certain employees? Your innovation platform should be able to adapt to all your needs, while evolving as those needs change.
2- Because it allows a complex process to be followed
Innovation is the ability to generate, collect, develop and implement new ideas efficiently. Having a dedicated digital tool will make this process much easier. It is aboutoptimising the way you come up with ideas, but also about monitoring their development. You will be able to track projects according to their stage of progress, but also identify the people involved in the development of these ideas.
Furthermore, it is interesting that not only you, but all your employees can do this monitoring. This will bring transparency to your organisation. In addition, any employee can join the team of a project that interests him or her. Silos will be broken down more easily!
3- Because it empowers and engages all employees
It is a fact: all employees, from any department in any company, have ideas. Ideas to improve processes, products, services, company actions, etc. Investing in an innovation platform means creating a fertile environment where innovation is everyone's business. You allow your employees to feel legitimate to submit and carry their ideas, to become actors of the company's performance. Moreover, if your innovation platform allows you to manage evolving project teams, you will be able to mobilise profiles with different skills more easily.
4- Because it stimulates creativity
An innovation platform can enable you to stimulate the creativity of your employees beyond the mere proposal of ideas. Because innovation is not just a matter of proposing ideas. It's about mobilising collective intelligence to help the organisation progress. Your innovation platform should therefore, for example, allow you to organise thematic challenges or ideation workshops. In this way, you will boost your employees' ability to solve irritants, individually or collectively. These collective intelligence rituals must be able to be held digitally, even remotely.
5- Because it facilitates the decision-making process
Depending on the company, the development and implementation of new ideas can follow a more or less cumbersome process. An innovation platform helps to structure andinject transparency into the decision-making process. Decision-makers are clearly identified, and can evaluate ideas at their own pace while accessing feedback from their peers. In short, an innovation platform facilitates an informed, objective and transparent decision-making process .
Finally, investing in an innovation platform gives you access to statistics: you can measure the level of commitment to innovation, the level of support, the most active departments or clusters, etc.
