"The
Thinking Power of an Army"
Idea Screening
"The Thinking Power of an Army"
When TEC new products development expert Mitch Goozé
asks TEC members, "What are your constraints to getting
new things done?" he says the answer never is: "Lack
of ideas." In truth, ideas are plentiful -- good ideas
are fewer and farther between.
To get at the good ideas, says fellow TEC expert Nick
Webb, a company should strive for an open culture
that encourages and rewards innovative thinking. Webb advocates
the practice of "idea mining" -- soliciting input
from a wide array of sources, including employees, vendors,
other stakeholders and, most importantly, your customer base.
(See "The Voice of the Customer" in Additional Resources
at right.)
"The best ideas come from the people who use your existing
product," he says.
Both TEC experts suggest facilitating greater interaction
between representatives of your organization and those customers.
This includes your sales force, since they're well-positioned
to listen to customers on a regular basis. But, says Goozé,
the people behind the scenes -- managers, engineers, etc.
-- should be encouraged to get out in the field and talk more
often with "real customers."
Webb urges the use of "idea portals" to develop
an ongoing flow of ideas within the organization. One example:
"poster boarding" in offices, boardrooms, kitchens,
where staff can post suggestions and identify areas of additional
value to customers. Another vehicle: an online submission
process, where new ideas can be posted and reviewed on a regular
basis.
"In the right atmosphere, idea mining can unleash the
thinking power of an army," he says.
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