The Innovation Contradiction: Innovation Management/Idea Collaboration - Consumer-Facing Implementations

Innovation management is another trend that’s gaining a lot of momentum, but there comes a point, IMO, where these “innovation management/idea collaboration-generation” consumer-facing implementations become saturated. Copycats, mass producers/generic solution providers perpetuate the concept to the point of contradiction. Consumers will tire of this as they all begin to blend together. “Help us innovate, ideate” - loses significance the more it becomes pervasive. It’s a shame because it will diminish the significant efforts by the original trailblazers like Best Buy (IdeaX). Lego (Ambassador Program), Oracle, Starbucks (MyStarbucksIdea) and others.

With more and more solution providers popping up, each offering pretty much the same toolset, the market will become saturated with “clone-like” consumer-facing applications. And as time goes on, these innovation management implementations become less innovative. I love GetSatisfaction and UserVoice for the feedback functionality they provide - it’s a great concept and wonderful tool. What I don’t like is their cookie cutter, template-driven approach to idea collaboration. As a feedback system…it’s great. As an innovation collaboration platform…not so much. Companies undertaking an innovation progression strategy, should build their approach around the strategy and the objectives its designed to achieve. I definitely see parallels to the process vs. software issues common to CRM during its early stages.

Rant over.

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