Essentials Guide
How to Build
a Process for
Innovation:
Workbook
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Essentials Guide
Innovation Process Workbook
Introduction:
Analyze Your Capabilities + Prioritize Efforts
As you’re learning from the accompanying
Guide, a powerful innovation process
comprises 3 key elements:
1. Gathering Ideas
2. Evaluating Ideas
3. Managing Ideas
For each of the above elements, the scorecards
on the following pages list 3 characteristics
related to the element. The team in charge
of innovation should use this scorecard to
evaluate and rank your organization (or the
innovation team itself) according to its actual
activity around each characteristic.
Once you identify benchmarks based on your
scorecard results, share these with senior
management and possibly the larger group to
validate your findings, gain consensus, and
plan your efforts.
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1
Essentials Guide
Process Scorecard:
Analyze Your Capabilities + Prioritize Efforts
Innovation Process Workbook
Circle the numeral that most accurately describes your organization’s position on each characteristic.
1. Gathering Ideas
We generate ideas from diverse sources through
multiple submission channels, both off- and
online.
All ideas are routed to the individual/team who is
empowered to greenlight or shelf projects.
Our existing idea pipeline/repository makes
it simple for us to keep track of every idea
that’s been generated.
Strongly
Disagree
Disagree
Agree
Strongly
Agree
0
1
2
3
0
1
2
3
0
1
2
3
Total out of 9
2. Evaluating Ideas
We use a consistent set of evaluation criteria to
identify our best ideas.
We have an excellent record of halting projects if/
when they are deemed unviable.
Our criteria for judging ideas is widely
understood and accepted by the organization.
Strongly
Disagree
Disagree
Agree
Strongly
Agree
0
1
2
3
0
1
2
3
0
1
2
3
Total out of 9
3. Managing Ideas
We have a well-defined approach for moving
ideas from concept to launch.
Our innovations are always launched in a timely
manner.
Our innovation process begins with minimal
investment in many ideas, and investment is
increased for only the best idea/s.
Strongly
Disagree
Disagree
Agree
Strongly
Agree
0
1
2
3
0
1
2
3
0
1
2
3
Total Process
score
out of 27
Total out of 9
SEE SCORE ASSESSMENT ON NEXT PAGE
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2
Essentials Guide
Innovation Process Workbook
Process Scorecard:
Analyze Your Capabilities + Prioritize Efforts
Scores for Each Element
Refer to page 2 and transfer your total score for each behavior into column 2:
Element Score
Your Score
Weak, Moderate, or Strong?
Gathering Ideas
Managing Ideas
Evaluating Ideas
Total =
Compare each of your element scores above to the ranges below. According to your
score, rank each element as weak/moderate/strong and write on line provided in
column 3 above.
Element Score
Assessment
0–3
Weak: This behavior is missing from your process and
should be addressed immediately.
4–6
Moderate: Some aspects of this element are present in
your process, so review the attributes in which you scored
low to identify where to focus improvement.
7–9
Strong: This element is clearly present in your process
and all related activity/support should be maintained.
Total Process Score
Review your total process score from page 2 and compare it to the ranges below to
see how your innovative your process is...or isn’t.
Total Score
Assessment
0–15
Weak: Your innovation process is disorganized, and you’re
not reaching your intended goals. You need to cultivate
capabilities in all 3 areas of the innovation process.
16–30
Moderate: Some aspects of an innovation process are in
place, but improvement is needed.
31–45
Strong: Your organization demonstrates a strong process,
so sustain your efforts and use this Workbook to further
evolve it.
Now that you have an
accurate sense of your
current innovation
process, let’s turn to
page 8 of the Guide.
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3
Essentials Guide
Innovation Process Workbook
Gathering Ideas:
Choose Your Idea-Submission Channels
How many idea-submission channels does your organization currently have in place? A robust
innovation process should have a variety – at least 3 – channels from internal and external
sources. This optimal number allows your team to collect ideas from several channels without
overwhelming them with too much data.
Review the channels below, and check the boxes that represent either an existing or new idea-submission channel opportunity for your organization. Use the empty space to add any that aren’t listed.
A digital form on your Web site, where the general public can offer improvements for existing products/
services or ideas for new products/services.
A virtual submission box on your intranet for employees and/or a password-protected extranet for partners/
vendors.
An open-innovation platform for the public to submit ideas, which are vetted by a 3rd party such as yet2 or
NineSigma.
A dedicated email address for innovation (e.g. MyBigIdea@yourorganization.com) that appears on your Web
site, in the employee newsletter, and on external communication materials.
An innovation hotline where consumers can leave a voicemail describing their idea.
A wiki (internal or password-protected for public use) to enable real-time collaboration and idea building.
Quarterly idea-generation sessions that are open to all employees and positioned as the only channel for them
to submit ideas for innovation.
Business unit or company-wide idea ‘Jams’ that focused on addressing specific business challenges.
Partner or vendor brainstorm sessions that bring outside perspectives.
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
You’ve chosen your idea submission
channels, but how do you get people
excited to use them? Turn the page for
tips on popularizing your channels.
GO TO NEXT PAGE
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4
Essentials Guide
Innovation Process Workbook
Gathering Ideas:
Popularize Your Idea-Submission Channels
Review the tactics below, and check every box that offers a relevant solution
for your idea-submission channels. Use the empty space to add any that aren’t
listed.
Go public. Combat lack of awareness with a 360-degree
approach to publicizing your idea submission channels.
Dedicate space on your intranet to evaluation criteria,
submission format, and directions for idea submission
Build a section on your Web site outlining your
innovation process and how to participate
Send out a press release announcing your new
idea-submission channels and inviting the public to
participate
Announce idea submission as a new aspect of every
employee’s job description. Mandate one idea per
quarter/year/etc. per employee, and program your ideasubmission portal to auto-reply with acknowledgment of
submission
Add a footer to the branded signature of every email
from your innovation team that contains a link to
a submission form or an email address for idea
submissions
Create a monthly challenge…and reward
the winner/s. Encourage idea generation that’s in sync
with your innovation strategy through monthly challenges
like “How can we increase our revenues in the senior
market?” Publicize the owner/s of winning idea through your
intranet/e-letter and reward accordingly.
Adopt an idea-management system.
Software
help can simplify the idea-submission process on the
front- and back-end. The most popular options are included
in our Resource List (request it by emailing innovate@
futurethink.com).
What’s the name for the idea? (Give it a creative
name to make it memorable)
Give us a brief description (4 – 5 sentences).
How does it work?
What’s in it for us?
What’s in it for customers?
What makes this idea unique?
Establish a consistent idea-submission
form. Instead of receiving pitches that run the gamut
What problem does this idea solve for customers?
between lengthy business plans and 2-sentence raw ideas,
standardize your idea-submission form. Consider the
following when creating your idea submission form.
Keep it short and focused.
Too many
questions will discourage submissions, and too few
will prevent your review team from grasping the
scope and potential of an idea. Limit the form to 4 5 fields such as:
Name your idea (make it as memorable and
marketing-friendly as possible)
What is your idea? (limit explanation to 5 sentences
or fewer)
How does it work?
What makes this idea unique?
What makes it valuable to our organization?
You’ve now completed
the first element of your
innovation process. Turn to
page 11 of the Guide.
Which customer segment does your idea target?
What problem does this idea solve for those
customers?
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Essentials Guide
Evaluating Ideas:
Innovation Process Workbook
Evaluation Criteria Exercise
Let’s determine idea-evaluation criteria for your organization. The following exercise should be
conducted with other members of your innovation team with the goal of selecting 4-6 evaluation criterion. Through
experience, we’ve found that the more criteria you apply, the more restrictive your innovation process becomes. This
is due to fewer ideas passing all the criteria. Conversely, if you put too few criteria in place, you risk approving nearly
every idea that’s submitted. The sweet spot of 4 – 6 criterion helps you avoid both of these situations. And as with
other aspects of your process, criteria can (and should) be adjusted over time through trial and error.
FACILITATION GUIDE
SUGGESTED AUDIENCE:
• Senior-level members of innovation team.
SET-UP:
• The worksheet on page 8 provides sample criteria to help you identify 4 –
6 evaluation points. This criteria will be used to create your screener, and
each criterion must be framed as a yes/no question.
• E
xamples: Does this idea support our current strategy? Does this
idea fulfill an important for our customers? Does a lucrative market exist for this idea?
SUGGESTED MATERIALS:
Worksheets
(enough for each participant, plus a few extra)
Whiteboard or flipcharts
(use them to write down all group ideas; no idea is a bad idea)
Colored markers, pens, and pencils
(separating ideas by color will help organize your thoughts)
Several pads of sticky notes
RECOMMENDED TIMING:
STEP 1. Introduction:
STEP 2. Define Criteria:
STEP 3. Individual Presentation:
STEP 4. Group Discussion:
STEP 5. Voting:
5 – 10 min.
20 – 30 min.
5 min. + 5 min. Q&A (optional)
20 – 30 min.
10 – 15 min.
60 – 95 min.
GO TO NEXT PAGE
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6
Essentials Guide
Innovation Process Workbook
Evaluating Ideas
Evaluation Criteria Exercise (Cont.)
HOW IT WORKS:
Step 1. Introduction: Begin by reminding participants that the goal is to select 4 – 6 evaluation criterion
that will be used to judge all idea submissions. Ideas that meet your criteria will be deemed innovative and
are eligible to move forward in your innovation process.
Step 2. Define Criteria: Each participant may choose 4 – 6 criterion from the worksheet samples or develop their own, along with reasons for the criteria they chose.
Step 3. Individual Presentation: One by one, participants should share their choices with the group, ideally on a flipchart or whiteboard. If possible, build in time for a Q&A (see Facilitation Notes below) for participants and each presenter. By the end of the last presentation, every proposed evaluation point should be
written on the flipchart or whiteboard.
Step 4. Group Discussion: Often, a handful of evaluation points on the whiteboard will be echoed by
multiple presenters. Once you have a clear consensus on these, facilitate a group discussion to discuss the
remaining points:
• Which criteria are you most passionate about and why?
• If you disagree with the group majority, tell us why particular criteria should be included.
• Who has an idea about how we can we modify the criteria to gain group consensus?
Step 5. Voting: After wrapping the discussion, each participant should indicate their 4 – 6 votes by placing
a sticky note or dot with their name on the whiteboard beside their selections. The 4 – 6 criteria with the
most votes becomes your organization’s evaluation criteria. If a tie occurs, debate the pros and cons of each
criterion as a group, and hold a deciding vote.
FACILITATION NOTES
• Optional Q&A: Allowing time for a Q&A between each presenter and the group greatly enriches the discus-
sion and provides clarification on why certain choices were made. The following questions can help focus
the Q&A discussion:
• Why did you choose these criteria as part of your definition?
• Why is this criterion relevant for our organization?
• Conversely, why do you think it’s irrelevant?
• Group Consensus: While consensus on evaluation criteria is the goal of this meeting, a series of meetings
may be necessary for everyone to agree on final decisions. If a consensus isn’t reached today, schedule the
next meeting and discussion before dismissing the group.
Print the worksheet on the following
page to complete the exercise above.
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Essentials Guide
Evaluating Ideas:
Innovation Process Workbook
What Criteria Will You Use?
Define Your Idea-Evaluation Criteria
Which of the following evaluation points are crucial to your organization’s innovation process? Check 4 – 6 boxes of
criteria and use the blank space to add any that aren’t listed. Note your reasons for your selections and be prepared to share these with the group.
Suggested Evaluation Criteria
Why Is This Criterion Important?
On-Strategy: Does this idea support our current
strategy? Will it help us meet our goals?
Feasibility: Is this idea technically viable for us?
Customer Need: Does this idea fulfill an
important need for our customers?
Funding: Do we have the capital required to
make this idea a success?
Brand Fit: Does this idea enhance or expand our
brand positioning?
Market/revenue: Does a lucrative market for this
idea exist?
Competitive Advantage: Does this idea create a
competitive advantage for our organization?
Capabilities: Do we have (or can we acquire) the
resources (technology, skills, etc.) to implement
this idea?
Ownership: Can we identify a clear department/
agency/team to own this idea?
Scalable: Does this idea show potential for performing on a larger scale?
Game-Changer: Is this a truly breakthrough idea?
Congratulations on defining your evaluation criteria
(cue the applause here). Now that you’ve taken a group
vote, transfer the finalized 4 – 6 criteria into the left
column of your screener on the next page. When you’re
done, return to page 14 of the Guide.
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Essentials Guide
Evaluating Ideas:
Innovation Process Workbook
The Screener
Your Screener
This screener should be applied at the onset of your innovation process to both external and internal ideas.
Complete one worksheet for every idea you are evaluating.
Idea Name:
Idea #:
Internal or External Idea? (circle one)
Date Submitted:
Screener Questions
(Transfer your evaluation-criteria questions into this column)
Yes or
No?
If yes, why?
Total Number of Yes Answers =
Next Step? (check one)
Go: Proceed to
Next Stage
Stop: File Idea in
Repository
Hold: Reconsider at Next
Screening Session
Screened by: _______________________________________________________________________
Signature: _________________________________________________________________________
Date: _____________________________________________________________________________
GO TO NEXT PAGE
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9
Essentials Guide
Evaluating Ideas:
Innovation Process Workbook
The Screener (Cont.)
How to Use Your Screener
By transferring your evaluation criteria from page 8 into your screener on page 9, you’ve created the first layer for evaluating the
innovation potential of new ideas. To make effective use of the Screener, utilize the best practices below.
Establish the rule on passing. Decide in advance what constitutes a screener-approved idea: Should an idea meet all 6
of your criterion? Or just 4? If you opt for the latter and find your pipeline filled with ideas that never make it to the launch phase,
consider increasing the number of criteria you apply.
Choose your screener team carefully.
The individuals who screen ideas should be impartial, familiar with the
organization’s goals and strategy, and empowered to make decisions. They should also demonstrate an ability to see the potential
of ideas in raw form.
Test your screener.
Take a project currently in the pipeline and run it through the screener. Ask other members of the
screener team to do the same. Use your findings to refine your evaluation criteria or the rule for passing the screener.
Formalize next steps for screener-approved ideas.
Ideas that pass the screener should immediately move into
your organization’s pipeline. Whether this means the idea is assigned to a team for testing, feasibility studies, or market research,
make sure ideas don’t languish out of sight.
Add a recurring screening event to the calendar.
To keep your pipeline moving, formalize a schedule for
screening new ideas on a quarterly basis.
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10
Essentials Guide
Evaluating Ideas:
Innovation Process Workbook
The Scorecard
How to Use Your Scorecard
While the screener evaluates raw ideas, your scorecard evaluates ideas in various stages of your innovation process. Ideas that reach
the scorecard phase should come with an idea summary or a project brief, which you and the scorecard team will use to score the idea.
Because scorecard ideas are no longer raw and often come with research or feasibility tests, this evaluation step can provide deep insight
into which ideas should receive increased funding and which should be halted.
Create a scorecard guideline. To give scorers a common understanding of the scoring range for each criterion, create a
scorecard guideline that defines high/medium/low scores for each criterion. For illustration, see the sample guideline below with a scoring
scale and explanations of the scores.
EVALUATION
CRITERIA
1–3 = LOW SCORE
4–7 = MEDIUM SCORE
8–10 = HIGH SCORE
How well does this idea fulfill an
important need of our customers?
• Fulfills an unimportant
customer need
• Does not satisfactorily
fulfill the need
• Fulfills a moderately
important customer need
• Does an average job of
fulfilling the need
• Fulfills a critical customer
need
• Fulfills the need
completely and holistically
2. Strategic Alignment.
Little or not at all
Moderately
Highly aligned with our
strategy
3. Market/Revenue.
Less than $50 million
$50–$150 million
Above $150 million
1. Customer Need.
How well does this project support
our strategic objectives?
How attractive is the market
growth and size?
Note: Numbers are for illustration only.
Add priority to your scorecard. For most organizations, certain criterion is more important than others. To reflect each crite-
rion’s priority, we recommend assigning a percentage of 100 to each. For example, if Customer Need is the main priority of your innovation goals, you might give it a priority factor of 60, and split the remaining 40 among your remaining criterion. See the graphic below for a
completed example of the scorecard formula.
SCORECARD
QUESTIONS
PRIORITY FACTOR
(Pre-fill this column with a
value of 1 – 100 that reflects
the criterion’s importance in
your innovation process)
1. Customer Need.
How well does this idea fulfill
an important need of our
customers?
60
CRITERIA
SCORE
(On a scale 1 – 10, how
well does this project
address the criterion?)
X
5
=
TOTAL
SCORE
(Multiply Priority
Factor x Criteria
Score)
WHY THIS SCORE?
(Provide detailed
feedback here)
300
This project improves
on existing product X,
but it’s only fulfilling a
moderately important
customer need.
Establish the passing score. Decide in advance what total score an approved idea needs to achieve. If a review of your pipeline
6 months or a year from now reveals that it was filled with projects that never made it to the launch phase (or failed in the market), regroup about increasing the benchmark score for future innovation projects.
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11
Essentials Guide
Evaluating Ideas:
How to Build a Process for Innovation
The Scorecard
Your Scorecard
This scorecard should be applied at various points in your innovation process to ideas that are currently in your
pipeline. Each innovation project should come with an idea summary or project brief, which should be provided in
to all scorecarders in advance and used to complete this worksheet.
Innovation Project Name:
Project Leader:
Date Submitted:
CRITERIA
SCORE
PRIORITY
FACTOR
SCORECARD
QUESTIONS
(On a scale 1 – 10,
how well does this
project address
the criterion?)
(Pre-fill this column with
a value of 1 – 100 that
reflects the criterion’s
importance in your innovation process)
1.
TOTAL
SCORE
X
(Multiply
Priority Factor
x Criteria
Score)
WHY THIS
SCORE?
(Provide
detailed
feedback here)
=
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
INNOVATION PROJECT SCORE:
(add your Total Score column for this sum)
Next Step? (check one)
Go: Proceed to
Next Stage
Stop: File Idea
in Repository
Hold: Reconsider at
Next Scoring Session
Scored by: _______________________________________________
Signature: _______________________________________________
Date: ___________________________________________________
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12
Essentials Guide
2. Evaluating Ideas:
How to Build a Process for Innovation
The Scorecard (Cont.)
How to Use Your Scorecard
Now that you’ve built your scorecard, review the best practices below for organizing the scorecard team and leading
its sessions.
Assemble a diverse team of scorecarders. In addition to your innovation team, consider recruiting individuals from legal/compliance, R+D, outside experts, and consultants who can offer fresh insights.
Establish rules of engagement for scorecard sessions.
• To maximize productivity in these meetings, email attendees in advance and provide related materials such as idea
summaries or project briefs, a blank scorecard worksheet, and scorecard guidelines. Remind everyone that they
are expected to be familiar with all review materials by the start of the session
• During sessions, the group should complete and review scorecard worksheets and decide on the Next Step for
each project.
• Judge all projects fairly and consistently without hidden agendas or favoritism.
• Enforce completion of the “Why this Score?” column of the scorecard. Those notes serve as invaluable feedback for
teams working on the associated project.
Test your scorecard. As with the screener, take a project currently in your pipeline and run it through the scorecard. Ask other scorecarders to do the same. Use your findings to refine your evaluation criteria or the benchmark for
passing the scorecard.
Add a recurring scorecard event to the calendar. To keep your pipeline moving, formalize a schedule for
scoring projects on a quarterly basis.
Review and balance your innovation portfolio. In addition to screening and scoring new ideas, are you also
taking stock of what’s already in your innovation pipeline? A portfolio matrix offers a panoramic perspective of new
projects and those in development so you can see if you’re distributing risk evenly across your business. A real-time
snapshot of your entire pipeline helps you (and senior leaders) make informed decisions about where to focus your
innovation efforts.
Bravo: You’ve now
completed the second
element of your innovation
process. Let’s turn to page
16 of the Guide.
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13
Essentials Guide
3. Managing Ideas:
Innovation Process Workbook
Create Your Process Roadmap
As we’ve seen in the Guide, the exact steps innovators use to define their roadmap can vary.
However, the following steps provide a foundation for an innovation process across myriad
industries.
Step #1. Idea Development: Raw ideas are generated from a wide net of sources.
Step #2. Concept Development: Ideas are screened and those with strong potential are expanded into business
concepts.
Step #3. Business Development: Concepts are broadened into business plans with financials, revenue potential,
market estimates, pricing, development plans, competitive data, and technical specifications.
Step #4. Technical Development: Prototypes are created, features/functions are tested, and packaging is designed.
Step #5. Market Development: Teams conduct final refinements and prepare for launch with a rollout strategy.
Each of the above steps should also include related details such as:
• Participants: Who (both evaluators and project teams) is involved at this step?
• Activities: What are project teams doing at this step?
• Deliverables: What deliverables are due during this step?
• Evaluation Decision: What specific decision are we making during this step?
• Evaluation Tools: Which evaluation tool/s are we using to make an informed decision?
• Metrics: What measures are we using to ascertain whether this step in our process is working?
• Post-Evaluation at Each Step: What happens at the end of this step (communication, pipeline status, etc.) before
moving on to the next one?
Who doesn’t love an
example? Review the
sample roadmap on the next
2 pages before drafting your
own on page 17.
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14
Who is involved at this
step? (Outline the specific
players for both project
and evaluation teams.)
What are project teams
doing at this step?
c. Activities
submitters
• Individual
Hundreds
for feedback?
20 - 25
unique?
• What makes it
customer needs
• Look at trends
channels for idea
submission, both
internally and
externally
this idea solve for those
customers?
• What problem does
segment does this idea
target?
• Which customer
valuable to our
organization?
• Business plan, ROI, and
• Proposed pricing
specs
Fine-tune
Review test results and
chart next steps
Debrief
feedback
• Gather customer
technical specifications,
industry regulations
• Features/ functions,
estimates, market size,
etc.
• Competitive analysis
• Financials revenue
for feedback
• Define information areas
detailed value proposition
Conduct pilot test
• Customer requirements,
Create prototype with
features /functions/ design
Build business case
Add necessary resources
(sufficient staff, budgets,
etc.)
Increase resources
Expand strong concepts
into business plans:
Build business case
Provide sufficient
resources for rapid
investigation
Utilize crossfunctional resources
feedback
markets/ geographies.
• Determine specific
milestones
• Define timelines/
Launch Plan
Present final design
packaging, marketing,
messaging, and other
materials
Packaging
Test final prototype or
experience
Make final changes
Provide project team
with all the resources
needed to bring the
project to market
Expand team
Innovation Process Workbook
• Establish multiple
Generate ideas
and predictions
beyond your
industry
• What makes this idea
• Identify unmet
Refine raw ideas
Expand ideas into more
detailed concepts by
asking:
Give approved ideas to
an individual or team for
further exploration
Assign ownership
• Assign project to specific business team
emerging business,
cultural, and
customer forces
that affect the
organization
• Stay on top of
Conduct ongoing research
evaluation team
• Screeners on
1-3
• Innovation team
• Product/service teams
• Senior management
• Present to experts, partners, and/or vendors for
3-5
e
l
p
• Innovation team
• Scorecarders on evaluation team
• Cross-functional management team
• Bring in outside experts, partners, and/or vendors
20 - 25
m
a
S
b. Participants
(Estimate the number of
ideas* you’ll be evaluating/
building at each step)
*Figures are shown for
illustrative purposes only
a. N
umber of Ideas/
Projects
STEP #1. IDEA STEP #2. CONCEPT STEP #3. BUSINESS STEP #4. TECHNICAL STEP #5. MARKET
DEVELOPMENT
DEVELOPMENT
DEVELOPMENT
DEVELOPMENT DEVELOPMENT
Essentials Guide
Managing Ideas:
Sample Roadmap
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15
Screener
1-page submission
form
What specific decision
are we making during
this step?
What measures are
we using to ascertain
whether this step
in our process is
working?
g. Metrics
• 20 - 30 page business
• 1 - 3 page concept
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(incremental vs.
game-changing)
• Diversity of ideas
submitters
• Number of idea
submitted
• Number of ideas
Additional
exploration of this
idea?
Increase investment for
development?
• Number of approved vs. rejected projects
• Average scores for projects
• Average time spent at this stage
• Average time to market
Dedicate a team for
further expansion?
Evaluate new projects against existing portfolio
Portfolio Matrix
project to evaluation team/
upper management by
innovation team
Greenlight or halt this
project?
Launch this offering?
• Product/ service prototype • Launch plan
• 1 - 2 hour presentation of
• Revised business
plan/test results 1-hour
presentation of project to
evaluation team/upper
management by innovation
team
test plan with product,
marketing, customer
service, legal, and
logistic teams)
• Communicate and
e
l
p
Evaluate concepts using scorecards with evaluation team
Scorecard
of project to
evaluation team/
upper management by
innovation team
• 1-hour presentation
project by evaluation team
• 1-hour group review of
• 15-minute group
discussion of idea by
evaluation team
plan
description for each idea
external feedback and
refine concept accordingly
results from pilot testing to
refine details of prototype
and packaging design
• Use feedback and
Continue testing
distribution, and pricing
• Sourcing, sales,
Innovation Process Workbook
f. Evaluation
Decision
• Obtain internal and
Refine through
feedback
• Metrics/ROI for success
vendors
• Proposed partners/
plans, operational details,
roll-out strategies
• Overview of development
external feedback
and refine concept
accordingly
• Obtain internal and
Refine through
feedback
success factors?
• What are the critical
potential?
• What is its revenue
m
a
S
process for routing,
storing, and
retrieving ideas
from a repository
• Create a simple
ideation sessions
regularly
• Hold internal
Review ideas
Which evaluation tool/s in pipeline on a
quarterly basis
are we using to make
an informed decision?
e. E
valuation
Tools
What deliverables are
due during this step?
d. Deliverables
What are project teams
doing at this step?
and other external
partners in ideation
c. Activities (cont.) • Include vendors
STEP #1. IDEA STEP #2. CONCEPT STEP #3. BUSINESS STEP #4. TECHNICAL STEP #5. MARKET
DEVELOPMENT
DEVELOPMENT
DEVELOPMENT
DEVELOPMENT DEVELOPMENT
Essentials Guide
Managing Ideas:
Sample Roadmap (Cont.)
16
Define what happens
at the end of each
step of your innovation
process. (Circle those
that are relevant or
add your own.)
a
S
• Is this idea/project building a key aspect of our innovation portfolio?
• Have we routed unused/rejected ideas/projects to our repository?
• Have we communicated key learnings from this step to the organization at large?
• Are teams sufficiently motivated to complete the next step?
• Do we need to modify or offload other tasks from participants in order to complete next steps?
h. Post-Evaluation • What are the next steps for this concept/project?
at Each Step
• Have we clearly articulated these to participants/project teams?
e
l
p
m
STEP #1. IDEA STEP #2. CONCEPT STEP #3. BUSINESS STEP #4. TECHNICAL STEP #5. MARKET
DEVELOPMENT
DEVELOPMENT
DEVELOPMENT
DEVELOPMENT DEVELOPMENT
Essentials Guide
Innovation Process Workbook
Managing Ideas:
Sample Roadmap (Cont.)
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17
1 – 3 page submission
form
Evaluation team:
Project team:
STEP #1.
Which evaluation
tool/s are we using
to make an informed
decision?
(Circle those that are
relevant or add your
own.)
• Screener
• Scorecard
• Portfolio matrix
• Scorecard
• Portfolio matrix
evaluation team
• 1-hour presentation to
• 15-minute group
discussion of idea by
evaluation team
plan
• 20 – 30 page business
Evaluation team:
Project team:
STEP #3.
description for each idea
• 1 – 3 page concept
Evaluation team:
Project team:
STEP #2.
• Scorecard
• Portfolio matrix
evaluation team/upper
management
• 1-hour presentation to
test results
• Revised business plan/
prototype
• Product/service
Evaluation team:
Project team:
STEP #4.
• Scorecard
• Portfolio matrix
presentation to
evaluation team/upper
management
• Launch plan
• 1 – 2 hour
Evaluation team:
Project team:
STEP #5.
Innovation Process Workbook
e. Evaluation Tools Screener
What deliverables are
due during this step?
(Circle those that are
relevant or add your
own.)
d. Deliverables
What are the specific activities you need
teams to do at each
step?
c. Activities
Who is involved at
this step? (Outline the
specific players for both
project and evaluation
teams)
b. Participants
(Estimate the number of
ideas you’ll be evaluating/building at each
step)
a. Number of Ideas/
Projects
PHASE NAME:
Use the questions in the far left column to complete your roadmap. If you find yourself stalled or stumped, review the real-world examples on page
17 of the Guide, and refer to the sample on the previous 2 pages of this Workbook. Feel free to make notes and revisions on these 2 pages; you’ll be
transferring content into a final 1-page plan.
Draft Your Process Roadmap
Essentials Guide
Managing Ideas:
Draft Your Innovation Roadmap
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18
• Average scores for
projects
• Average time spent
at this stage
• Average time to
market
proved vs. rejected
projects
• Average scores for
projects
• Average time spent
at this stage
• Average time to
market
What are the next steps for this concept/project?
(incremental vs.
game–changing)
• Diversity of ideas
submissions
• Sources of idea
proved vs. rejected
projects
• Number of ap-
submitted
• Number of ap-
STEP 3:
• Number of ideas
STEP 2:
market
• Average time to
at this stage
• Average time spent
projects
• Average scores for
proved vs. rejected
projects
• Number of ap-
STEP 4:
Do we need to modify or offload other tasks from participants in order to complete next steps?
market
• Average time to
at this stage
• Average time spent
projects
• Average scores for
proved vs. rejected
projects
• Number of ap-
STEP 5:
Innovation Process Workbook
Are teams sufficiently motivated to complete the next step?
Define what happens Have we clearly articulated these to participants/project teams?
at the end of each
step of your innovaIs this idea/project building a key aspect of our innovation portfolio?
tion process. (Circle
those that are relevant Have we routed unused/rejected ideas/projects to our repository?
or add your own.)
Have we communicated key learnings from this step to the organization at large?
h. P
ost-Evaluation
at Each Step
How do you know
if this step in your
process is working
smoothly? What measures will you use?
(Circle those that are
relevant, and use the
spaces provided to
enter your own.)
g. M
etrics for
Success
What specific decision are we making
during this step?
f. E
valuation
Decision
STEP 1:
Essentials Guide
Managing Ideas:
Draft Your Innovation Roadmap (Cont.)
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19
Innovation Simplified | innovate@futurethink.com | P 646-257-5737 | © Future Think LLC. All rights reserved
STEP #2:
STEP #3:
STEP #4:
STEP #5:
Nicely done! Turn to page 19 of the Guide for advice on implementing your organization’s roadmap.
h. P
ost-Evaluation
at Each Step
g. M
etrics for
Success
STEP #1:
Innovation Process Workbook
f. Participants
e. Evaluation Tools
d. E
valuation
Decision
c. Deliverables
b. Activities
a. N
umber of Ideas/
Projects
PHASE
Transfer your notes from pages 18 -19 to complete the roadmap for your innovation process.
Finalize Your Roadmap
Essentials Guide
Managing Ideas:
Finalize Your Innovation Roadmap
20
h. P
ost-Evaluation
at Each Step
g. M
etrics for
Success
STEP #1:
STEP #2:
STEP #4:
STEP #5:
Nicely done! Turn to page 19 of the Guide for advice
on implementing your organization’s roadmap.
STEP #3:
Innovation Process Workbook
f. Participants
e. Evaluation Tools
d. E
valuation
Decision
c. Deliverables
b. Activities
a. N
umber of Ideas/
Projects
PHASE
Transfer your notes from pages 18 -19 to complete the roadmap for your innovation process.
Finalize Your Roadmap
Essentials Guide
Managing Ideas:
Finalize Your Innovation Roadmap
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21