Open innovation - when a flash of inspiration strikes from outside!
Reinhard Willfort
November 17, 2024
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„Almost every kind of innovation, requires the ability to collaborate and share ideas with other people, especially Software innovation.“
Digital social media is booming, more than 2.3 million Austrians are already on LinkedIn, in D-A-CH there are more than 22 million users. This means that this medium is increasingly becoming the focus of the business world. From an innovation perspective, the question arises as to whether your own company page on LinkedIn (or other digital social media) and the interactions in the activity stream are enough to manage open innovation processes, for example?
The second option could be to set up and moderate your own local or global community. This means that data sovereignty is in the hands of your own company and the storage of data is usually implemented locally and in accordance with local security guidelines. In the area of innovation, the front end of your own innovation platform could be the permanent communication interface to creative minds.
Of course, you only reach people who are already registered on this medium. Although this means more and more users, it also brings negative effects to light. Many poorly trained sales people bombard users with content and requests. This could lead to the relevant people no longer being found on these media in the future. In addition, content (posts and feedback) is increasingly coming from the (AI) machine, which reduces the interest of the demanding target group. As a rule, the specific workflow and methodology for innovation management are also lacking.
The costs are higher than when using free services on existing media, but the data belongs to the company or its users, who can be actively involved in innovation processes. This turns the linear customer list into a dynamic innovation network and an important feedback channel for new business ideas.
Note: If you don't have to pay a fee for digital services, you usually pay for the functionality with your own data, which is used in the context of the respective application. Special care should be taken with AI queries to avoid unintentionally sending internal company innovation content to other continents.
It is foreseeable that large companies and brands will operate their own innovation communities in the future. The advantages are obvious and need to be supplemented by the topic of recruiting and access to committed personnel.
How do you see and live the topic of innovation communities? Have you already gained experience in building digital communities?
I look forward to your feedback and wish you a restful and creative Sunday!
Let’s innovate together!
Reinhard Willfort, Innovation Doctor, www.willfort.at
I am happy to provide further support for innovation projects as an innovation doc, sparring partner and co-thinker: Book your free innovation consultation now!
