More and more companies are realising that idea management today is much more than just collecting suggestions. It is about systematically recording and evaluating creative impulses and transforming them into sustainable changes. Particularly in the context of KIROI Step 7, idea management is seen as a company-wide change process. This involves not only promoting individual ideas, but also pursuing a holistic approach that actively involves all employees and strengthens the culture of innovation.
Idea management as a catalyst for innovation
Idea management is a central building block for companies that want to hold their own against the competition. It creates an open communication culture and breaks down barriers. Moderated workshops in mechanical engineering shorten development loops and increase the speed of innovation. Software companies benefit from increased team collaboration, which leads to faster customisation and higher-quality features. Retail chains use digital platforms to promote dialogue across store boundaries and document suggestions transparently.
A practical example: In a manufacturing company, KIROI Step 7 helped to systematically recognise obstacles to implementation. Structured workshops improved the transfer of knowledge between specialised departments. This led to a considerable acceleration of innovation projects and a stronger culture of innovation throughout the company.
Idea management in practice: examples from various industries
Industry and production
In industry, moderated workshops are often held to collect and evaluate ideas. These workshops promote dialogue between different departments and enable technical improvements to be implemented quickly. One example is the introduction of a digital platform on which employees can submit suggestions for process optimisation. The platform facilitates the submission, evaluation and implementation of ideas and enables employees to share their suggestions in a simple and effective way.
Another example is the use of innovation prizes and rewards to increase employee motivation. In one manufacturing company, innovation prizes were awarded annually that not only recognised the best ideas, but also strengthened the culture of innovation.
Software and IT
In the software industry, idea management is often supported by agile methods. Teams use regular retrospectives to collect and implement suggestions for improvement. One example is the introduction of a digital ideas board where employees can enter their suggestions for new features or process improvements. The platform makes it possible to document and evaluate ideas transparently.
Another example is the use of design thinking workshops to find creative solutions to existing problems. In one software company, such workshops were held to develop new features for an existing application. The workshops encouraged team collaboration and led to faster customisation and higher quality features.
Retail and services
Digital platforms are often used in the retail sector to promote dialogue across store boundaries. One example is the introduction of an internal platform on which employees can submit suggestions for improvements in the shops. The platform facilitates the submission, evaluation and implementation of ideas and enables employees to share their suggestions in a simple and effective way.
Another example is the use of innovation prizes and rewards to increase employee motivation. In one retail chain, innovation prizes were awarded annually that not only recognised the best ideas, but also strengthened the culture of innovation.
Idea management as the basis for new innovations
Idea management is a fundamental prerequisite for the development of new innovations in companies. It provides a systematic process for identifying, evaluating and realising creative ideas. Through the structured collection of ideas from various sources - such as employees, customers or partners - innovative solutions for existing problems or new market opportunities are identified. This creative input forms the basis on which new products, services or business processes can be developed.
A well-functioning ideas management system promotes a culture of innovation by encouraging all employees to actively contribute to improving the company. The open exchange and continuous development of ideas often leads to new perspectives and disruptive innovations that give the company a competitive advantage. It is crucial that ideas are not only collected, but also evaluated and followed up in a structured manner to ensure that the most promising concepts are actually implemented.
Idea management as a company-wide change process
Idea management today means much more than simply collecting individual suggestions. It is a dynamic process that promotes an open communication culture and breaks down barriers within the company. This is precisely where KIROI Step 7 comes in: Idea management is effectively unleashed company-wide with targeted measures.
Industry has shown how moderated workshops in mechanical engineering can shorten development loops and increase the speed of innovation. This allows processes to be organised more effectively and product innovations to be realised more quickly. At the same time, software companies benefit from increased team collaboration in the context of idea management, which results in faster customisation and higher-quality features. Retail chains use digital platforms to promote dialogue across store boundaries and document suggestions transparently.
BEST PRACTICE at a customer (name concealed due to NDA contract): In a manufacturing company, KIROI Step 7 helped to systematically recognise obstacles to implementation. Structured workshops improved the transfer of knowledge between specialised departments. This led to a considerable acceleration of innovation projects and a stronger culture of innovation throughout the company.
My analysis
Idea management is a decisive success factor for companies that want to remain continuously innovative and hold their own against the competition. It promotes an open communication culture, breaks down barriers and strengthens the culture of innovation. The systematic collection, evaluation and implementation of ideas results in sustainable changes that actively involve all employees and strengthen the innovation process. KIROI Step 7 supports companies in not only collecting ideas in isolation, but also scaling them across the organisation and firmly anchoring them in the corporate culture.
Further links from the text above:
With idea management KIROI step 7 company-wide
Idea management ⇒ Utilising ideas & promoting innovation
How to strategically organise your idea management in 7 steps
Rethinking idea management: KIROI step 7
Idea management success factors
Idea management introduction: step-by-step guide
Idea management: methods & implementation
Successfully organising idea management
For more information and if you have any questions, please contact Contact us or read more blog posts on the topic Artificial intelligence here.
Deutsch 
English (UK)