In an age of constantly growing demands on companies, the topic of idea management is becoming increasingly important. Step 7 in the KIROI approach in particular helps to scale innovations sustainably and thus make them effective beyond individual departments. Idea management here means not only collecting individual ideas, but above all the structured support and company-wide networking of impulses. This blog article provides a practical illustration of how companies can use KIROI Step 7 to efficiently organise continuous innovation processes and thus secure competitive advantages.
Idea management: The key to company-wide innovation
Many organisations find that idea management is often only practised in isolation. Individual departments collect suggestions without consistently following them up or sharing them with other departments. This is precisely where KIROI Step 7 comes in: It calls for cross-functional collaboration and the systematic expansion of promising ideas across different teams. This creates a culture of innovation that not only generates impetus, but also spreads and scales it across the entire organisation.
One example is the automotive industry, where teams from production, IT and marketing worked together to develop a new digital solution for more efficient control of production processes. Following a successful pilot phase, the result was scaled up and introduced in several plants, resulting in a sustainable increase in productivity. In the financial services sector, agile methods ensure that customer feedback from the service department flows directly into product developments. Idea management is indispensable here in order to quickly enable market-relevant innovations. The retail sector has also shown that digital platforms for exchanging ideas make it possible to quickly disseminate and implement regional innovations throughout the company.
BEST PRACTICE with one customer (name hidden due to NDA contract)
KIROI Step 7 was implemented at a medium-sized production company in order to break down cross-divisional barriers to innovation. Through moderated workshops and targeted coaching, ideas could be implemented more quickly. The transfer of knowledge between departments increased flexibility in the event of market changes, and the company reported significantly shorter innovation cycles and increased employee motivation.
How to scale your idea management with KIROI Step 7
Scaling idea management requires a clear concept that includes not only the collection but also the implementation and networking of ideas. KIROI Step 7 turns this into a dynamic process in which all participants are actively involved. Transparency and continuous dialogue are the basis for reducing inhibitions and keeping new ideas alive.
In practical terms, this means, among other things:
- Digital platforms promote open communication and simplify the recording of all proposals.
- Regular workshops connect different departments and create synergetic effects.
- Feedback loops ensure that ideas are quickly evaluated and prioritised.
In software development, teams rely on regular retrospectives to better realise customer wishes and make innovation processes more agile. Industry benefits from moderated innovation workshops that stimulate interdisciplinary dialogue and remove obstacles to implementation. In retail, automated workflows enable new suggestions to be reviewed and realised quickly - which is crucial for market success.
BEST PRACTICE with one customer (name hidden due to NDA contract)
In an industrial manufacturing company, KIROI Step 7 helped to identify and remove existing blockages in the implementation of ideas. Collaboration between the departments was thus intensified across departments. The innovative potential unfolded more quickly and the time from idea receipt to realisation was significantly reduced.
Stimuli for a sustainable culture of innovation through idea management
An open communication culture is crucial for anchoring idea management on a broad basis. Companies frequently report that employees are often only motivated to get actively involved through visible feedback. Transparency about the status of suggestions creates trust and promotes a culture of shared learning and development.
KIROI Step 7 creates more than just structures: it accompanies the change process with targeted coaching to guide teams through the innovation phases in a mindful and proactive manner. This allows inhibitions to be broken down and creative potential to be better utilised.
Practical examples confirm the added value: HR departments use idea management to optimise application processes with the help of AI-supported tools. In sales, innovative concepts are created by analysing customer data. In production, processes are being digitalised and thus made more efficient.
BEST PRACTICE with one customer (name hidden due to NDA contract)
A medium-sized company was able to optimise its inventory planning through the cross-departmental exchange of ideas from sales and warehouse management using AI-based forecasts. The resulting efficiency gains strengthened competitiveness and ensured sustainable market adaptation.
My analysis
Idea management in today's world is much more than just collecting suggestions. KIROI Step 7 impressively demonstrates that the scaling of innovations must be an integrative, structured and accompanied process. Companies that adapt this approach benefit from stronger networking between departments, more efficient implementation processes and a more active innovation culture. This allows ideas to realise their full potential and helps companies to remain dynamic and competitive.
Further links from the text above:
Rethinking ideas management: KIROI step 7 for your company
Idea management: KIROI step 7 unleashes innovative power
Scale company-wide with idea management KIROI step 7
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