A Learning Experience on Open Innovation and Social Media

by Stefan Lindegaard

Interaction and involvement are key elements for open innovation as well as social media. Companies need to build strong capabilities on this intersection if they want to out-innovate their competitors.

This fall, 15inno launches a network to make this happen.

You can read a short overview below and you can forward an e-mail to stefanlindegaard (@) me.com if you would like to discuss how your company can join the network.

What is the purpose?

The network is a learning experience that helps companies develop insights and capabilities on how to use social media in innovation efforts.

What are the benefits?

• Your company can join 3 half-day sessions in the U.S. during the next 9 months. A company can participate with up...

Is Open Innovation Superficial?

by Stefan Lindegaard

Perhaps the question should be: Is the term, open innovation, superficial? The topic was raised at the Open Innovation Summit in Chicago after a presentation given by Susan Harman, Group Manager, Open Innovation at Intuit.

Intuit began their open innovation efforts a few years back, and they have lots of ongoing initiatives. So they do open innovation, but when Susan asks her colleagues if they are doing it, she gets blank stares. This led Susan to questioning the term and now she is learning that it is easier to get people onboard by asking question such as:

• Are you working with external partners? If so, are you collaborating and experimenting with them, or just purchasing products or services?

Susan’s note: Collaboration and...

The Changing Nature of Networking and Innovation

by Stefan Lindegaard

When I look around at how companies do open innovation, I see the early start of how networking and innovation is changing.

Networking and innovation used to evolve around physical contacts driven by conferences, events and meetings. Today, this is changing rapidly as we begin to use elements like:

• corporate innovation sites or communities such as Intuit Collaboratory, Psion’s Ingenuity Working and SAP’s Co-Innovation Lab

• intermediaries such as NineSigma, InnoCentive and IdeaConnetion

• the use of social media tools such as Twitter and LinkedIn

Networking and innovation are becoming increasingly virtually. This happens fast. Many companies still network and initiate innovation in a more traditional way, but I guesstimate that about...

Open innovation and social media are inseparable. Seed now to reap future benefits!

by Stefan Lindegaard

The title of this blog post is one of the three key messages I give at my talks / sessions on open innovation for big and small companies.

Below you can read a few insights on the intersection of open innovation and social media as I present them at my sessions. I find this to be a very interesting topic and I have just begun working on a new book. Check this blog post: A Book Idea: Open Innovation Meets Social Media

You can also read more about my session and download a document with the other two key messages here: Three Key Messages on Open Innovation

Key Message #3: Open innovation and social media are inseparable. Seed now to reap...

Three Key Messages on Open Innovation

by Stefan Lindegaard

My new book, “Making Open Innovation Work” is due this fall.

I am now giving sessions and workshops that look into this interesting intersection and for which I have three key messages for open innovation. They are:

#1 Internal – not external – factors make or break open innovation initiatives.

# 2 Understanding, connecting and communicating with partners is key to open innovation success.

#3 Open innovation and social media are inseparable. Seed now to reap future benefits!

You can see my presentation slides below and you can download my handout notes; 4 pages packed with insights on this topic. Big Small Open Handout Notes Aug 3

...

What’s Next With P&G’s Connect + Develop Site?

by Stefan Lindegaard

The pace of evolution on the intersection between open innovation and social media is astonishing and companies need to pay lots of attention to where things are headed.

P&G and their Connect+Develop initiative is rightfully considered one of the best examples of open innovation implementation and I especially like their “behind the scenes” efforts and how they and constantly try to improve their efforts.

Despite their good work, I think P&G’s Connect+Develop site (and sites of other companies) need to evolve into next generation sites that include more community features. Three companies give us an idea of what direction things are headed although they are still in their earlier phases themselves.

GE and their Ecomagination challenge showcases lots of...

5 Questions, Answers for Innovation Challenges

by Stefan Lindegaard

As I mentioned in this blog post, 5 Key Elements for Making Communities Work, I gave a talk at the recent HYPE Innovation User Forum.

At the forum, I met Colin Nelson from HYPE Innovation, who gave an interesting presentation in which he shared some good insights on how to make people participate in innovation challenges.

I especially paid attention to his comments that any individual that we invite to share ideas or expertise run through a series of mental checks before they spare their time. Colin states that these checks are carried out at lightening pace and often done subconsciously. However, if we understand what they are, the answers to such checks can be built into a communications plan.

Some...

10 Reasons for Open Innovation Failure

by Stefan Lindegaard

It happens. Open innovation initiatives fail to deliver on the expected outcome. There is not much of a surprise in this, but I am curious on the reasons and I have thus started to make a list on why this happens.

It would be great if you can help build this list by adding your comments to my starters.

• Companies have difficulties making innovation happen internally. Now they hear about open innovation and think of this as an approach that will make everything better. Not true. If you cannot make innovation happen internally, you will have even more difficulties doing this with external partners.

• Many companies start off with idea generation platforms hoping that external contributors will contribute with great ideas and/or technologies....

Open Innovation Meets Social Media

by Stefan Lindegaard

Here are some of my thoughts and ideas on the intersection of open innovation and social media as I presented them in Sao Paulo on June 2.

You can find other good reads on this intersection in these links:

Social Media Tools and Open Innovation: An Overview – includes more links

8 Pointers for Building Corporate and Personal Strategies for Social Media

A Road Map on Social Media Tools and Open Innovation

Book a Workshop with Lindegaard on Social Media Tools and Open Innovation

Let me know if you can share other good insights on this.

Making Open Innovation Work

by Stefan Lindegaard

In the excitement to begin open innovation efforts, it is possible to overlook important groundwork that should be done that will help assure that things go smoothly over time.

This includes reaching agreement on goals and defining the desired outcome so that everyone is confident that the relationship will produce a win/win that is acceptable to both parties.

It also includes establishing boundaries, such as deciding up front how any disagreements will be settled as well as being very clear on what the expectations are as far as the resources that will be expected to be devoted to the project from both sides. This latter point is particularly important to protect the smaller partner since they are in the more precarious position regarding the expenditure...