Planning for the road ahead...new dates

Does your organization have a clear innovation strategy that is understood and supported at all levels? Do you know where to focus R&D resources -- both short and long term? How emerging technologies and changing customer needs might affect future products? Management Roundtable's recent workshop Product & Technology Roadmapping for Future Growth: Linking Markets, Products and Technology," offered answers to these questions. Led by Dr. Jay Paap, the session was a great success with participants saying things such as "One of the best courses I have ever taken..tools you can start using immediately, most definitely made an impact on our team." Next session will be held November 16-17, 2010 at Le Meridien-MIT in Cambridge MA. Early Bird discount -- sign up by September 3rd and save $300! 

more information

Getting the Most from Technology Scouting and Open Innovation

Many companies are exploring open approaches to improve and accelerate innovation.  If done successfully, open approaches reduce the risk and cost of launching innovative new products and/or entering new markets. However, openness is not without potential pitfalls.  Common challenges include overcoming internal resistance, finding suitable partners, reaching mutually beneficial agreements in a timely manner, aligning development practices with partners, and finally, deciding when (and how) to exit -- or how to do it all over again.

Management Roundtable has several upcoming programs that can help:

Technology Scouting to Accelerate Innovation, October 26-27, 2010, Cambridge, Massachusetts. This top-rated workshop is an excellent way to jumpstart your Open Innovation efforts. Taught by Dr. Jay Paap, it is the definitive course on how to set up a formal tech scouting program. Offered just twice a year, this program frequently sells out. Reserve early (no risk) to ensure your place.

The Tenth Annual Conference on Co-Development and Open Innovation: Accessing Networks & Knowledge to Create Business Value will take place in Scottsdale, Arizona from January 24-26, 2011.  The longest running and most respected industry event on Open Innovation will focus this year on developing OI networks, leveraging multiple alliances, and expanding globally. Experts and leading industry practitioners will offer the latest insights on OI leadership, structure and culture. Early Bird Discount - Reserve by October 1 and SAVE $300!

In addition, the following resources are available:

• CoDev and Open Innovation Community  Social networking site to connect with other Open Innovation champions (free online community).
   
• Technology Scouting Starter Kit: Leading Practices and Resources (downloadable report) 
   
• Special Report on Open Innovation Practices(report on CD-ROM - enter the code "OI-AUG" to receive a 25% discount off the regular price)
   
• Special Report on Managing Intellectual Property for Product & Technology Development (report on CD-ROM - enter the code "OI-AUG" to receive a 25% discount off the regular price)

Expert Warns: "Current State of R&D Metrics...is bad."

Product development expert and bestselling author, Wayne Mackey, thinks that while most companies have their hearts in the right place when it comes to R&D metrics, the way in which they are typically implemented and used range from marginally useful to potentially hazardous.

“10 or 15 years ago,” said Mackey, “people really started to take measurement seriously, and though I’m not sure we’ve gone backwards, we haven’t gone very far forward. [People] spend a lot of time and money collecting information, but even the people doing the work know there’s not a lot of value in it. None of the concepts behind performance measurement are wrong, but we’ve lost our way on the basics of what we’re measuring and why.” 

For example, Mackey offers the metric that a majority of companies use to determine their company’s innovation activity: “% of sales from new products.” When companies started to measure this....continued

Voice of the Customer Research Technique that Works (Free Download)

Visiting customers can be a very effective way to gain insights that can help differentiate your product in the marketplace by discovering unmet customer needs that your next release can help address. However, it is important to conduct customer visits properly. Dr. Ed McQuarrie author of Customer Visits offers 16 tips to make your customer visits as effective as possible in this free download.

User Generated Metrics for Technology Scouting

An April 2009 Technology Scouting (TS) workshop, including representatives from such companies as Procter & Gamble, Unilever, Frito-Lay, Eastman Chemical, Ethicon Endo-Surgery, Inc., brainstormed a list of metrics for Technology Scouting. The exercise supported the observation that metrics are emerging as an increasingly important part of corporate venturing (or open innovation) programs in general and scouting programs in particular. In addition to listing input, output and throughput measures for corporate venturing, the article also compares these metrics to an approach to metrics presented by Nokia at another conference. To read more click here. [requires brief site registration or FastTrack Membership]

Are You Actively Monitoring More than 5 Metrics?

Nokia's Approach to Technology Scouting

Nokia's "venture capital-like approach" to scouting innovations for new business opportunities includes scanning for opportunities, screening and consolidating the best possibilities, and then validating each of them on both the technology and business sides. Read more here. [requires FastTrack Membership].

Top Ten Observations on Technology Sourcing and Open Innovation

Despite the current economic climate, the push for open innovation and growth shows no sign of letting up. In fact, if anything, it is becoming more important than ever. Companies such as P&G, IBM, Nokia, Kraft Foods, Corning and others are expanding their technology and opportunity scouting efforts. To read more click here. [requires brief site registration or FastTrack Membership]

Right-Timing Product Design Decisions....

In the best of times, developing new products is far from an exact science.  Small decisions can make a big difference in the success of a new product, but often important decisions are made on instinct because there is not enough information available at the time that the decision is made. Introducing "planned" flexibility into the process can help organizations make better decisions when more information is available. Read more here. [requires brief site registration or FastTrack Membership]

Lean Product Development, Spreading Like Wildfire

Pfizer has chosen to chart a path to lean implementation that is neither top-down nor bottom-up. Instead, it looks for ways to start small “fires” in the organization, observe the results, and then use internal networks to fan the flames. These internal networks also secure senior leadership buy-in in order to develop an integrated strategy. To learn more click here. [requires brief site registration or FastTrack Membership]