(66a) Innovation-Working with People and Managing Projects

This workshop focuses upon managing R&D projects from beginning to end. Beginning refers to mental picture of an idea whereas end refers to solving the customers need and in the process generating profit for the organization. Using a case study, the speakers will delineate challenges involved at every stage of R&D project from a mental image of an idea to a profit making product. The talk also compares old paradigm of innovation management with the new proposed paradigm. The probability of success can be significantly improved using the new paradigm. We have seen many idea management flow sheets, gate management processes, and prioritization recommendations starting with an idea that already exists, but no discussion of where the idea came from or what was necessary to generate and frame it.

The key elements of successful commercial innovation include:

1. Continuous flow of unmet needs, both from current customers and related to core competencies of the organization (“outside in” as well as “inside out”
2. Using clear mental models of problems and potential solutions
3. Perseverance for idea propagation
4. Clear definition of the business opportunity
5. An appropriate product development and management team
6. Efficient process scale up and continued input from the market
7. Successful project management to insure implementation on schedule and within budget

We will look at each one and discuss the important issues.