Innovation Paper

MGT411 Week Three

THE INNOVATION PROCESS: MANAGING, PROBLEM SOLVING, MEASURING, AND EVALUATING

Introduction

This week is not only central in terms of the course schedule, but it is a nexus in terms of bringing concepts and foundations to bear upon practical experiment and measurement. Even in highly qualitative disciplines, there is a need to be able to measure, evaluate, assess, and reward success. Without such, there can be no sense of control that enables a management team to know if they are going down the right path with new changes.

Having an appreciation of the different ways that individuals solve problems, regardless of organizational settings, offers a platform for learning about the human mind and heuristics. Rowe (2004) addresses the problem solving combination of search, experiment, evaluation, reappraisal, and return back to search, experiment, evaluation, and so forth. This iterative approach is useful once one is working at the organizational level.

Week in Relation to the Course

All of the readings thus far have helped to establish tools and methods for use. Now, the course shifts focus to the phase of actual use. One of the first questions concerns what to measure and how to do so. Chapter 6 in Making Innovation Work examines the three roles of any measurement system, which serve to facilitate the work of innovation team management.

Defining and communicating the strategy is the critical first element and is often overlooked. What is it exactly that the team is presenting, planning, and trying to implement? How can its steps and its accomplishments be monitored, and by whom? What are some new opportunities emerging as a result of the innovations? Together, these provide a basis for other key tasks that will be discussed in future weeks and will come up in the innovation process. Some of these key tasks include acquiring and developing externally focused innovation, managing the strategic plan once underway, and thoroughly communicating the plan throughout the organization in a way that gets everyone actively on board.

Discussion of a Key Point, Thread, or Objective

Who is the best person or group within the organization to involve in the lead for evaluating an innovation plan? It cannot be left only to the innovators, or to the critics and objectors. What are the steps you would take to identify the best choices, and how to influence those who will confirm those choices? This brings one back to the whole matter of the organizational landscape. How will that landscape change and how will the changes affect various individuals in positive or negative ways?