Idea Evaluation – Living the Innovation Definition

The way you handle the evaluation and selection of innovation project ideas for initiation is critical for creating an Innovation Culture for realisation of our experience-based innovation definition:

Innovation is the beneficial utilization of knowledge and creativity,
in order to discover and realize what does not yet exist.

By evaluating all Project Ideas against the same criteria and stating advantages and disadvantages for each of them, then you have the best chance to select the most beneficial ideas for utilization of knowledge and creativity. And, very importantly, to give all idea proposers an inspiring confidence in a fair idea evaluation on the merits of each idea.

In our www.LearnFromInnovators.com e-learning innovation courses we have integrated Office templates covering what you need for a fair Project Idea Evaluation. Our SkillBuilder video for Why? and How? to use the Project Idea Evaluation gives you a deep understanding of how important this stage is in your Innovation Process.

However, to achieve the full benefit of the Project Idea Evaluation, then you should always strive for having as many Project Ideas as possible to choose from. In decades of innovation experience, I have learned the importance of creating the possibility to be very selective when deciding for initiation of innovation project ideas.

If you are following our Innovation Pathway you will have several means for generating and searching for the most beneficial Project Ideas. The purpose, of your search for and evaluation of Project Ideas, can be to start creation of new business possibilities or can be for protection of your existing business – in all cases an activity of high importance. Your means are The Innovation Tree, the specified Mission, Strategy and Concepts, Idea search template, Customer insights, Trend studies etc.

I always recommend, that search for Project Ideas is a forever going process and an open invitation to all in the organization. To contribute with a Project Idea is a serious, personal thing and the company is obliged to treat the Project Idea fair, which means, that there must be carried out a professional Project Idea Evaluation. When the range of innovation project ideas are described, then you evaluate the project ideas.

LearnFromInnovators.com is e-learning for individuals but also for your entire organization. To create an Innovation Culture is strictly connected to the way you are handling and at the end learning from the entire Innovation Process, The Innovation Pathway. The Project Idea Evaluation template has a facility for additional organizational learning: After realization of an Innovation then you have the option to re-evaluate the Project Idea. It serves the purpose of learning from the experiences harvested by completing the project. This involves a re-study of your Status Reports of The Innovation Pathway for the project. It will complete your practising of an Innovation Culture in alignment and synergy with The Innovation Definition.

Erik Keldmann