Innovation Maturity Model (Level 2)...

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Innovation Maturity Model (Level 2)...

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IM2 Level 2 - Innovation Structure

Culture: Culture recognizes ideas but systems to move the ideas forward are lacking

• The corporate culture at this maturity level is reflective of an organization that is "comfortable." While there isn't a whole of lot of aggressive cost cutting going on, there also isn't a whole lot of new growth avenues either. Employee ideas are heard and discussed at the front-line level but other than small, incremental improvements, very few ideas are brought to reality.
  

Leadership: Leaders understand the difference between quality control efforts and innovation

• Likewise, leaders focus on maintaining the status quo. They are comfortable with not having to demand huge cost cuts from their teams and they are just successful enough to feel secure in their position. While leaders at this level understand the difference between quality control efforts and true innovation/idea management, it is unlikely they are willing to risk putting a new innovation management program into place or take a chance on a risky "big" idea.
  

People: People are encouraged to submit ideas

• Ideas that deal with small, incremental improvements are encouraged at this level. These small initiatives either drive down the cost of operation, improve existing processes and/or increase customer satisfaction. Since process and systems are lacking, employee-born ideas are only sporadically submitted.
  

Processes: Innovation-specific recognition and reward systems are established

• Very primitive reward and recognition systems exist at this level. When the company needs new ideas to increase sales or to recruit new employees, a referral bonus or other similar "incentive" program is established. These financial-based reward and recognition systems are ill-advised for true innovation programs, but the incremental and risk-limited nature of the organization at this level can get away with systems of this nature.
  

Tools & Techniques: General idea submission systems are established to collect and store ideas

• When these incentive programs and campaigns are launched, there is typically an immature system for collecting the ideas. The old fashioned "suggestion box" or the centralized idea e-mail address (ideas@yourcompany.com) generally compose the entire idea submission system. Storage is either paper and a filing system or the electronic equivalent.
  

Training: Employees and managers are introduced to creative problem solving and innovation concepts

• Organizations who see a small spike in sales or recruiting as a result of these "idea systems" may recognize the correlation between the two. Some financially secure organizations may even bring in a training consultant to give a creativity "cheerleading" keynote presentation. Typically, this is the beginning and end of the training program and the participants are left feeling great but still do not have a system or process for ideas to reliably follow.
  

Facilities: Collaborative supplies are provided in existing meeting rooms

• Meeting rooms are supplied with whiteboards, easel pads, markers and Post-IT notes to facilitate idea generation in existing meeting formats.
  

Idea Capture: Employee ideas are captured by middle and front line management

• Depending on the campaign or culture, ideas are either submitted via paper or electronically to a centralized location. Additionally, employees may be encouraged to share their ideas with their line management. At this level, the line management function serves as the judge of the value of the idea and whether or not it will progress further within the organization.
  

Idea Management: Ideas are captured

• This is really the only thing that can be relied upon at this level. Ideas are generated and captured, but there is no clear advancement path or evidence that ideas regularly move beyond that stage.
  

Strategic Planning: Ideas generated are not aligned with corporate strategy

• Most ideas generated at this point deal with small, incremental improvements. These improvements typically come in the form of "I could do my job better if..." ideas or "Our customers would be a lot happier if we..." ideas. While these ideas are helpful to the organization, they are not clearly aligned to the existing strategy of the executive management. Some organizations, who are ready to move to the next level of maturity, will help employees understand the strategy in an attempt to focus the ideas...but it is not reliable at this stage.
  

Metrics: 

• Organizations who are beginning to understand the correlation between ideas and improved performance may begin to track, at a minimum, the following "entry level" innovation metrics:
  
  • Number of Ideas Submitted
  • Percentage of employees and managers with creativity & innovation training
  • Percentage of performance rewards linked to innovation activities

Copyright 2010-2011 - American Institute for Innovation Excellence

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