Innovation is a journey, not a destination. Having a benchmark at the beginning of any journey is useful. It helps you understand where you sit today, and what you need to do to get where you want to be.
Organizations that consistently innovate are rich in their ability to manage the 5 drivers of effective innovation.
1. External Focus: Employees in innovative companies are closely attuned to customer experience and competitor activity.
2. Collaboration: Innovative cultures easily and naturally work in teams that cut across departments and functions.
3. Constraints: Innovative firms recognize that what often appear as insurmountable problems are in fact innovation opportunities in disguise.
4. Up/Down Communication: Innovative companies allow all employees, regardless of where they sit in the company hierarchy, to weigh in on important matters.
5. Ideas-to-Action Mechanisms: Companies that consistently innovate have established processes and commitments for guiding customer insights into new prodocts, services, and experiences.
Take the Test?
Where does your company sit with respect to the 5 drivers of innovation?
The Innovation Acid Test is a 20-question, online questionnaire that assesses an organization’s effectiveness in managing the 5 drivers. The test produces a quantitative metric- a measurable benchmark- that helps guide future commitments to increasing innovation and creative output.
For more information on the Innovation Acid Test, contact us at info@aquiferdesign.com