The year was 2007, people were in love with blackberry phones, and Nokia was still a major smartphone player.
Exploring the impact of innovation on project management, this article delves into how Innovative Project Teams are reshaping the landscape. We’ll uncover the transformative power of diverse ideas and collaborative approaches in driving project success. The same year that’s remembered for excellent pop music and breakthroughs that became significant milestones in world history. Whether it’s the housing bubble finally bursting in the US or the launch of Roadster from Tesla, things were happening fast. Plus, the most significant change was Apple releasing a revolutionary product called the iPhone. A move that changed the smartphone market forever and changed it did!
The release of the iPhone leads to an instant disruption for every other big name. This includes Google, which initiated the process to adjust their Android platform as per the new expectations. It was a time of radical innovation, making everyone think hard. This is because Apple just made several technologies outdated in a matter of hours. That’s precisely where some of the big names went entirely wrong. Established brands like Blackberry and Nokia only relied on two major factors to stay relevant. One, their position in the industry and two, their customers’ brand loyalty.
Whereas the management and employees at Apple were able to exploit the big gaps in the market. This was something that industry leaders (read blackberry and Nokia) could not identify and act on.
What’s the Learning Here?
If you’re unable to innovate in time, even the most loyal customers and robust foundations are of no actual use. Innovation is probably the only factor that separates best from the rest. Revolutionary products and services are usually a result of an environment that encourages unorthodox ways of seeing gaps in the market and creating path-breaking products to fill those spaces. Combining old and new thoughts to create something “new” is what takes you to the next level.
As senior executives at IDEO, a Silicon Valley-based organization known for award-winning innovation, said, “Top creativity happens when there is an intersection of different perspectives.” Based on experience, here are four unique and practical questions you need to ask yourself to spark innovation within the project team.
#1 — How Does Embracing Diversity Fuel Innovation in Project Teams?
When it comes to innovation, “There is a business case for diversity,” says Richard S Warr, a veteran on the topic. Although there are several times when organizations may have somewhat shaky reasons for promoting diverse teams, if done for the right reasons, a more diverse team means you have team members with a broader range of interests and backgrounds to draw upon. Culture and upbringing play an essential role in how a person tries to solve a problem. With that being said, a diverse innovative project teams will be able to offer different solutions than expected.
That’s precisely what credible research has already proven. Once you have the incredible advantage of a diverse set of team members working towards a common goal, your responsibility as a leader is to make sure they feel welcomed to propose novel ideas. Ensure “outside the box” ideas are heard and implemented in due time. Organizations should work hard to hire the precious gems — not promoting useless propaganda to fulfill respective minority quotas.
#2 — What Makes Fearless Brainstorming a Catalyst for Creative Sparks in Teams?
The only way to capture innovative themes is to encourage your team members to go off track, not worrying they’ll dive into the unexplored rabbit holes. Remember, the aim is to go divergent ways, which is entirely different from being unfocused. For instance, let’s say you’re trying to use common age-old assumptions in your industry to trigger a few ideas.
First, compile a set of assumptions which include consumer trends, positioning, pricing, and more. Now, have an active group discussion to brainstorm all ideas based on these assumptions, even the crazy, weird and wacky ones. Don’t forget to encourage every team member to push their limits and consider every related possibility. Now gather each one of these ideas. Pin it on a board and vote for the best ones.
This free-willed process to spark new ideas works every time, given that team members are allowed to go as far as they want to. Brainstorming is all about throwing random things out there, letting the minds wander. The immediate sense of comfort that team members feel while expressing their thoughts would surface the most innovative ideas that you could never imagine in the first place.
#3 — How Can Action Plans Transform Innovative Ideas into Reality?
Assuming you have generated innovative ideas from one of these brainstorming sessions. Now is the time to think about whether you have a well-devised plan to evaluate these insights. There are many organizations, who’re unable to assess the ideas within a fixed timeframe. That’s a pity.
Even the organizations and teams which stress the importance of innovation have no real method or turnaround time baked into their processes for idea evaluation. Here’s how you resolve this entire tricky situation with a simple 3-step process:
- First, create a transparent mechanism for capturing and documenting new ideas.
- Second, devise clear-cut criteria you will use to assess the viability of ideas presented to you every week
- Third, designate a diverse team responsible for evaluating these innovative ideas and replying within 72 hours.
The third step brings us to the last point.
#4 — Bridging Leadership and Innovation: How to Connect Ideas and Executives Effectively?
The only reason why team members are not interested in sharing their out-of-the-box ideas is this — “There is no sense of confidence whether their voice would reach the Leaders.” It restricted interaction between employees and management is a turnoff. It’s probably the biggest enemy of innovation.
Once you have a list of ideas evaluated, ready to move to the next stage, leaders should weigh in and give their inputs on these insights as soon as possible. Eliminate the bureaucratic obstacles and demolish the proverbial wall that stands in your way. Create a defined structure around the feedback process, and you’ll see an increasing contribution from every member of the innovative project teams.
Summary
Formalizing perspective innovation pipelines can lead to sustainable results. Creating and handling innovative ideas is the real differentiator for why some organizations grow and others remain flat. It’s the perfect time to use these four questions to nurture your innovative project teams and help those on the cusp of an innovative breakthrough. All they need is support and a concrete mechanism.
Until next time, you are up to date.
Originally published at https://www.projecttimes.com.