4. At the fuzzy front end a lot can go wrong Where do I start? In which direction do we want to go? We don ’t get a lot of time to work on innovation So we brainstormed, now what……? All our ideas are really vague There is hardly any internal support for new ideas Top management rejects all our ideas Don’ t know what is relevant for our customers! We stick to the usual market conventions We are coming up with the same ideas over and over Not invented by me Stage-gate process after Robert Cooper ‘ The fuzzy front end of innovation’
5. We developed an effective structured method to jump-start innovation Stage-gate process after Robert Cooper Second Dutch edition 2009 English edition 2011
6. FORTH is effective by connecting three essential elements Focus Connecting the board, management and employees Connecting customers to the innovation process Connecting business reality with outside the box creativity
7. With FORTH your organisation jump-starts innovation “ An internal team using the FORTH innovation method will ideate four innovative products or services, which are really attractive and feasible, in 14 weeks. Unlike brainstorms or hiring external creators to come up with ideas, the FORTH innovation method leads to concrete new concepts which are attractive because they have been tested by customers and are worked out as mini new business cases. These innovative concepts have great internal support because your employees have created them themselves and customers and decision-makers were closely involved in the ideation process ” .
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15. Every phase has concrete deliverables A smart innovation assigment 6 - 10 innovation opportunities 5 - 10 customer frictions Best innovation opportunities 400 - 600 ideas 12 concept descriptions 12 tested concept descriptions Best 3 - 5 chosen 3 - 5 mini new business cases
19. More than 20 organisations use FORTH as their innovation method
20. Clients are very satisfied with the FORTH innovation method “ FORTH is a wonderful trip with great discoveries and a great catch. All new concepts are innovative, attractive to our customers and fit our brands ” . Henk Scheenstra COO Print Sanoma Media
I have been struggigling with innovation for more than 20 years. And I learned to love sthe struggle. During my struggle my quest was to unfuzzy the fuzzy front end of innovation. And to strcture the front end to do the right things in the right order to get the right ideas. I found that the secret of succesful ideation is connectivity: In your ideation process you have to: Connect the board, senior managers and co-workers in your process to prevent the not invented here syndrom. They must consider it as their innovation, not only yours…. Connect creativity with business reality: Don ’ t bring back wonderful but vague moodboards. Bring back innovative solutions that meet salesexpectations andare considered as highly feasible Connect customer as early as possible in your ideation process. Learn what their frustations are and test your innovative solutions right away. Okay: how do you do this?