In contrast to effectiveness (doing the right things), efficiency is about doing the things right. As stated in the previous blog post (click here), innovation effectiveness is key in successful innovation management. To run the innovation management process efficiently using the smallest amount of resources possible, process efficiency is required. In SAP Innovation Management process efficiency is supported comprehensively from starting and monitoring a campaign towards pushing the innovative ideas into a formal project management environment for building market-ready products. In particular, process efficiency is supported in SAP Innovation Management by the following:
- Reporting on service levels
- Mass actions
- Seamless integration into SAP Portfolio and Project Management (SAP PPM).
Reporting on service levels. Fullfilling specific service level agreements is important for all participants and stakeholders of an innovation campaign. The sponsor of an innovation campaign, mostly an executive of a board area or even the board of a company wants to be informed about the progress and success of the campaign. Reasons are manifold. In most cases reporting on service levels is requested by the sponsor due to financial investments but also to overview the thematic range of submitted ideas or to adjust the commitment to competing efforts inside the company. Also the campaign manager needs to have such reporting capabilities to identify bottlenecks of the process. For instance identifying innovation coaches, who run behind schedule and may require further support to review the ideas in time. Also the submitters of an idea profit from the reporting, as it helps to avoid delays. Delays in reviewing the idea can be cruel to the innovative character of such campaigns and can harm the success of future campaigns in the company. SAP Innovation Management helps the participants and stakeholders to keep their innovation process on track and helps to improve also the transparency of the innovation management process itself.
Mass actions. Let´s face it innovation management can be real work. SAP Innovation Management supports especially the innovation manager or the manager responsible for a campaign to process the submitted ideas efficiently as soon as evaluations and decisions have been collected. But also when coaches need to be assigned, efficient tools are required. For instance after a decision meeting of the innovation board of a company, in which the key stakeholders have decided upon the continuation and progress of submitted ideas, the campaign manager or the campaign coaches have to submit the decisions to the system. In these situations time is precious and decisions need to be communicated as soon as possible. For this reason, mass actions help to push multiple ideas to the next phase instead of processing ideas one by one and repeating this exhaustive task. The mass action capability of SAP Innovation Management can really make a difference, when pushing 100+ ideas into the next phase.
Seamless integration into SAP PPM. Once it has been decided to advance the idea to a market-ready product, it is important to keep track of the idea, especially if it is managed and monitored in a project management tool such as SAP PPM. For this SAP Innovation Management provides innovation managers and campaign managers to access the progress of the product development from inside the tool. Links to the specific product artifacts inside SAP PPM are provided and enable thereby a seamless integration. This helps all stakeholders to efficiently monitor the investment and to keep track of the success of the matured ideas and the pipeline of the emerging product.
Process efficiency is directly next to process effectiveness, when it is about to manage innovation inside companies successfully. Process efficiency is important to any participant and stakeholder of an innovation management due to various reasons such as increasing visibility, overviewing financial guidance or identifying bottlenecks early. SAP Innovation Management addresses this aspect from the early stage of idea submission to attached product development. Finally, as demonstrated by SAP Innovation Management further benefits of process efficiency are improved user satisfaction and increased process transparency.
This is a post of the Let´s talk SAP Innovation Management, which shall drive discussion about innovation management inside and outside of SAP. We are very keen on getting your thoughts and feedback in all aspects of innovation management.
All articles of the Let´s Talk SAP Innovation Management Series can be found here.
About SAP Innovation Management
The SAP Innovation Management solution helps companies foster innovation, capture it, and effectively and rapidly turn it into value generating initiatives that deliver continued industry leadership.
Comprising unique products, services, processes, methodologies, and governance, the SAP Innovation Management solution helps establish a sustainable creative culture that overcomes departmental silos and unleashes the power of innovation.
For further information about SAP Innovation Management please click here.
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