IBM on the role of the Chief Innovation Officer

In March 2006, IBM launched a campaign to promote the role of the Chief Innovation Officer:
http://www-306.ibm.com/e-business/ondemand/us/pointofview/cio/mar06/featured_story.html

There are many paths to the role, but I think IBM's perspective makes a lot of sense: transform the Chief Information Officer into Chief Innovation Officer.
What's the most strategically important information in a corporation but information about markets, technologies, and competitors. That information is the lifeblood of innovation. So if Chief Information Officers are looking to be more strategic as IT matures as a management area, it also makes sense to take on the new title of Chief Innovation Officer.

What we need to do now is come up with a standard definition of the role. What are its responsibilities? How does it relate to the rest of the organization? What's its budget?

Open Innovation Blueprint: Commandment 7

This continues my on-going blog on mapping out a blueprint for implementing Open Innovation. The first entry in this series talked about the framework I am using to analyze this question, the Ten Commandments of Change Management. Open Innovation is a big change, and therefore requires a change management program. In today's blog, I'll cover the seventh element of the framework:

7. Craft an implementation plan
Use a focused approach to rolling out Open Innovation. Go after low-hanging fruit, drawing other business units in as you demonstrate success. For example P&G’s first deal was to Tropicana which immediately paid the salaries of the 5-person Open Innovation unit. Here is an example implementation plan:

First month

• CEO communicates the need for Open Innovation
• Appoint Chief Innovation Officer
• Identify business unit to pilot Open Innovation
• Set goals with the business unit

Second month

• Staff the Open Innovation unit
• Train R&D on how to work with the Open Innovation unit
• Technology Scouting: Identify and prioritize key market trends and needs
• Technology Marketing: Identify and categorize IP

Third month

• Initiate the Innovation Roadmapping process
• Begin operating your Technology Scouting and Marketing processes
• Continue training and executive communication
• Initiate relationship with peer companies to share best practices

I'll mention again, in the spirit of being open, all of these ideas are open for discussion, so please share your thoughts!

Open Innovation Blueprint: Commandment 6

This continues my on-going blog on mapping out a blueprint for implementing Open Innovation. The first entry in this series talked about the framework I am using to analyze this question, the Ten Commandments of Change Management. Open Innovation is a big change, and therefore requires a change management program. In today's blog, I'll cover the sixth element of the framework:

6. Line up political sponsorship
Several elements of your plan can help you line-up political sponsorship. For one thing, don’t attempt Open Innovation without the CEO’s backing—P&G’s #1 tip. If you can get the CEO to talk publicly to Wall Street, that’s even better because you can use those sound bites to secure support in the organization.

For Technology Marketing, you have to come up with a convincing reason why the business units should make their technological assets available outside of the company. Here it makes sense to devise policies for some of the revenue to flow back to the business unit. For Technology Scouting, create a bit of a competition among the business units to be the first in line to try a new approach that has the CEO’s blessing and stands to accelerate their innovation cycle times.

I'll mention again, in the spirit of being open, all of these ideas are open for discussion, so please share your thoughts!

Open Innovation Blueprint: Commandment 5

This continues my on-going blog on mapping out a blueprint for implementing Open Innovation. The first entry in this series talked about the framework I am using to analyze this question, the Ten Commandments of Change Management. Open Innovation is a big change, and therefore requires a change management program. In today's blog, I'll cover the fifth element of the framework:

5. Support a strong leader role
Many companies have begun to appoint a Chief Innovation Officer in order to make growth sustainable. You need one go-to leader to drive Open Innovation through the organization and to run the day-to-day operation of brokering technology. One set of candidates for the job is your own senior R&D managers. You need someone who commands the respect of R&D people who also has strong business acumen and leadership skills. Another choice might be your Chief Information Officer. If the person commands the respect of R&D, the change of title makes sense since the most important information in a business is that which enables innovation and sustains growth.

I'll mention again, in the spirit of being open, all of these ideas are open for discussion, so please share your thoughts!