Roche Experience with Open Innovation

-ANAGEMENT ,ABNOTES
)NSIGHTS IDEAS AND INSPIRATION FROM -,AB
)SSUE \ *UNE )N THIS ISSUE
4HE IDEA EXCHANGE AT 5"3
-AKING SENSE OF YOUR MANAGEMENT MODEL
(OW DO YOU BRING INNOVATION INTO THE MAINSTREAM
OF ESSENTIALLY CONSERVATIVE ORGANISATIONS
3IMON #AULKIN REPORTS ON A GROUNDBREAKING
INITIATIVE AT 5"3 )NVESTMENT "ANK P
*ULIAN "IRKINSHAW AND *ULES 'ODDARD EXPLAIN HOW
ORGANISATIONS CAN DO A BETTER JOB OF USING A MANAGEMENT
MODEL TO ENHANCE THEIR COMPETITIVENESS P
$EBATING INNOVATION
*ULIAN "IRKINSHAW AND 3TUART #RAINER REPORT ON HOW 2OCHE
$IAGNOSTICS IS EXPLORING AN EXPERIMENTAL APPROACH TO
HARVESTING BRIGHT IDEAS P
!N ARTICLE BY 3TEFAN 3TERN IN THE &INANCIAL 4IMES IGNITED A
PUBLIC DEBATE BETWEEN -,ABS *ULIAN "IRKINSHAW AND !NDREW
#AMPBELL ,AB.OTES PROVIDES AN ARMCHAIR SEAT TO THE BATTLE
OF IDEAS P
4HE &ACEBOOK 'ENERATION VS THE &ORTUNE 4HE EXPERIENCE OF GROWING UP ONLINE WILL PROFOUNDLY
SHAPE THE WORKPLACE EXPECTATIONS OF h'ENERATION &v
n THE &ACEBOOK 'ENERATION 'ARY (AMEL OUTLINES
THE NEW REALITIES P
#OMBINE (ARVESTING
&REEDOMBASED MANAGEMENT
"ILL .OBLES AND 0AUL 3TALEY LOOK BACK OVER THE EVOLUTION OF
MANAGEMENT AND CONCLUDE THAT A NEW MODEL n FREEDOMBASED
MANAGEMENT n PROVIDES THE FOUNDATION FOR THE FUTURE P
/UT AND ABOUT WITH -,AB
2ECENT AND FORTHCOMING -,AB EVENTS P
4HE IDEA
EXCHANGE
AT 5"3
(OW DO YOU BRING INNOVATION INTO THE MAINSTREAM OF ESSENTIALLY
CONSERVATIVE ORGANISATIONS 3IMON #AULKIN REPORTS ON A GROUNDBREAKING
INITIATIVE AT 5"3 )NVESTMENT "ANK
ST BANKS ARE CREATURES OF HIERARCHY TRADITION AND CONFORMITY 4HEY ARE NOT ALONE IN THIS
COURSE n SO ARE MOST COMPANIES FULL STOP n BUT THEY ARE ALONE AS WE NOW KNOW ONLY
WELL IN THE SEVERITY OF THE CONSEQUENCES WHEN SUCH MANAGEMENT CONSERVATISM IS
TESTED TO DESTRUCTION BY THE SYSTEMIC COMPLEXITY OF THE INDUSTRYS PRODUCTS AND PROCESSES
4HANKFULLY THERE ARE EXCEPTIONS TO THE NORM 3VENSKA (ANDELSBANKEN CONSISTENTLY THE
MOST SUCCESSFUL .ORDIC BANK AND 5"3S 7EALTH -ANAGEMENT ARM HAVE BOTH MADE
INNOVATIONS IN THE AREA OF PLANNING AND BUDGETING THAT CHANGE THE WAY MANAGERS THINK
ABOUT THEIR BUSINESS "UT IT IS FAIR TO SAY THAT ON THE WHOLE MANAGEMENT INNOVATION HAS
NOT BEEN HIGH ON TOP BANKERS AGENDA
4HIS MAKES THE ATTEMPT BY A GROUP OF hRENEGADESv AT 5"3 )NVESTMENT "ANK TO
BRING INNOVATION INTO THE MAINSTREAM DOUBLY INTERESTING .OT ONLY WAS THE NOTION
OF LIBERATING THE IDEAS FEELINGS AND OPINIONS OF THE WIDER EMPLOYEE BASE UNFAMILIAR
IN ITSELF IN ADDITION IT STARTED AS A BOTTOMUP GRASSROOTS EXPERIMENT
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4HE $AVID AND %LAINE 0OTTER
#HARITABLE &OUNDATION
WWWMANAGEMENTLABORG
\ ,ABNOTES
#OMBINE HARVESTING
-IX THE WISDOM OF INTERNAL AND EXTERNAL NETWORKS AND YOU MIGHT JUST COME UP WITH BRILLIANT
AND UNEXPECTED SOLUTIONS TO APPARENTLY INTRACTABLE PROBLEMS *ULIAN "IRKINSHAW AND
3TUART #RAINER REPORT ON HOW 2OCHE $IAGNOSTICS IS EXPLORING AN EXPERIMENTAL APPROACH TO
HARVESTING BRIGHT IDEAS
7HEN IT COMES TO INNOVATION THE STAKES DONT COME MUCH HIGHER THAN IN THE PHARMACEUTICAL
INDUSTRY )NNOVATIVE SOLUTIONS FOR SERIOUS MEDICAL PROBLEMS COME WITH AN ENORMOUS PRICE TAG
4HE 3WISS COMPANY 2OCHE SPENT BILLION 3WISS FRANCS ON 2$ IN ALONE n NEARLY PER CENT OF ITS SALES "UT THERE IS ALSO A PRIZE DRUGS AND DIAGNOSTICS WHICH HELP PEOPLE LIVE
LONGER HEALTHIER LIVES
h4HERE IS NOT ECONOMY OF SCALE IN RESEARCH )N RESEARCH ITS ECONOMY OF IDEASv FORMER 2OCHE
#%/ &RANZ (UMER AND CURRENT CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OBSERVED -AXIMISING THE
BANG PER 2$ BUCK LIES AT THE HEART OF 2OCHES BUSINESS 'IVEN THE SIZE OF THE ORGANISATION
n WITH EMPLOYEES 2OCHE OPERATES IN COUNTRIES AND HAS 2$ OPERATIONS IN
%UROPE .ORTH !MERICA AND !SIA0ACIlC AS WELL AS NUMEROUS STRATEGIC ALLIANCES IN A NETWORK
OF PARTNERSHIPS AROUND THE WORLD n AND THE ISSUES IT IS DEALING WITH THIS IS ALWAYS A CONTENTIOUS
AREA BOTH INTERNALLY AND EXTERNALLY 2OCHE LIKE OTHER 2$ INTENSIVE COMPANIES HAS TO BALANCE
ORGANISATION WITH FREEDOM DIVERSITY WITH DIRECTION BUDGETING WITH BRILLIANCE
/NE OF THOSE AT THE FOREFRONT OF EXPLORING THIS DEMANDING BALANCE IS 4OD
"EDILION THE #ALIFORNIABASED DIRECTOR OF TECHNOLOGY MANAGEMENT AT THE #HIEF
4ECHNOLOGY /FlCE OF 2OCHE $IAGNOSTICS 4HIS PART OF 2OCHE IS A WORLD LEADER
IN IN VITRO DIAGNOSTICS 4HIS INCLUDES PRODUCTS USED TO TEST BLOOD AND TISSUES
TO OBTAIN INFORMATION FOR EARLY DETECTION DIAGNOSIS PREVENTION AND TREATMENT
MONITORING OF DISEASES
4HE RESEARCH IS HIGHLY SPECIALISED AND COMPLEX 4HE DIAGNOSTICS RESEARCH
IS SEPARATED INTO lVE LARGELY SEPARATE BUSINESS AREAS n !PPLIED 3CIENCE
-OLECULAR $IAGNOSTICS $IABETES #ARE 0ROFESSIONAL $IAGNOSTICS AND 4ISSUE
$IAGNOSTICS %ACH HAS A COMPLEX PRODUCT PORTFOLIO WITH CUSTOMER AND
TECHNOLOGY WHICH CAN OVERLAP h2OCHE IS A VAST ECOSYSTEMv SAYS 4OD "EDILION
HIMSELF A SCIENTIST WITH A 0H$ IN MOLECULAR BIOLOGY AND OVER A DECADE OF
EXPERIENCE IN COMMERCIAL RESEARCH
4HE POWER OF NETWORKS
)N !PRIL A CROSSFUNCTIONAL TEAM OF 2OCHE MANAGERS WAS PUT TOGETHER TO TAKE A FRESH LOOK
AT THE COMPANYS INNOVATION PROCESSES 7ERE THERE SMARTER WAYS OF WORKING THAT WOULD HELP
2OCHE TO UTILISE ITS KNOWLEDGE BASE MORE EFFECTIVELY 4HE TEAM CONSISTED OF MEMBERS FROM THE
53 3WITZERLAND AND 'ERMANY AND REPRESENTED SEVERAL FUNCTIONAL AREAS THERE WERE SCIENTISTS
A QUALITY CONTROL MANAGER AN ATTORNEY AN )4 SPECIALIST AND A PRODUCT PORTFOLIO MANAGER 4HE
MIX WAS MOST DElNITELY THE THING
h(OW WE STARTED WAS THE IDEA THAT NETWORKS ARE POWERFUL ENTITIES AND OUR HYPOTHESIS WAS THAT
SMALL 2$ TEAMS COULD GAIN IMMENSELY FROM COORDINATING THEIR EFFORTS OR BEING ABLE TO REACH
OUT TO THEIR COLLEAGUES ACROSS THE OTHER BUSINESS AREAS AND AT THE SAME TIME REACHING BEYOND
THE TRADITIONAL CHANNELS IN BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT AND LICENSING FOR THIRD PARTIES TO THE EXTERNAL
WORLDv SAYS "EDILION
4HE TEAM KNEW THIS WAS HARDLY GROUND BREAKING 4OOLS SUCH AS &ACEBOOK 7IKIS AND SO
ON SUGGEST THERE IS HUGE BUSINESS POTENTIAL IN RELATIVELY MODEST TOOLS THAT ALLOW PEOPLE TO
COLLABORATE MORE EFlCIENTLY AND TRANSPARENTLY 4HE ORIGINALITY FOR 2OCHE AND FOR MANY OTHER
ORGANISATIONS FACED WITH SIMILAR ISSUES LIES IN ACTUALLY BRINGING NETWORKS TO LIFE AND LEVERAGING
THEIR POTENTIAL
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\ ,ABNOTES
#OMBINE HARVESTING CONTINUED
4O GET A SENSE OF WHERE THE BIGGEST OPPORTUNITIES MIGHT LIE THE TEAM SENT OUT A SURVEY TO THE
2$ STAFF ACROSS 2OCHE $IAGNOSTICS PEOPLE RESPONDED h4HE BASIC STORY EMERGING FROM
THIS SURVEYv "EDILION OBSERVED hWAS THAT PEOPLE COULD SEE ENORMOUS POTENTIAL IN INCREASED
COLLABORATION BUT THEY DIDNT KNOW HOW TO DO ITv 4HE NUMBER OF HIERARCHICAL LEVELS A LACK OF
RESOURCES AND PRESSURE TO DELIVER WERE ALL MENTIONED AS MAJOR OBSTACLES
h4HE SURVEY SUGGESTED THAT COLLABORATION WAS LATENT ALL READY TO BE HARVESTED IF WE COULD
lGURE OUT HOW TO DO IT IN THE RIGHT WAYv SAYS "EDILION
h4HE OVERRIDING HYPOTHESIS WAS THAT BY PUTTING MORE EYES ON THE PROBLEM BY CREATING
VIRTUAL NETWORKS WE WOULD BE ABLE TO SOLVE PROBLEMS QUICKLY AND MORE EFlCIENTLYv SAYS 4OD
"EDILION h4HE ORGANISING PRINCIPLE WAS THAT THEY HAD TO BE REAL PROBLEMS THINGS WE WERE
ACTUALLY WORKING WITH RIGHT NOW AND WOULD HAVE VALUE IF THEY WERE SOLVEDv
7ITH A FAITH IN THE POWER OF NETWORKS A MULTIDISCIPLINARY DREAM TEAM AND A RANGE OF REAL
TROUBLESOME PROBLEMS THE NEXT STEP WAS TO IDENTIFY A SUITABLE MEANS OF EXPERIMENTATION
4HE CHALLENGES
! GUIDING PRINCIPLE FOR THE TEAM WAS hYOU CANNOT FULLY UNDERSTAND SOMETHING
UNTIL YOU TRY TO CHANGE ITv )N OTHER WORDS TO lND OUT WHY COLLABORATIVE
INNOVATION WAS SO DIFlCULT THEY NEEDED TO DESIGN AN EXPERIMENT TO CHANGE
THE NATURE OF COLLABORATION
4HEY QUICKLY HIT ON AN IMPORTANT IDEA WHY NOT CHALLENGE TWO DIFFERENT
NETWORKS OF SCIENTISTS TO TACKLE THE SAME PROBLEM )F ONE GROUP MAKES MUCH
BETTER PROGRESS THAN THE OTHER THEN IT SHOULD BE POSSIBLE TO ISOLATE THE FACTORS
THAT MADE THE DIFFERENCE !FTER KICKING AROUND A NUMBER OF POSSIBLE DESIGNS
THEY GRAVITATED TOWARDS A SIMPLE COMPARE AND CONTRAST BETWEEN AN INTERNAL
2$ COMMUNITY IE EMPLOYEES OF 2OCHE $IAGNOSTICS AND AN EXTERNAL
NETWORK OF SCIENTISTS
&OR THE INTERNALLYFOCUSED PROJECT THE TEAM CHALLENGED THEIR COLLEAGUES WITHIN 2$ TO OFFER UP
A SET OF REAL CURRENT PROBLEMS THAT NEEDED WORK 3IX CHALLENGES WERE IDENTIlED FROM ACROSS
THE "USINESS !REAS AND TOUCHING ON A VARIETY OF PROBLEMS FROM MECHANICAL ENGINEERING TO
BIOCHEMISTRY
4HE TEAM BROADCAST THE SIX CHALLENGES ACROSS THE 2OCHE 2$ NETWORK IN *UNE "Y .OVEMBER
THEY HAD CONTACTED OVER MEMBERS OF THE 2$ COMMUNITY PEOPLE LOGGED ONTO
THE ONLINE SYSTEM AND READ THE CHALLENGES IN DETAIL PROPOSALS EMERGED -ANY OF THESE
PROPOSALS LACKED DETAIL BUT THERE WAS ONE REAL GEM A NOVEL SOLUTION TO EFlCIENT POWER
MANAGEMENT IN A PORTABLE INSTRUMENT )T WAS ACTUALLY SOLVED BY A SCIENTIST AT A DIFFERENT
SITE IN A DIFFERENT FUNCTION SO HE HADNT MADE THE CONNECTION BEFORE TO THE TEAM WORKING ON
THE POWER MANAGEMENT CHALLENGE h)T WAS A BEAUTIFUL EXAMPLE OF LINKING PEOPLE ACROSS AN
ORGANISATION WHO HAVE ALLIED INTERESTS ARE WORKING IN THE SAME lELD THEYRE TRYING TO SOLVE THE
SAME PROBLEM AND THESE PEOPLE SIMPLY DIDNT KNOW TO ASK EACH OTHER !ND THE PROBLEM MAY
HAVE BEEN SOLVED THAT SIMPLY 7ERE EXPLORING THAT NOWv SAYS "EDILION
'OING OUT
4HE SECOND PART OF THE EXPERIMENT WAS TO TAKE ONE OF THE CHALLENGES TO THE OUTSIDE WORLD
"ECAUSE OF THE COST INVOLVED THE TEAM CHOSE ONE OF THE SIX CHALLENGES TO lND A MEANS
OF BETTER MEASURING THE QUALITY AND AMOUNT OF A CLINICAL SPECIMEN AS IT IS PASSED THROUGH
ONE OF 2OCHES AUTOMATED CHEMISTRY ANALYZERS 4HIS PROBLEM HAD IN ONE FORM OR ANOTHER
BEEN WRESTLED WITH FOR MANY YEARS INVOLVING RESEARCHERS THROUGHOUT 2OCHE AND ITS
EXTERNAL PARTNERS
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\ ,ABNOTES
#OMBINE HARVESTING CONTINUED
4O MANAGE THE PROCESS OF INVITING OUTSIDERS INTO 2OCHES 2$ PROCESS THE TEAM DECIDED TO
WORK WITH )NNO#ENTIVE BASED IN 7ALTHAM -ASSACHUSETTS &OUNDED IN )NNO#ENTIVE
CLAIMS TO BE THE WORLDS hlRST OPEN INNOVATION MARKETPLACEv )T IS A GLOBAL WEB COMMUNITY
WHICH ENABLES SCIENTISTS ENGINEERS PROFESSIONALS AND ENTREPRENEURS TO COME UP WITH
SOLUTIONS TO PROBLEMS POSED BY ORGANISATIONS INCLUDING 0ROCTER 'AMBLE %LI ,ILLY AND
3OLVAY )NNO#ENTIVE HAS AROUND WHAT IT CALLS hSOLVERSv IN ITS NETWORK !NYONE CAN BE
A SOLVER AND THEY PROVIDE THEIR IDEAS ANONYMOUSLY 9OU SIMPLY GO TO THE NETWORK SIGN UP AND
AGREE TO THE TERMS AND CONDITIONS 9OU MAY BE A YEAR 0H$ CHEMIST A GRADUATE STUDENT
OR A SCIENTIlCALLY TRAINED HOUSEWIFE h4HE IDEA IS TO INCREASE THE NUMBER OF SHOTS ON GOAL
9OU NEVER KNOW WHERE A SOLUTION IS GOING TO COME FROMv SAYS "EDILION
)NNO#ENTIVE BOASTS AN AVERAGE SUCCESS RATE OF PER CENT AND AS
"EDILION PUTS IT IS hVERY SENSITIVE TO THE MECHANISMS FOR HANDLING
INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY 4HIS WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN DOABLE WITHOUT A VERY
THOUGHTFUL APPROACH TO HOW YOU HANDLE ANY KIND OF INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY
THAT EMERGES 7E WORKED WITH )NNO#ENTIVE TO RElNE THE PROPOSALv !
AWARD WAS INCLUDED IF A SOLUTION WAS PRODUCED
4HE CHALLENGE WAS POSTED ON THE )NNO#ENTIVE NETWORK AND HAD ALMOST
READERS IN TWO MONTHS 4HE RESULT WAS PROPOSALS FROM AROUND
THE WORLD 4HEIR QUANTITY AND QUALITY TOOK "EDILION AND HIS TEAM BY
SURPRISE h4HE PROPOSALS WERE INCREDIBLEv HE SAYS h)N CONTRAST TO THE
INTERNAL NETWORK RATHER THAN BEING ONE OR TWO LINES MANY WERE MULTIPLE
PAGES 3OME PEOPLE HAD DONE EXPERIMENTS 4HERE WERE DIAGRAMS
4HERE WERE DRAWINGS THAT lLLED AN ENTIRE NOTEBOOK 7E WOULD HAVE BEEN
DELIGHTED IF WE COULD HAVE GOT MUCH OF THE WORK OUT OF OUR OWN RESEARCH
ORGANISATIONv
4HE PAYOFF WAS APPARENT !S 4OD "EDILION NOTED h) COULDNT PUT TEN
PEOPLE IN A ROOM AND HAVE A BRAINSTORMING SESSION OR A SEMINAR FOR TWO
DAYS FOR THE SAME COST WITH ALL THE TRAVEL INVOLVED !ND ) WOULD HAVE GOT A
FEW HUNDRED STICKY NOTES RATHER THAN AN ENTIRE NOTEBOOK WITH SEPARATE
DETAILED PROPOSALSv
!ND MOST IMPORTANT OF ALL THERE WAS A RESULT "ASICALLY IN DAYS 2OCHE
WAS ABLE TO SOLVE A PROBLEM THAT IT AND ITS PARTNER HAVE BEEN TINKERING
WITH AND OPTIMIZING FOR THE LAST YEARS 4HE SOLUTIONS PROVIDED ACTUALLY
MIRRORED THE ENTIRE HISTORY OF 2OCHES 2$ PROGRAMME !LL OF THE SOLUTIONS
2OCHE HAD TRIED CAME IN
)NCREDIBLY MORE THAN ONE SOLVER HIT UPON THE SAME NOVEL SOLUTION !T THE TIME OF WRITING
2OCHE IS ANALYSING EACH OF THEM .O FORMAL TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER HAS YET BEEN AGREED
-AKING SENSE OF THE RESULTS
7HAT TO MAKE OF THE lNDINGS !T lRST GLANCE YOU MIGHT EXPECT THE INTERNAL 2$ COMMUNITY
TO PROVIDE BETTERQUALITY ANSWERS n THEY HAVE THE NECESSARY TECHNICAL EXPERTISE AND THE
SAME OVERRIDING INTEREST IN 2OCHES WELLBEING "UT IT WAS NOT SO &OR THE MOST PART INTERNAL
RESPONSES TO THE CHALLENGES WERE DISAPPOINTING -ANY WERE ONELINERS A HANDFUL EXTENDED
TO A PARAGRAPH OR TWO $ESPITE THE FACT THAT THEY GOT A SOLUTION TO ONE OF THE PROBLEMS
THE 2OCHE TEAM DIDNT SEE THE INTERACTIVE DISCUSSION AND EXCHANGE OF IDEAS THAT THEY HAD
ANTICIPATED 4HE MEMBERS OF THE )NNO#ENTIVE NETWORK ON THE OTHER HAND WERE MOTIVATED
AND SEEMINGLY AS KNOWLEDGEABLE /BSERVES "EDILION h#LEARLY THE lNANCIAL INCENTIVE PLAYED
ITS PART HERE BUT WE THINK THERE IS MORE GOING ON n PEOPLE ALSO SEEM TO GET INTRINSIC VALUE OUT
OF SHARING THEIR EXPERTISE THROUGH THIS COMMUNITYv
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\ ,ABNOTES
#OMBINE HARVESTING CONTINUED
3O WHAT IS THE LEARNING WITHIN 2OCHE h7E STILL THINK THERES A HUGE AMOUNT OF VALUE IN
INTERNAL WEBBASED FORUMS 7E SIMPLY DONT KNOW HOW TO DO ITv ADMITS 4OD "EDILION (E AND
HIS COLLEAGUES ARE WORKING TOGETHER TO UNDERSTAND THE DYNAMICS OF THE SYSTEM INCENTIVE
STRUCTURES AS WELL AS THE KINDS AND SCOPE OF THE PROBLEMS THAT SHOULD BE POSED AND HOW
QUESTIONS SHOULD BE ASKED
4HIS DOES NOT SUGGEST THAT EMPLOYEES ARE LESS INNOVATIVE BUT SIMPLY THAT THIS CHANNEL TO
THEIR CREATIVITY IS NOT YET FULLY UNDERSTOOD AND IS DIFlCULT TO UTILISE
)NSIGHTS FROM 2OCHE $IAGNOSTICS
7ORK ON THE QUESTION
/NE OF THE HARDEST PROBLEMS IN DESIGNING THE EXPERIMENT WAS lGURING OUT EXACTLY WHAT
QUESTION TO ASK 7HEN YOURE ASKING FOR HELP SOLVING A PROBLEM HOW MUCH DETAIL DO YOU
HAVE TO GIVE 4HE QUALITY OF ANSWERS IS USUALLY RELATED TO THE QUALITY OF THE QUESTIONS 3AYS
4OD "EDILION h7E HAD THE FULL SPECTRUM ON THE TEAM PEOPLE WHO BASICALLY SAID WE HAVE TO
PUT IT DOWN IN A FEW SENTENCES AND OTHERS WHO WERE ADAMANT THAT WE HAD TO PROVIDE ENOUGH
DETAIL AND STRUCTURE SO THAT SOMEONE WHO WASNT FAMILIAR WITH THE SPACE COULD ACTUALLY GET IN
THERE AND TURN THINGS OVER 4HE LATTER APPROACH IS WHAT WE LARGELY FOLLOWEDv
"ACK OPENNESS WITH KNOWLEDGE
2OCHE FORMED AN EXPERT TEAM FOR EACH OF THE SIX CHALLENGES TO LOOK AT ANY SOLUTIONS
SUBMITTED 4HE TEAMS WERE MADE UP OF PEOPLE WHO WERE CURRENTLY WORKING ON THE PROJECT
AND PEOPLE WHO WERE NEW TO THE ORGANISATION 4HIS COMBINATION TURNED OUT TO BE CRITICAL h)T
WAS OFTEN A REALLY EMOTIONAL HEATED DEBATE AS THESE CHALLENGES CAME IN /NE EXPERIENCED
EXPERT WAS STRONGLY OPPOSED TO THE WINNING SOLUTION )T WASNT HIS SOLUTION 3O WE SAW IN A
MICROCOSM WHAT PLAYS OUT ACROSS ORGANISATIONS EVERY DAYv
/PEN INNOVATION OPEN LEARNING
7HILE THE DESIGN OF THE EXPERIMENT WAS CAREFULLY STRUCTURED THERE WAS STILL PLENTY OF SCOPE
FOR LEARNING ON THE JOB &OR THE 2OCHE TEAM A KEY LESSON WAS IN MARKETING .ONE WERE
MARKETERS SO lRST THEY HAD TO LEARN HOW TO SELL PROMOTE AND LAUNCH A NEW INTERFACE )NITIALLY
THEY THOUGHT IT WAS A QUESTION OF EXTRACTING EVERYONES EMAIL ADDRESS IN THE ORGANISATION
SENDING THEM AN EMAIL DESCRIBING THE PROBLEM OR THE OPPORTUNITY AND INVITING THEM TO CLICK
ON THE WEBSITE -ODEST RETURNS RESULTED n A FEW HUNDRED PEOPLE CLICKED ON THE LINK 4HE
EMAIL WAS THEN SIMPLIlED AND SOME WERE SPONSORED OR SENT OUT BY THE HEADS OF 2$ !
POSTER WAS PUBLISHED AND HUNG UP ON THE WALLS OF ALL THE BUSINESS AREAS 4HE lNAL VERSION OF
THE POSTER OFFERED A MODEST INCENTIVE n AN !PPLE I0OD 4OUCH
%VERYONE LIKES AN EXPERIMENT
4OD "EDILION A SCIENTIST BY TRAINING CONSTANTLY THINKS IN TERMS OF EXPERIMENTS
4HIS HE ARGUES IS AN IMPORTANT FACTOR AND A DIFFERENTIATOR IN HOW PEOPLE VIEW OPEN
INNOVATION ACTIVITIES
h7E SET IT UP AS AN EXPERIMENT AS AN ACTUALLY COMPARE AND CONTRAST WITH A DESIGNED INPUT
AND MEASURABLE OUTPUT "ECAUSE OF THIS ) THINK WE SAW A POSITIVE RESPONSE FROM EVERYBODY
THAT WE PRESENTED TO 4HAT WAS PROFOUND IT WAS QUANTITATIVELY DIFFERENT THAN THE RESPONSE
TO THE AVERAGE PRESENTATION WHICH IS MORE AROUND OPINION AND SOMETIMES AROUND DATA
BUT RARELY AROUND AN EXPERIMENT )T WAS VERY POWERFUL IN EXPLAINING THERES A WHOLE RANGE OF
PROBLEM SOLVING THAT WE SIMPLY DONT HAVE ANY EXPERIENCE OF 7E CANT COMMENT UNTIL WE
TRY ITv
*ULIAN "IRKINSHAW JBIRKINSHAW LONDONEDU IS COFOUNDER OF -,AB AND 3TUART #RAINER
SCRAINER LONDONEDU IS THE EDITOR OF "USINESS 3TRATEGY 2EVIEW
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