One of the common questions we are asked during pitching is: What will the innovators suggest? This question is not logical. If anyone inside knew what the external innovators will suggest then there would be no need for open innovation.
Open innovation is a process in which the final results can not be clearly defined.
It is not a building blueprint or a client requirement. It is a process which gives results beyond anything that can be imagined internally, which is exactly why it is called open. It is not a waterfall, but an extreme agile approach. And for it to work it must be trusted without the pressure of a clearly defined result.
Open innovation is often held back by the need to have a well defined result, by the attempts to control results.
This is why companies publish less opportunities (challenges) then they could, and the ones published are very precise, with short deadlines, almost describing the solution.
To fully unleash open innovation a company must focus on the process of open innovation, on being open, on asking without controlling the answer.
This is when the open innovation magic works the best. And the company will be rewarded with unexpected genius solutions.
The open innovation process is simple: install OPEN OS, publish as many products, opportunities, projects that can be innovated openly, and start promoting it.
Once the process is trusted by all the major internal and external stakeholders, the results will come in and grow.
Expect the unexpected, trust the process.
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