Source: Josh Greenwald (2003)

Innovation Transfer

• Think about a common problem, using my Mother's categorical chart to help focus your thinking
• Brainstorm a list of problems associated with the problem you have chosen to work on solving
• List other situations in which you've had the same feelings
• Choose a situation that everyone can identify with and can imagine resolving
• Label two columns: Past Situation and Current Situation
• Brainstorm actions you took to alleviate the feelings you had in the past situation
• Transfer ideas from the past to the current situation. In some cases, the same idea may work in both. In others, you will need to adopt the idea to the new situation.

For example:
Original Problem: Racers showing up late for their races
Similar Situation: Software sales demonstration with faulty hardware

Past situation
Rehearse demonstration beforehand
Bring technical expert along
Go to demonstration site and test equipment early
Have back up plan in case equipment fails

Current situation
Review race-day agenda with racers
Form a buddy system
Have team breakfast before race
Have second string racers in case some don't show up

Selecting Ideas

1. Create a Selection Grid:

• Choose criteria, each with a scoring system. You can incorporate Gordon Chang's ideas from his Power Point Presentation.
• i.e. possible criteria: Does this solve an important customer problem, Can we defend this product or service easily, Is there a sizable market to penetrate, Is this ideas realistic, Do we have the necessary competence to pursue this idea etc.
• Make a grid with the criteria across the top and the options on the left hand side. Fill in the grid to evaluate how well each option satisfies the criterion.
• Tally the scores, and select the ideas that has the greatest score.
• i.e. possible scoring systems: yes/no or A/B/C or a 1-10 scale

2. Multi-voting:

• Brainstorm and clarify a list of ideas.
• Have each member assign a total of ten points to one or more of the ideas. For example, team members can assign all of their ten points to one idea, five to one and five to another, one to each idea or any combination.
• Have team members call out their votes in turn .
• Tally the votes for each idea. Narrow the list down to the ideas that received the most votes, or select the idea that had the greatest number of votes.

(Original page by Mary Frangie)