Comments on: Collaboration in Innovation Competitions

By: Andrea Meyer

Andrea Meyer — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 17:30:13 +0000

Interesting, thank you for sharing this, Eduardo!

By: Eduardo Hernandez

Eduardo Hernandez — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 16:15:34 +0000

We are doing our best on Open and Social Innovation here in SOuth America. Check this out:

http://andesbeat.com/2011/12/29/techolab-latin-americas-largest-open-and-social-innovation-incubator/

http://andesbeat.com/2012/01/20/pullcolab-pioneers-of-chiles-open-and-social-innovation-platforms/

By: Andrea Meyer

Andrea Meyer — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 15:44:30 +0000

Thanks for your comment, Scott. You’re right, a collaborative approach is very good in the later phases of development in which one needs to convert an idea into a viable product or service. To the extent that a particular innovation has a very long list of strong requirements (e.g., safety, effectiveness, cost limits, size restrictions, customer expectations, etc.), then a collaborative approach can certainly help solve all the myriad subproblems of creating a viable solution.

In contrast, as you note, the competitive approach may be more appropriate for idea generation/brainstorming phases in which one seeks lots of divergent ideas without the filters of feedback and voting common in collaborative tournaments.

Neither approach works all the time. One pitfall of the collaborative approach is the design-by-committee sinkhole which delays the effort and creates an overburdened design. The curse of the competitive approach is that it might generate lots of crazy half-baked ideas, none of which are practical.

Both approaches belong in the open innovator’s toolbox with the proviso that they have different uses for which they are better suited.

By: Scott Wagers

Scott Wagers — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 02:06:53 +0000

Cumulative problem solving is also quite useful. Combining perspectives to address acute issues. This is most relevant more in a project phase of open innovation as opposed to idea generation. The building upon ideas creates some unique solutions. The downside can be a delay in decision making or a solution borne out of compromise.