The term "innovation" has been overused to the point it has little impact in conversation. But that doesn't mean that creating new and different products and ways of getting things done is a dead issue. In fact it's even more important now for enterprises to innovate and bring new things to the table in order to bring in new customers and retain existing ones.
Because so much corporate activity revolves around IT, it is particularly important for the CIO/CTO to find ways to promote and encourage innovation as it pertains to the technology the company uses.
Good Technology's CTO Nicko van Someren has been successful at finding ways to discover sources of innovation from a variety of arenas. Interacting with customers, suppliers, and even competitors can trigger an idea that can bring about significant change. As van Someren explains, "The process for generating ideas can be sporadic. Innovation doesn't always originate within the company's office walls. Often, the inspiration can stem from having interactions with the customers or partners, and hearing fresh perspectives from new sources. It’s a combination of staying in tune with IT developments but also putting yourself in an collaborative environment where innovation is encouraged."
I asked van Someren if he has specific thoughts about how technology executives could proactively encourage innovation within their enterprise. van Someren says, "For the C-level, all executives need to be thinking about IT innovation, not just the CIO and CTO. Providing the questions that need to be answered is often a useful exercise when dealing with a problem or brainstorming new ideas. Beyond the boardroom, sales teams and accountants are often excellent sources as they have a raw perspective on what really impacts the bottom-line. For example, using technology to improve the sales process, and accelerating the time from the customer's initial agreement to payment finalization are all very important processes." Expanding the sphere of influence beyond the realm of IT can bring fresh ideas and perspectives that yield unexpected results.
