Collaborative support environment for organizational innovativeness

We present preliminary results of the project INNOVISIO, which aims for support of organizational innovativeness in a contract research laboratory. In such an environment, new innovations are the object of everyday activities, and the demand for innovativeness is both emphasized and complicated. The overall objective of the project is: (1) to increase the sensitivity of the organization for new innovations; (2) to identify and experiment platforms for processing of new ideas; and (3) to set up a repository for ideas, tools and supporting material. According to our previous experience, a "creativity manifesto" has only a temporary effect on innovativeness. To overcome this, our approach is to introduce a cultural change through defined procedures, aiming for identifying and exploring new ideas. Our focus is on concrete methods and procedures for idea generation, on creation and maintaining an accessible repository of ideas and knowledge, and on techniques for idea verification and exploration. First experiences of creativity techniques, intranet and of an associated virtual reality prototyping project are presented. Information technology provides means to define and standardize organizational procedures. We foresee applications for idea and knowledge repository and for idea exploration methods. Creativity techniques can be used as an auxiliary aid. Intranet should be used as an integrating concept, although some technical challenges remain to be solved. Resources for further development of new ideas and potential innovations are allocated using a "virtual enterprise" framework.