Cisco’s I-Prize is a good example of an open innovation project. On Fastforwardblog.com a nice description of the I-Prize project is given.
The process of the I-Prize project is well-defined and I think that is one of the main reasons why it is a success. For example the clear communication on how ideas are taken to the next level is a strong point. Contestants know exactly what the next step will be if their idea is good enough to make it to the ‘next round’. So it is not simply an online idea suggestion box where all ideas end up on a big pile. The idea management process is clearly formulated and communicated. The result is that incomming ideas are generally well-formulated and people submitting their ideas will not get frustrated about an unclear process. When people can clearly see what happens with their ideas, they will be happy to contribute again the next time.
Read more about the discussion of Cisco’s I-Prize on Fastforwardblog.com.
