Click for video: Define Outcomes.mp4


All successful challenges begin outside of Innovation Central as we consider the business issue we are addressing. Some common business issues that make great challenge topics:

  • Identifying / solving customer pain points
  • Identifying process improvements
  • Identifying product or service enhancements
  • Solving for specific scientific, technical or engineering problems


There is no limit to what you and your organization can tackle through challenges. What makes these topics good is they are very quantifiable and we can define a clear business outcome to those participating in the challenge. 


To get this process started, the Innovation Central Consultant works with the Challenge Sponsor to define clear challenge outcomes. Because this is often the first exposure to the Challenge Process for many sponsors, they may not have a fully-developed outcome in mind, or may have many questions for the Innovation Central Consultant. As you structure your discussion with the Challenge Sponsor, consider walking the sponsor through the process, the Innovation Central software or both to align on how you’re going to support the outcomes. Keep this short & high-level, giving your sponsor an opportunity to ask questions as necessary.


You’ll also need to help your Challenge Sponsor help you be successful as a team. Offer the Sponsor guidance as to the Critical Lessons Learned as well as what you will need from the Sponsor around communication, resources and executing ideas. You may want to leave them with The Imaginatik Sponsor Guide (attached) to reinforce these messages.


How to Define the Challenge Outcome

This is the single most critical step in the entire Challenge process. If your targeted outcomes are not clear to you, then they will not be clear to the Challenge Audience or Review Team either. The result is too many generalized ideas, poorly-formed ideas and ideas that no one wants to implement.


Consider this example: 

  • We need new ideas. Enter your ideas.
  • We need to grow our business. We need new ideas.
  • We need $200M of new business in the next year. We need new ideas.
  • We need $200M of new business by December 31. We can realistically implement a maximum of 5 ideas at the most by December 31. We need at least 2 ideas delivering $30M within one quarter, even if the other ideas are more strategic. We don’t want ideas for Product X, since we are retiring it in 9-12 months. Enter your ideas.

Although it’s counter-intuitive, a “blank sheet of paper” is not the best way to begin. Consider this yourself, if someone said to you, “We need new ideas. Enter your ideas.”, what immediately comes to mind? Probably questions like, “Ideas for what purpose?” or “How do I know what ideas would help the situation?” In essence, you need the context surrounding the request for ideas. The Challenge Audience and Review Team will be looking to the Innovation Central Consultant for these answers.