1. Social Computing on the Ascent

Determining where to focus innovation efforts is a challenging open-ended and uphill battle. Most businesspeople look for answers from product and technical leadership balanced against the current business strategy. This often hinders a wider look at what needs and opportunities exist.

In large multinational organizations such as IBM, with many different product lines, research interests, and industry foci, this is multiplied. IBM’s answer was simple: Ask everyone. In 2006, its InnovationJam online event drew 150,000 business partners, employees, and even family members to focus on a number of high-level innovation themes. IBM has conducted such InnovationJams since 2001, but this was by far the largest. Thousands of users brainstormed, discussed, and debated ideas within each theme online to improve how people stay healthy, work toward a better planet, and improve finance and commerce. By committing $100 million to build new businesses for each theme, IBM created smarter healthcare payment systems, real-time language services, and a 3D Internet project. Gathering input for innovation initiatives and corporate social responsibility isn’t new, but IBM’s approach was an innovation in itself for its time—the company cast a wide net and invited a multitude of perspectives, expertise areas, and deliberation to arrive at the best ideas.