The process works essentially as a cycle. Allow us to elaborate:
It starts with a hunch of a problem. Let’s say our team uncovers an issue that may or may not be a real problem. An interview of sorts is conducted with a customer to determine if the hunch is valid. A video presentation is then given, and our customer is presented with a prototype. If the solution seems to be one of interest and potential success, we’ll create a demonstrable solution.
Once the solution is demonstrated and proven to be a success for the customer, it is then tested for other customers that may be experiencing similar issues. If it proves to be effective for at least 5 more customers, it is brought to the Market, and the official Product Launch closes out the Innovation cycle.
That’s a perfect innovation world.
Sometimes though, we’ll essentially need to hit a restart button. If a new solution is not successfully validated, our team heads back to the start where the hunch first arose.
Or, we might take a second route, known as a “pivot.” While not throwing out the solution altogether, we might just need to head in a different direction.
And sometimes, brilliance happens with a simple pivot.
RF-SMART for NetSuite came about years ago as a pivot.
It started with a hunch: That NetSuite users needed data collection in their warehouses. Our team conducted several interviews with customers near our corporate office and found a NetSuite user who verified our suspicion. A prototype was built for their needs and was deemed a success.
The team found though, that if they were to pivot back to the prototype stage, they could tweak the solution to be able to support the original customer but also many others. The new solution was presented again to the customer, and they went live with the updated version. As did more than 130 (and growing) RF-SMART for NetSuite customers.
Want to see the finished product? Check out the robust functionality of RF-SMART for NetSuite.
As for the Innovation team, they’ve moved on to uncover another hunch, and another, and another.
