What is idea software?
Idea software, often referred to as idea management software, is a powerful solution that you can use to ask for, collect, analyze, and track ideas from diverse groups of people, also called a “crowd.” For businesses, this typically means employees, but many companies also use it to solicit and vet new ideas from their customers and partners, too. Some organizations even use idea software to involve the broader public in their ideation or innovation efforts.
Idea software is used to address many modern business challenges, for all types of organizations — including B2B and B2C companies, from brand new startups to established enterprises.
Idea management software can help your business:
- Invent new products and services
- Improve the customer experience
- Streamline processes
- Leverage the crowd to understand the value of an idea
- Build a pipeline of new ideas
When someone has an idea they think would benefit their company, sharing it typically means (a) writing it on a slip of paper, putting it in a physical box, and waiting for someone to read it; (b) emailing it to someone you hope will give it a shot; or (c) saying nothing because the decision-makers in your company rarely, if ever, listen to ideas from non-executive employees.
Ideation software changes all of that by making the process of sharing new ideas — and asking for them — digital, trackable, and repeatable. It makes the exchange of ideas and suggestions between leaders and other employees transparent and collaborative. Plus, it allows for immediate feedback from peers and executives on your ideas, because the environment is dynamic, interactive, and backed by science and technology (essentially the opposite of a classic suggestion box).
Ideation Software Creates an Inspirational and Collaborative Environment
Ideation or idea software solutions are one of the most recent in a string of platforms that promise streamlined communication and collaboration capabilities. But the important difference between idea management platforms and those specifically designed for helping people work together is that the former is tailor-made for innovation and of course, ideation (as opposed to projects and tasks). The communication and collaboration that takes place isn’t necessarily about crossing items off a list, but instead, about sharing ideas for developing, expanding, and improving the business in terms of processes, culture, engagement, customer experience, products, and more.
Idea Software Solutions Make Employee Engagement Easy
When people have new ideas, they want to share them. Idea management software gives them a place to do it — one that not only guarantees that those ideas will be heard, but that uses game mechanics (like leaderboards) to make it fun, data to make it fair, and social dynamics (like voting and commenting) to make it valuable and personable. Idea software also exposes people to new possibilities, diverse input, and actual — not assumed — business realities associated with the ideas they share.
Another crucial component of employee engagement? Recognition. An idea management platform (like Spigit, for instance) makes the origin and evolution of ideas crystal clear, so it’s easy to track where an idea came from, how it rose to the top, its potential for generating returns, and eventually, the actual impact it has on the business. So, if Joe from Purchasing submits an idea that ends up saving your company $40,000 per quarter, Joe from Purchasing gets the credit for doing so, keeping him engaged in the success of the organization and interested in contributing new ideas again.
Idea software is a lot of things. Here’s what it’s not.
A tool that only those with advanced computer engineering skills can use.
In fact, it’s the opposite: user-friendly and easy to navigate, with a moderate learning curve and familiar interface.
A substitute for your crowd.
It’s important to remember that idea software is not going to produce a bunch of amazing new ideas for you. You still need people for that — their unique experiences, diverse perspectives, and individual expertise.
A type of artificial intelligence that can come up with its own ideas and will someday replace you.
We promise…human.
