There are plenty of reasons to start using innovation management software today. Besides making the whole innovation process a lot simpler, it enables the employees to receive their due credit. Further, it opens innovation for all departments, involving more minds in creative activities and enriching corporate innovation goals.
Now that you have decided to invest in one, you would want the solution to be as perfect as possible. But, how do you determine that? That is exactly what this blog is all about. Let’s explore the top criteria for choosing the best innovation management software for your organization.
3 Essential Qualities to Look for in Best Innovation Management Software
1. User-Friendly Interface
You must be wondering why this criterion is at #1 despite it not being a major product feature. But, just think about it — what is the first thing that you notice after opening a software? Its user interface (UI). We are not asking you to judge a software just on the basis of its UI. However, if you are investing a significant amount in it, you should make sure that it is easy to use. Especially since you will be dealing with it on a daily basis. If the UI is not user-friendly, no matter how good the software is, using it wouldn’t be a pleasant experience. A good UI saves time, ensures better navigation, and also increases productivity.
2. Idea Management
Any innovation project starts with a creative idea. Brainstorming ideas builds the foundation for the next steps of innovation management. So, idea management should be a basic feature in any innovation management software. The platform should support seamless access and collaboration, which is very important for efficiently gathering ideas as well as discussing them. This includes analyzing their pros and cons, sorting them based on priorities, and finally, selecting the ones to go forward with. Moreover, the software acts as central storage for all ideas including the ones marked for later, so that you can come back to them whenever required.
3. Innovation Analytics
Besides providing a platform for conducting all the innovation activities, an ideal innovation management software should interpret the activities and derive meaningful insights from the same. This analytics from real-time data helps you to keep a track of your innovation key performance indicators (KPIs) such as volume of workable ideas and average time-to-market. Further, as an innovation management software records every step of an innovation project, it provides a full picture of the same in a few clicks. This comes in handy during presentations to higher management or when you just want to review the overall status of projects.
Now, you tell us — are you already using innovation management software? How did you make your decision while selecting the solution? Get in touch & share your experience!
