Less than a year after the initial launch of Idea Lab, Innovative is pleased to expand our customer-driven innovation program with a new opportunity for collaboration. The Always Open Space is now open, and we invite customers to share ideas about virtually any aspect of library technology needs.
Idea Lab has seen tremendous success using the Challenge model to engage customers in the enhancement and innovation process. Beginning with the Innovation Challenge focused on Leveraging Data, and continuing through two Product-specific Challenges, focused on Polaris Web Application and Sierra Public Services, respectively, we’ve seen engagement grow to include more than 1,100 individual customers from Innovative libraries across the globe discussing more than 350 unique ideas. Thanks to a dedicated team of almost two dozen IUG volunteers serving as Moderators and Experts, each challenge has produced actionable ideas and clear priorities. Innovative is incorporating the input into the development planning process immediately.
We also want a way to capture ideas from our customers that might not match an open challenge. The new Always Open Space ensures that ideas always have a place to land. “We want to focus development resources on the areas that will deliver the greatest value to our customers,” says Kathryn Harnish, SVP of Product Strategy at Innovative. “Idea Lab gives us an opportunity to hear directly from our customers about their priorities, and to quantify the impact of proceeding with a new development or enhancement. Challenges are one way to ask for that input, and the new Always Open Space is another way we can always be listening for what our libraries need.”
With the addition of the Always Open Space, customers can enter ideas about any current product at any time into Idea Lab. Even better, the Always Open Space is organized so customers can submit ideas for new solutions completely unrelated to current ILS offerings, opening the door to some truly Innovative ideas.
You can learn more about how ideas graduate in the Always Open Space. We invite all Innovative customers to create an account on Idea Lab and join the discussion. Please spread the word to colleagues at your own institutions and beyond to get involved.
Happy Innovating!
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