Evolution of 3M’s Innovation Process
1. Evolution of 3M’s innovation process
1.1 Shift in Management’s Goal on Innovations
The innovation process shifted away from innovating incremental products or product line extensions to radical products that are completely new to the market. Emphasizing the importance of this shift, 3M’s top management has set a new objective to generate 30% sales from radical products. 1.2 Traditional Market Research
Traditionally, 3M hired market researches to understand the market trends. Other market information came from the 3M product users themselves and also the sales representatives. Whilst it was helpful for 3M to develop more than 30 key technologies, with its new objective to move away from incremental innovation, the traditional market research method was insufficient for a breakthrough product. There was a need for 3M to switch to a better way of gaining market information that can predict what the market needs 5 to 10 years later.
1.3 Employee Innovation Process Schemes
On top of engaging the customers to improve the company’s innovation, 3M also engage the employees by introducing new scheme to motivate them to innovate. Previously, the product inventors could spend 15% of their time apart from their responsibilities to get inspirations for product invention. The Post-it Notes were invented through this time scheme. Additionally, as inventors rise up in their career, they had a choice to either stick to inventing or switch to management. This is otherwise known as the “Dual Ladder” (Thomke, 2002, p. 2) career progression in 3M. On top of that, product designing ideas could be borrowed from the other departments of 3M with the help of its internal showcases. In 3M, failure of innovation meant that the product team would move on to join other project instead of having to face sanctions. Process engineers were also involved in the product teams so that products under development would be effectively made. Such methods used in the innovation process ensured
1.1 Shift in Management’s Goal on Innovations
The innovation process shifted away from innovating incremental products or product line extensions to radical products that are completely new to the market. Emphasizing the importance of this shift, 3M’s top management has set a new objective to generate 30% sales from radical products. 1.2 Traditional Market Research
Traditionally, 3M hired market researches to understand the market trends. Other market information came from the 3M product users themselves and also the sales representatives. Whilst it was helpful for 3M to develop more than 30 key technologies, with its new objective to move away from incremental innovation, the traditional market research method was insufficient for a breakthrough product. There was a need for 3M to switch to a better way of gaining market information that can predict what the market needs 5 to 10 years later.
1.3 Employee Innovation Process Schemes
On top of engaging the customers to improve the company’s innovation, 3M also engage the employees by introducing new scheme to motivate them to innovate. Previously, the product inventors could spend 15% of their time apart from their responsibilities to get inspirations for product invention. The Post-it Notes were invented through this time scheme. Additionally, as inventors rise up in their career, they had a choice to either stick to inventing or switch to management. This is otherwise known as the “Dual Ladder” (Thomke, 2002, p. 2) career progression in 3M. On top of that, product designing ideas could be borrowed from the other departments of 3M with the help of its internal showcases. In 3M, failure of innovation meant that the product team would move on to join other project instead of having to face sanctions. Process engineers were also involved in the product teams so that products under development would be effectively made. Such methods used in the innovation process ensured
Bibliography: SIMO, F. (2007, October 14). Generating Breakthrough Products: the Lead User Methodology. Retrieved from Tech IT Easy : http://techiteasy.org/2007/10/14/connecting-technology-to-market-the-lead-user-methodology/ Thomke, S. (2002). Innovation at 3M Corporation (A). Harvard Business School.