Sustained Innovation The United States Air Force needed to change their flow of idea to policy makers from “evolutionary” to “revolutionary”. Idea Connections created a breakthrough process separate and yet integrated with main work process, provided Executive Coaching, Succession Planning, and a Cognitive-diversity lexicon. As a result of this partnership, a high-performance organization was created that innovated ahead of its customers. This organization then produced the National Security Architect for post-Soviet world order. GAO estimates that productivity out was that of a group 10 times its size.
Breakthrough Ideation A major oil company contracted Idea Connections to facilitate a program in Breakthrough Ideation. We designed a session based on our comprehensive research on innovators who achieved major breakthroughs in their fields as well as our cutting-edge knowledge of the creative process. We successfully built high levels of trust and energy between a diverse team of Idea Connections and external experts, and generated a wealth of breakthrough ideas, intellectual property, and patent disclosures.
Strategic Problem Solving A leading manufacturer of products for industrial application chose Idea Connections to instruct 150 of its technical specialists in innovation strategies and problem-solving techniques. The ideas and solutions generated as a result are now in successful implementation.
Fostering Innovation A major telecommunications company, faced with rapid change and increasing competition within the industry, identified a need for greater innovation in their management. They conducted a nationwide search for an innovation specialist, and selected Idea Connections from a field of 16 finalists. We provided training for 300 of their managers, who are now applying the techniques they learned with resounding success.
Targeted Innovation A global manufacturing company wished to reduce the capital cost of new plant construction by 50%. Idea Connections' Targeted Innovation program was brought to bear on the problem. Multiple patent applications have been filed on the solutions generated; five breakthrough concepts were selected for development; and several ideas remain in development for application to the next generation of plants.
Internal Venturing Idea Connections president and founder Bob Rosenfeld was instrumental in a major Internal Venturing success. He helped guide a Fortune 50 corporation's launch of a new consumer product division generally unrelated to their core business. This division, now over a decade old, has produced millions in revenues.