Off-Site Innovation can indeed spur creativity

I like what Cardinal Health and Crimson Cup are doing in Columbus, OH with offsite innovation spaces. I like the attention they’ve paid to team diversity and on a customer-centered process. P&G’s Innovation Gym is another great dedicated off-site innovation space. I think these organizations are doing the right thing — for their contexts and purposes.

Yes… AND, 

Not every organization can afford separate innovation lab facilities, or, can innovate away from their business location. Or, can even have a dedicated innovation team. Smaller organizations have to innovate Where They Are (and with who they have).

There are a lot of benefits to an outside innovation space, but if that’s not in the cards financially or logistically for your organization, here’s are a few things to consider about your innovation efforts:

1. Innovation is an attitude as much as it is a process. If you’re not innovating now an offsite location isn’t going to fix it. Do things to create an innovation mindset and culture in all parts of your organization. What things can you do? Mandate it (ask for it), Innovation Training, Focused Projects, and Ad-Hoc Temporary Teams.
2. As part of an organizational innovation project, ask for ideas using virtual systems. Make sure you have a focused challenge, and make sure you’ve got resources (people in an ad hoc team) to take the best ideas forward — in a project. Projects alone can change cultures. Check out BrightIdea (a leading Idea Management System).
3. For insights, go to where your customers live. It’s essential to involve customers in your innovation process, but pulling them into a lab isn’t the only way to fly. Go to where they work and/or use your product or service. Then watch them, a lot, before you start asking questions. Observational research is often a great way to inspire innovation (which you can carry forward in projects.)
4. Temporary Off-Site Spaces are an option. There are unique off-site spaces where you can temporarily have an Ad-Hoc Innovation Team work. Existing incubators like 1871 in Chicago, or the Idea Center at Notre Dame are examples where you can rent space for a short term period. For a day or two off-site consider spaces like Catalyst Ranch (Chicago). Museums and universities often have spaces you can rent at a modest price.

If you can afford to do an off-site innovation lab more power to you. If you can’t, innovate where you are, with who you have. If you want to know about how to do that (training, team formation, usage of innovation project frameworks) — you know who to call.