HOW TO INNOVATE FULLY REMOTE

HOW TO INNOVATE FULLY REMOTE?
THE PROBLEM ABOUT REMOTE WORKING IS THAT FOR DEVELOPING INNOVATION IT SOMEHOW SUCKS.
AT LEAST THIS IS WHAT I THOUGHT UNTIL
FRKN CORONA CHANGED EVERYTHING...
NORMALLY WE NEEDED INTENSIVELY PERSONAL EXCHANGE.
NORMALLY WE NEEDED LOTS OF PERSONAL TALKING.
NORMALLY WE NEEDED A LOT OF PEOPLE ALL SITTING IN THE SAME INNOLAB
NORMALLY.
BUT TODAY NOTHING IS NORMAL AT ALL :-(
BUT AS INNOVATORS, WE DON'T COMPLAIN. SO WHAT CAN WE DO INSTEAD?
WE STARTED TO USE A TON OF COLLABORATION TOOLS AND CHANGED OUR APPROACH.
FIRST WE HAD LOTS OF FRICTION  IN THE PROCESS..
AND THEN, SUDDENLY IT WORKED!
OK. WE REALLY HAD TO CHANGE A LOT.
SOME PEOPLE WERE NOT WILLING TO WORK IN SUCH A SETTING.
BUT NOW WE DON'T EVEN WANT TO CHANGE IT BACK ANYMORE;-)
FUN FACT: WE SOMEHOW FEEL MORE CONNECTED SEEING OTHERS WORKING ON THE SAME TASK ONLINE.
BUT HOW IS THIS POSSIBLE?
EXEPT FOR TOOLS LIKE MIRO,ZOOM,XD,PROTO.IO,ETC.
WE ALSO WORK A LOT ON THE RIGHT MINDSET OF PEOPLE...
AS IN EVERY INNOVATION SPRINT ITS VERY IMPORTANT TO GET A COMMON UNDERSTANDING.
WHAT ELSE?
VEEERY TIGHT SCHEDULE.
EVERY DAY IS DIVIDED INTO 15-MIN. TASKS FOR EACH MEMBER.
THE SMALLER THE TASKS, THE MORE LIKELY YOU GET TANGIBLE OUTPUT.
WE ALSO DEFINE THE GOAL FOR EACH DAY UPFRONT.
THIS CAN BE ADJUSTED OFCOURSE. BUT BY THURSDAY EVENING, EACH ONE KNOWS...
...WE WANT TO HAVE A TANGIBLE PROTOTYPE OF OUR SOLUTION.
SO WE FOCUS ON OUTPUT NOT ON DISCUSSIONS.
HOW DO WE DO THAT?
WE GATHER ALL THE DIFFERENT THOUGHTS ON A MIRO BOARD.
THEN, INSTEAD OF DISCUSSING EACH DETAIL, WE HAVE AN ANONYMOUS VOTE.
BASED ON THE RESULTS, WE CARRY ON ITERATING THEM, ALWAYS WITH THE DAILY GOAL IN MIND.
NEXT TOPIC? CLARITY AND HONESTY.
IF WE FIND OUT THAT A TEAM MEMBER IS RUNNING IN THE WRONG DIRECTION OR GETTING LOST IN DETAILS...
WE SAY THAT IN A DIRECT AND POSITIVE MANNER.
SO THE RISK OF DEVELOPING SOMETHING NOT NEEDED WILL BE REDUCED TO THE MAX.
WHAT ELSE IS IMPORTANT?
NO PROJECT MANAGEMENT.
WHY?
BECAUSE IF YOU TASK OVER THE RESPONSIBILI OF EACH TEAM MEMBER, THE WHOLE CONCEPT DOES NOT WORK ANYMORE.
EACH TEAM MEMEBR IS RESPONSIBLE FOR A CERTAIN AREA.
FOR INSTANCE, ONE TEAM MEMBER IS IN CHARGE OF THE BUSINESS MODEL.
THAT DOESN'T MEAN THAT THE OTHERS ARE NOT ALLOWED TO CONTRIBUTE...
BUT THAT'S THE ONE INCHARGE OF KEEPING AN EYE ON THE DEADLINE.
WHAT ABOUT DECISION MAKING?
SAME STORY, THE INNOWEEK TEAM HAS TO BE ENABLED TO TAKE DECISIONS ON THEIR OWN.
IF WE NEED EXTERNAL DECISION MAKERS THEY HAVE TO BE COMPATIBLE WITH AND AVAILABLE FOR THE INNOWEEK PROCESS.
OK-LOTS OF INPUT RIGHT?
ALL THAT DOESN'T HELP?
FOLLOW US FOR MORE INSIGHTS INTO REMOTE INNOVATION SPRINTS.