Just ran across a great blog entry on Lauchlan MacKinnon's Idea Management Systems blog, who was commenting on Jay van Zyl's Built to Thrive blog (isn't re-blogging fun?!?!). 

Anyway, the gist of the blog entry was that Idea Management software, without a supporting back-end of systems, processes, tools, techniques, management resources, etc. results in confusion, poor results and eventually, abandoned Idea Management software.

I couldn't agree more!  A tool (like Idea Mgmt software) is only useful if the information going in serves to further feed an idea management and/or innovation management system/process.  If you collect a bunch of great ideas with the tool, but don't have a process or mechanism to review, rank, communicate, select the ideas for further consideration, what good is it other than a really expensive database?

Organizations that simply hang the idea suggestion box (virtual or otherwise) thinking that will make them innovative are delusional and are in need of immediate innovation management consultation.  Contact us!