Media Conglomerate Innovation Program

Program Recommendation

Israel Vicars

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Contents

• Concern• Opportunity• Options• Actions• Metrics

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Concern

• Program will generate new ideas from employees– Scalable ideas will be the focus of funding, advancement– These ideas usually leveraged by an enabling technology

• More “Need Pull” ideas, Fewer “Technology Push” ideas– Fewer employees have technology development

backgrounds– Both market and technology perspectives necessary for a

complete idea• Anticipated Concern: Technology consultation and

assistance will be in high demand but short supply

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Opportunity

• Technology Consultation– Technology consultation provided during idea

development, implementation– Connect idea champions with matching consultant

• Technology Implementation Support– Consultants able to create “quick and dirty”

prototypes to immediately test ideas– Consultants who helped at idea stage could be

recruited for launch, implementation stages

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Options• Employees

– Reach out to technology-savvy employees within company– Opportunity for participation and reward without an idea

• Students– Chosen based on completed course work or demonstrated experience– Students participate as an interns; job opportunity if idea takes off

• Freelancers (Volunteer)– Domain experts or technology generalists– NDA required for participation– Appeal of casual consultation and opportunity to join company if idea takes off

• Freelancers (Paid)– Reliable “sandbox” team that helps with new ideas on rolling basis– Contract employees

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Actions

• Company Outreach– Invite employees without ideas to participate as

consultants; emphasize skills in demand• University Outreach– Contact local universities with technical programs– Reach out to relevant student organizations

• Community Outreach– Attend technology and entrepreneur events, Meetup

groups– Network on behalf of idea champions within company

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Metrics• Diagnosis

– Ratio of need-driven ideas to technology-driven ideas– Number of idea champions whose contacts’ and own’ expertise are one-

sided– Number of idea champions desiring technical support and perspective

• Progress– Number of matches between idea champions and consultants– Number of ideas that are significantly improved after consultation

• Success– Number of idea champions who can cite tangible benefit from consultation

by the end of the process– Number of teams formed between idea champions and consultants– Cost-benefit analysis of consultation costs versus benefit to launched ideas

(long term)