strategic action teams fuel innovation at electronic arts
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2013 IMPACT Conference - Bersin by Deloitte Award winnerTRANSCRIPT
GAME ON: Strategic Action Teams fuel innovation for EA Bryan Neider, SVP, COO EA LabelsAndy Billings, VP, Profitable Creativity - EA UniversityWinners of the What Works® Award for High Impact Learning
9000 employees, 33 countries, $4 billion revs.Most importantly…
We inspire and unite through play
Who are we?
WE WERE HERE
NOW BETTER, STRONGER
Awesome.
Big portfolio of well-loved brands
+ Constantly bring fresh ideas to market
Everywhere.
Anywhere in the world our players are
+ Whatever platforms our players are on
Not so simple.
Innovation is:
CONSUMER VALUE
Idea
IdeaIdea
SHAREHOLDER VALUE
CREATIVITY
CAPITAL
Creativity AND Profitability
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Strategic Action Teams = • Powerful combination of Talent and Process
• Generates tangible innovation outcomes
Constructive views about innovation
1: Innovation is in short supply inside large corporations
2: Innovation takes unique skills. Relatively few are “innovation ready”
3: Innovation requires exec commitment – early and from the top is best
4: Innovation needs a well defined owner – exec level preferred
^UN
But I’m actively driving every step of the innovation process. Why aren’t my people innovating?
Don’t drive.
Permit and channel.
Innovation and change go together. A model is darn useful.
Also useful: Talent + Process
Innovation teams in your company?
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How to build a Strategic Action Team
Start here; look for:• Passion• Courage• Initiative• Collaboration• Solutions mindset
Members keep their day jobs, but get time/space to work together.
Strategic Action Team #1: 10@10
Our first Strategic Action Team: April 2010
What good looked like: Spend $30 million, reach 1 million consumers
Challenge: Can we find a way to spend half as much and get 5x the reach?
Design for larger
audiences
Go to market more
effectively
Develop games at lower cost
RADICAL
EFFICIENCIES
Reach 10 million consumers at $10 million = “10@10”
17 people ready to challenge everything.
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Three important surprises during the trip
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Surprises: Scope of ideas
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Surprises: Implementation complexity
Implementation is important. Also complex.
Useful: Talent + Process
Surprises: at official end of project…
We’re not done.
Strategic Action Team #2: Breaking $3B
From crazy $1B dream to real $3B target
Strategic Action Teams
Explicit goal: break $3 billion in digital revenues
Stealth goal: Create innovation talent
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Personal Outcomes
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Personal Outcomes
Individual development
1: People learned individual skills
2: People built trust and partnerships within the org
3: People learned how to get things done across org
Innovation never rests
Awesome, everywhere
#1 or #2 anywhere we play
Still some innovation left to go
Strategic Action Teams
Questions?
Take this home with you:
• Unleash innovation talent in your organization with Strategic Action Teams
• Talent + process = tangible innovation outcomes
Andy [email protected]
Bryan [email protected]