The goal of this book is to gather a collection of Open Innovation tools and package them in a way that is digestible and actionable by thoughtful practitioners.  Some of the tools and practices to be covered include: 1) Product Platforming – This approach involves developing and introducing a partially completed product, for the purpose of providing a framework or toolkit for contributors to access, customize, and exploit.  2) Idea Competitions – This model entails implementing a system that encourages competitiveness among contributors by rewarding successful submissions.  3) Customer Immersion – While mostly oriented towards the end of the product development cycle, this technique involves extensive customer interaction through employees of the host organization. 4)Collaborative Product Design and Development – Similar to product platforming, an organization incorporates their contributors into the development of the product.  5) Innovation Networks – Similarly to idea competitions, a firm leverages a network of contributors in the design process by offering a reward in the form of an incentive, and many others.

A clear, practical guide to implementing Open Innovation for new product development Open Innovation: New Product Development Essentials from the PDMA is a comprehensive guide to the theory and practice of the Open Innovation method. Written by experts from the Product Development and Management Association, the book packages a collection of Open Innovation tools in a digestible and actionable format. Real-world case studies drawn from the authors’ own successes and failures illustrate the concepts presented, providing accurate representation of the opportunities and challenges of Open Innovation implementation. Key tools are presented with a focus on immediate applications for business, allowing NPD professionals to easily discern where this cutting edge development method can push innovation forward. Open Innovation assumes that companies can and should use both internal and external ideas and paths to market, permeating the boundaries between firm and environment. Innovations transfer outward and inward through purchase, licensing, joint ventures, and spin-offs, allowing companies to expand beyond their own research and dramatically improve productivity through collaboration. PDMA Essentials provides practical guidance on exploiting the Open Innovation model to these ends, with clear guidance on all aspects of the new product development process. Topics include: Product platforming and idea competitions Customer immersion and interaction Collaborative product design and development Innovation networks, rewards, and incentives Many practitioners charged with innovation have only a vague understanding of the specific tools available for Open Innovation, and how they might be applied. As the marketplace shifts dramatically to keep pace with changing consumer behaviors, remaining relevant increasingly means ramping up innovation processes. PDMA Essentials provides the tools NPD practitioners need to implement a leading innovation method, and drive continued growth.