3rd R&D-Product Development Innovation Summit

ANNOUNCEMENT

The ability of top management to direct innovation in their companies is the focus of Goldense Group, Inc.'s (GGI) R&D - Product Development Innovation Summit, open to the public.  The Innovation Summit will be held Tue/Wed/Thur December 5-7, 2006 in metro Boston. The Innovation Summit is an intensive three-day seminar and workshop that will cover the subjects that are known to challenge top managers that seek consistent innovation.

Innovation is an elusive topic. Is it a culture? Is it about making time for it? Is it about spending more in R&D? Is it about the disposition and personalities of individuals? Is it about having conducive internal processes and practices? Is it about using specific innovation tools, techniques, or facilitating software tools? Can management drive innovation? Should management drive innovation? If it can be managed and driven, what is required and how does one go about it? What is the price to be an innovative company? How long does it take to become more innovative? These are the questions we most often hear from clients and customers over the past twenty years we have been in business.

The goal of GGI's Innovation Summit is to answer the questions that officers and top management ask about how to nurture, facilitate, and enable innovative environments. In addition to the work that GGI has done with our consulting base for the past ten years specifically on innovation, we researched "everything" that is available on the subject of innovation in R&D and product development in 2005. The Innovation Summit will present in a logical structured manner the range of approaches available to top managers, the best practices where they are known, and provide an overview of just about every innovation tool/technique/activity/process that is available today. Twenty years ago, there were about three major tools and a handful of others. Today, there are well over 150 to choose from. The correct choices depend on a company's strategy and its intermediate and long-term goals.

We were quite accurate with the subject matter we presented in our first two Innovation Summits in January and June 2006. Fortunately, a number of "lead users of innovation" attended and they helped us to round out the slight imperfections of the initial Summits. We have further invested in polishing the apple and know that what we have now is quite robust. We are sure that we have a product that is more complete than other seminars and conferences available today, and that our offering is appropriately tailored to meet the needs of top management.

Day One:  Frameworks & Tool Sets For Innovation - Tue December 5 --  addresses the distinction between "innovation" itself and the "innovation process", examines the importance of strategic thinking, and discusses actions at the strategic level that are essential to the creation of a corporate climate for innovation. Over 50 distinct tools now exist to support corporate innovation efforts at several levels in the organization. This tool chest will be inventoried so senior managers know the range of techniques available to them. We will demonstrate one of the tools in a group exercise to do some innovating to close the day.

Day Two:  Key Innovation & Intellectual Property Tools - Wed December 6 -- focuses on the three innovation methods that have stood the test of time. Edward DeBono's "Lateral Thinking" and "Six Hats", Eric von Hippel's "Lead User Analysis" and Genrich Altshuller's "TRIZ" will be examined in some detail. A second major exercise will be conducted to reinforce application of one or more of the tools. We will then turn our attention to the subjects of intellectual property, and its relationship to innovation and invention. Current industry practices have, at best, a loose relationship between the innovators and the moguls of intellectual property. The strategic importance of IP will rise dramatically in the next fifteen years and only a few companies are currently positioned to capitalize on the escalation.

Day Three:  Directing Innovation Implementation - Thur December 7 -- looks at some of the software applications and tools that have become available in recent years.  Software offerings range from those that facilitate innovation methods and techniques, to patent searching and analysis, to tools that manage IP inventories.  Then we will look at measures and metrics of innovation.  Next, we will examine the reward, recognition, and incentive programs that foster innovative cultures and motivate employees to invent.  Finally, we examine how to drive and manage innovation through the supplier base and/or in an outsourced or offshore environment.

This Summit is geared to top-level professionals who manage entire organizations and departments and are responsible for introducing, directing, promoting, and nurturing inventive corporate cultures and/or the invention of new products and ideas for the company.  Participation by teams of managers from the same company in the seminar will greatly enhance the ability to implement the learning upon return to the company.

Reserve your place today - space is limited.  Visit us on line to Register for GGI's Innovation Summit.  Bring three or more members of your corporate team and enjoy further discounts and the power of a connected team ready to return to the company and bring innovation into the forefront.

The seminars will be led by Brad Goldense, a renowned expert on both R&D metrics and rapid product development, accompanied by Don Stewart and John Cronin.  Together, the three instructors have over one-hundred years of industry experience.  For more information about our people, review our GGI Staff.

For more detailed information about the Innovation Summit, including detail content of learning modules, seminar schedule, pricing and hotel accommodations, go to the  R&D - Product Development Innovation Summit Web Site.

If you wish, please download the Brochure for the Innovation Summit.

If you wish, please download the ATaGLANCE for the Innovation Summit.

If you wish, scroll down the page a bit to find Testimonials for the Innovation Summit.  Additional testimonials will be posted soon.  Please check back if you wish to see more before deciding.

The Innnovation Summit is a great opportunity to network with those attending from both your industry and other industries.  With that in mind, ipCapital Group will hold a wine and fine cheese reception after Wednesday's summit. 

If you wish, scroll down the page a bit to find Coursebook for the Innovation Summit.  If you can't attend the Summit but wish to buy the Coursebook separately, please view the listing in our Product Catalog.

For more information about Goldense Group, Inc. (GGI), a twenty-year-old internationally recognized company in the areas of product development and measurement, go to the GGI Home Page, or give us a call at 781-444-5400.

We look forward to seeing you in December!