How Jenni Makes Evaluating Ideas Easy

Evaluating ideas generated in on-line brainstorms is far easier than evaluating randomly generated ideas -- that's because brainstorming results in numerous ideas that solve a similar problem. Hence single ideas can be combined into idea clusters for easier management. Then ideas and clusters can be evaluated using a common set of business criteria, enabling you to determine which ideas offer the greatest value.

Fortunately, Jenni has the best set of evaluation tools known to mankind (or, indeed, womankind):

1. Elimination rounds allow your idea managers (*) to run quick pass/fail evaluation sessions. Ideas which do not pass a basic criterion are eliminated from view. With these ideas out of the way, managers can focus on the more promising ideas. (But don't worry, Jenni sends an encouraging email to owners of eliminated ideas. We don't want your colleagues to feel bad, do we?)

2. Idea clustering allows your idea managers to combine related ideas into one big idea, or "idea cluster". Each idea cluster is evaluated as a single idea, making the evaluation process faster and easier for your subject experts.

3. Evaluation matrix is simple in concept and powerful in practice. Members of the evaluation team compare ideas to criteria sets, ranking each idea according to how well it meets each criterion. Jenni compiles this information into a scorecard for the entire brainstorm as well as detailed evaluation reports for each idea. These are great for identifying ideas with legs (*).

4. SWOT analysis is a classic business tool. If you use SWOT (*) in your company, you'll be glad to know that Jenni has an easy to use SWOT Analysis tool that generates nifty reports as well.

5. Development/export. Once idea managers have identified ideas with legs, they need to help them to walk. Idea Managers can use Jenni's development/export tool to send ideas to subject experts to prepare business cases, projects or anything else.

6. Implementation tagging allows your idea managers to tag ideas which are slated for implementation, thus rewarding the idea submitters and allowing you to keep statistical track of your innovation.

* Put you mouse over asterisks for explanation of terms.