OWP liVe REPORT

Muhdi highlighted five benefits of this virtual, collaborative and democratic approach to innovation:

1. Harness the diverse wisdom of the crowd

4. Learn the skills you need for the future

The crowd offers a diversity of thought, knowledge and capabilities that generates a wider range of possible solutions and perspectives while also driving greater engagement. “It can be hundreds or thousands of internal and external stakeholders – you can engage customers or suppliers that might have a piece of the puzzle to solve your problems,” she said. “We need everybody to chip in, come together in diverse teams to find solutions to the increasingly. complex problems”

As technology takes over more tasks in the workplace, our roles are changing – and so are the skills that we need to nurture to remain competitive as individuals and organisations. “The time we really learn is when we put our skills to work and there is a sense of urgency,” Muhdi said. “Crowdsourcing can be used to develop the most important skills of the future such as complex problem solving, active learning and creativity.”

2. Build ecosystems

5. The future is human-centric

No one has all the answers. Open innovation allows organizations to “try before they buy” with new partners while deepening relationships with existing stakeholders. “Most challenges are not solved by one company alone,” she explained. “We have to reach out and become great at collaboration. Done well strategically, collaboration is a competitive advantage that becomes the catalyst for innovation.”

“Technology makes it progressively easier to access the knowledge, experience and resources of the crowd, but it is just a means to the end,” she said. Crowdsourcing and open innovation is all about people - engagement, participation and the mobilization of resources to co- create via an increasingly connected world.

3. Adapt at speed and foster a learning culture

Innovation cycles can take years. Faster, crowdsourced methods can transform the process as well as corporate culture, creating centers of employee-empowered learning and innovation. “Learning happens fast when we take the real challenges we are facing and try to find solutions for those. If you can democratize the strategy within your organization, you are one step closer to being successful, and moving faster,” she said.