The FORTH Innovation Method is a structured 5-step process to jump-start innovation within organizations. It connects three essential elements: focusing innovation efforts, connecting business reality with creativity, and connecting customers to the innovation process. An internal team using the FORTH method will ideate 4 innovative products or services in 14 weeks that are attractive, feasible, and tested with customers. The method leads from exploring opportunities to creating concepts to developing mini business cases with built-in support from involving employees and customers throughout the process.

1. Jump-Start Innovation
With the FORTH Innovation Method
www.forth-innovation.com
www.brightsparksinnovation.com

2. In a fast-changing world innovation becomes essential

3. Innovation is essential but difficult

4. At the fuzzy front end a lot can go wrong
Not invented
by me
In which
direction do we Top management
want to go? rejects all our
ideas
There is hardly any
internal support
We stick to the for new ideas
usual market
conventions
‘The fuzzy front end
of innovation’
Stage-gate process after Robert Cooper
Don’t know We don’t get a lot
what is relevant of time to work on
All our ideas are
for our innovation
really vague
customers!
We are coming up
with the same So we brainstormed, now
ideas over and what……?
over Where do I start?

5. We developed an effective structured method
to jump-start innovation
Stage-gate process after Robert Cooper
Second English edition
Dutch edition 2011

6. FORTH is effective by connecting three essential elements
Focus
Connecting the Connecting business reality Connecting customers to
board, management with outside the box the innovation process
and employees creativity

7. With FORTH your organisation jump-starts innovation
“An internal team using the FORTH innovation method
will ideate four innovative products or services, which
are really attractive and feasible, in 14 weeks.
Unlike brainstorms or hiring external creators to come up
with ideas, the FORTH innovation method leads to
concrete new concepts which are attractive because
they have been tested by customers and are worked
out as mini new business cases.
These innovative concepts have great internal support
because your employees have created them
themselves and customers and decision-makers were
closely involved in the ideation process”.

8. FORTH will take you from business to
Wat is VOORT®? back in five steps
creativity and
 Start: Concrete innovation assignment
 Team: internal team with core team
members and extended team members
 Process: in five structured steps from
business to creativity and back
 Focus: customer-centric
 Output: three to five mini new business
cases
 Time needed: 14 weeks from kick-off
 Time effort: 1 ½ days per week for a core
tam member
How?

10. In step 1 Full Steam Ahead the innovation
assignment is drafted and you will kick-off
Activities
• Choose internal sponsor, project leader and facilitator
• Draft an innovation assignment and planning
• Choose and invite team members
Workshops
• Innovation focus workshop
• FORTH Kick-off
Deliverables
• A SMART concrete innovation assignment
• a committed internal sponsor
• a motivated ideation team
• discover 6-8 innovation opportunities

11. In step 2 Observe and Learn the team explores innovation
opportunities and discovers customer frictions
Activities
• Explore innovation opportunities
• Explore trends & technologies
• Meeting customers
• Discovering customer frictions
Workshops
• Focus groups with customers
• Observe & Learn workshops
Deliverables
• Most promising innovation opportunities
• Most relevant customer frictions

12. In step 3 Raise Ideas the innovation
team creates 12 concept statements
Activities
• Choose brainstorm venue
• Draft braistorm programme
• Invite outsiders
• Facilitate a 2-day Brainstorm
• Improve concrete concepts descriptions
Workshops
• 2-day brainstorm
• Concept development workshop
Deliverables
• 400 – 600 ideas and 12 concept
descriptions ready for customer feedback

13. In step 4 Test Ideas the most attractive
concepts are identified
Activities
• Set up customer research
• Visit customers
• Improve concepts based on feedback
• Choose the best concepts
Workshops
• Concept improvement workshop
Deliverables
• 3-5 well tested concept descriptions to
be worked out as mini new business cases

14. In step 5 Home Coming 3-5 mini new business
cases are drafted and presented
Activities
• Draft mini new business cases
• Present mini new business cases
• Transfer concepts to development teams
• Evaluate the FORTH process
Workshops
• 4 mini new business case workshops
• Presentation
Deliverables
• 3-5 attractive mini new business cases
ready for further development

15. Every phase has concrete deliverables
A smart innovation assigment
6 - 10 innovation opportunities
5 - 10 customer frictions
Best innovation opportunities
12 tested concept descriptions
Best 3 - 5 chosen
400 - 600 ideas
12 concept descriptions
3 - 5 mini new business cases

16. ‘Unfuzzying’ the front end of Innovation

17. FORTH is a real team effort

18. 5 Advantages of FORTH
1. The innovation assignment gives you focus
2. Discover customer insights yourselves
3. Concepts are approved by your
customers
4. Return with mini new business cases
5. Team approach creates internal support

19. More than 20 organisations use FORTH as
their innovation method

20. Clients are very satisfied with
the FORTH innovation method
“FORTH is a wonderful trip with great discoveries and
a great catch. All new concepts are innovative,
attractive to our customers and fit our brands”.
Henk Scheenstra
COO Print Sanoma Media

21. More information?
www.forth-innovation.com
Nello Spiteri
Brightsparks !nnovat!on
nello@brightsparksinnovation.com
+31-618431799
+31-727431111
www.brightsparksinnovation.com