Table of contents
Use these question prompts to bring potential improvements to the surface
Does a Valuable Idea have these characteristics:
A specific action or change
Within the company's control
Has a quantifiable financial impact
Rewards outweigh risks
Either innovative or inventive in its execution
One way to spark Valuable Ideas is to identify a problem, frustration, or challenge:
What problem does your Valuable Idea solve?
What is the root cause of the problem? Where does it originate?
What might change at the point of origin that would result in a better outcome?
You can also spark Valuable Ideas with questions like these:
What keeps you from getting more or better work done?
Where do you see wasted effort?
What would make your job easier or less repetitive?
What would save you time?
How could your time be more profitable for the company?
What would save the company money?
Where do you see wasted expenses?
What would increase sales?
Tips
Talking with coworkers about common or costly frustrations can help you focus on a valuable and profitable Idea.
Valuable and profitable Ideas often take time and iteration to get right. If your initial Idea doesn't seem like a winner, don't dismiss it - keep looking into possibilities.
Almost any Idea has a quantifiable financial impact. If you have a compelling Idea but can't see where the money is, others can help you define the numbers.
See How to phrase a Valuable Idea Pitch to make it stand out to higher-ups.