This post is a part of the 'Innovation Management Practitioners Blog Series.'
When considering launching a WebStorm, there are many options and 
features to consider. We’ve talked about features in our last post - now let’s consider two types of WebStorms, targeted vs. broad spectrum. First let's start by defining our terms. A WebStorm is Brightidea’s web-interface for idea collection and collaboration that facilitates three main front-end functions of idea management- Voting, Submitting, & Commenting- often referred to as an Idea 'Challenge' or 'Campaign'. A targeted WebStorm is topic specific and will often have a defined time period with a predetermined start and end date, while broad spectrum WebStorms are very general in terms of topic focus, and again, often, but not always, are ongoing with no specific timeline.
In the case of a targeted WebStorm, participants are asked to submit ideas on a specific initiative, question, or business challenge. “We are seeking to cut shipping costs by at least 25%,” for instance. On the other hand, one could set up a WebStorm with a much broader topic, or multiple broad themes, that simply request “give us your ideas.” In reality, the broad spectrum WebStorm is like the web-based version of the age-old ‘employee suggestion box,’ a general repository for any kind of suggestion that usually sat tucked in a corner of the company cafeteria or near the water cooler. It was there, yes, but it represented at best a half-hearted attempt on behalf of the employer to give employees a way to submit a suggestion or idea and stopped there. No one really knew what would happen to a submission and in most cases, never heard a response or knew if ideas were ever actually implemented.
While there are exceptions, in most cases, a series of targeted WebStorms are far more successful at achieving real innovation results through a high-level of participation and strong implementation rate.
Here are four reasons why:
1. Helps Secure Executive Buy-In
-A focused WebStorm is driven to find solutions to real business needs. This motivates senior executives to support the campaign, of which typically they are the initiators and sponsors. That support is critical to the resource allocation that makes marketing and elevating the visibility of the WebStorm much easier.
-Convincing senior executives why a WebStorm is valuable also involves stressing the importance of follow-through on idea submissions and provides a level of credibility needed to support evaluation and increases the likelihood of implementation.
2. Creates Community Focus
-Targeted use-cases not only make identifying, but also communicating, objectives to the community easier. And when potential participants better understand the ‘why’ and ‘how’ of the WebStorm, the quality of idea submissions increases.
