The Scaling Up Phase is the first phase in which the innovation (which has passed the most important experiments) is brought under the management of the organization’s line management, in most cases referred to as the Business Owners. During this phase, the ownership of the innovation is transferred from the Innovator to a Business Owner. This process is managed by a CIB Ambassador which is appointed by the Continuous Innovation Board. The Scaling Up Phase extends across the Innovation Level into the Portfolio Level, where the total value of the portfolio of innovations is evaluated and managed using Innovation Metrics practices. In the Organization Level, the Business Owner works together with the CIB Ambassador to ensure the viable scale-up of the innovation to an operational state (as product, service, process etc.).
Innovation Level – Scaling Up Experiments
At the Innovation Level, the innovation is still considered to be an experiment and is continuously validated for its business value delivery. The purpose of the Scaling Up Phase is to turn the innovation into a clearly defined and positioned product, process and/or organizational structure that can be sustained by the existing organization. The Scaling Up Phase consists of Scaling Up Experiments, in which series of SWICHs, each incrementally scaling up the innovation within the organization occurs. The Scaling Up Phase has two key objectives: to grow the innovation to deliver sufficient, measurable business value and to transfer the ownership and knowledge from the Innovator to the Business Owner. The number of SWICHs in this phase is not limited, as long as each six week period results in sustainable progress in the delivery of customer value. There is no definitive end point to this phase, but rather it will gradually move into the Embedding Phase.
Portfolio Level – Innovation Metrics
At Portfolio Level, the total value of the portfolio of innovations is evaluated and managed using Innovation Accounting practices including Innovation Metrics. Measuring the success of an innovation is more difficult than it may seem as the business value that an innovation will generate is often based on assumptions. Traditional measurements methods such as Return on Investment, Net Present Value do not offer correct insights and therefore there is a need to use other metrics which can be applied to innovation projects. Innovation Accounting helps organizations to manage investment decisions at different points in the innovation funnel; to manage the progression of success of innovation projects and to manage the impact that innovation is having on the business as a whole.
Organizational Level – Business Owners
The Business Owner is responsible for turning the innovation into a clearly defined and positioned product, process and/or organizational structure that can be sustained by the existing organization. The appointed CIB Ambassador ensures that the Business Owner takes on the innovation and embeds it into the organization. At the Organizational Level a strong collaboration is formed between the CIB Ambassador and the Business Owner, as this is essential to the success of the innovation. For example when traditional KPI’s drive a Business Owners to make decisions not in favor to the innovation, the CIB Ambassador helps to deal with these challenges. Embedding the innovation in the organization is quite difficult for a company as it involves learning new things and adapting to change. It is therefore essential to involve Business Owners early in the process of the innovation. At least in the Experimentation Phase they should attend the Pitch Week and Innovation Day and be informed about a possible change to their department.