Leading Innovation in Tom Howley’s R&D Process.
As part of the R&D team at Tom Howley, I developed and facilitated a new innovation process to drive product ideas for our luxury kitchen designs. My role involved designing and facilitating collaborative workshops that brought together 12 cross-functional team members, resulting in freshly generated ideas and prioritised lists for the New Product Council to analyse for feasibility. This initiative not only boosted team engagement but also aligned with the business goals for innovation.
Workshop Overview
I designed a 4-hour blue-sky thinking workshop with an open approach to encourage unrestricted creativity. For each workshop, participants submitted ideas in advance and split into three groups for balanced discussion. The format included an icebreaker, collaborative enhancement in small groups, prioritisation via dot voting, and a vision board closer. This structure ensured inclusive participation, with quieter voices contributing as much as stronger personalities.
Results
Engagement Boost: The small group sessions and informal wall displays led to increased interaction from the entire group, surpassing previous formats.
Diverse Views: A wide range of opinions emerged, enriching ideas and stimulating debate.
Resonant Outcomes: Ideas like the Interchangeable Slim Framed Glazed Unit resonated strongly, offering competitive advantage and market appeal.
The workshops produced prioritised "idea backlogs," with standout concepts and themes showing strong resonance. My leadership in this process fostered innovation, leading to actionable R&D ideas for the Tom Howley feasibility team and Operations.
