What is the primary GOAL and FOCUS of this collaborative effort?

Recognizing that innovation is no longer optional in today's rapidly changing global marketplace,the primary GOAL of this project is to promote profitable and sustainable growth through innovation in proactive Vermont companies and organizations. Using the proven tools of Innovation Engineering, this effort is FOCUSED on Increasing Innovation Speed and Reducing Risk in the process.

Who are the key Partners leading this statewide project?

- Vermont Manufacturing Extension Center (VMEC)

- State of Vermont Agency of Commerce & CommunityDevelopment (ACCD) and the Vermont Training Program of the Departmentof Economic, Housing & Community Development

- Vermont's 12 Regional Development Corporations (RDCs) acrossthe state

- Proactive Vermont companies working together in InnovationLeadership Communities (ILCs) of 3 - 6 companies each

What Is Innovation Engineering (IE)?

Innovation Engineering (IE) is about applying the discipline of engineering to innovation. It's a relatively new but proven way of thinking based on a set of tools and principles refined through 25 years of real world experimentation. It's a SYSTEM that is continuously improving through a public-private partnership comprised of NIST MEP affiliated Centers like VMEC, Academics (currently 6 universities led by the University of Maine), Eureka! Ranch International and private industry. Ref: http://www.innovationengineering.info

What is the Innovation Engineering Management System(IEMS)?

- A SYSTEM that focuses on Increasing Speed of Innovation and Reducing Risk in the process

- A SYSTEM that can be used to accelerate EXISTING and NEW projects and profitable solutions for Very Important Problems and Very Important Opportunities

- A SYSTEM that is: 1) Continuously improving, 2) Sustainable, and 3) Develops an Innovation Culture

- A SYSTEM that yields a measureable and significant Return on Investment (ROI)

What Does this Project Accomplish and Include?

1. It provides a mechanism and a template to collaboratively focus on the development of globally competitive and profitable communities of companies through innovation, leading to job retention and creation. Like Lean Manufacturing, this must be a continuous improvement "journey" and not a destination.

2. Under this pilot project, each company's journey begins with two distinct Phases:

PHASE 1 - Innovation Acceleration Program (Months 1 - 3 / 100 Days)

• Supported by a VMEC Innovation Black Belt, accelerate EXISTING company Ideas with 3 - 6 proactive companies in each Innovation Leadership Community

• Take Action, Use Tools & Technologies, and Build Confidence

• Companies get started by applying innovation tools and methods to accelerate EXISTING ideas, strategies and projects.   Innovation projects could be in Processes, Products or Services, New Customers & Markets, or Marketing Existing Products.
  

• The 100-day Innovation Acceleration Program also includes creating NEW ideas to address very important strategic challenges and opportunities

• Facilitated sessions occur over the 100-day period and are a combination of group training and implementation, individual company activities and coaching, and CEO Forums

• Measure individual company impacts and outcomes as a result of the ILC project

PHASE 2  -  Innovation Intensified (I²) (Months 4 - 12)

• Go deeper and faster to accelerate both EXISTING and NEW company ideas

• Implement  the complete  Innovation Engineering Management System (IEMS) in each company, with VMEC Innovation Black Belt coaching and education of company leadership

• Implementation, training, and use of  InnovationEngineeringLabs.com as a digital toolset and collaborative workspace to help innovation leaders and their staff use the Innovation Engineering Management System within their respective companies

• As necessary, work on changing the company culture to one that is innovation driven

• Creates a program that focuses on individual company and regional supply chain issues and challenges, and uses established tools to create sustainable systems

• Measure individual company impacts and outcomes as a result of the ILC project

Click here and read what's being said about the Vermont Innovation Leadership Communities and the Innovation Engineering Management System (IEMS) from Country Home Products, Maple Landmark and Classic Designs/ Tablelegs.com.

Innovation Engineering Leadership Institute (IELI)

IELI is an intense, 3-day Institute designed for senior leaders and their staff. It uses advanced education programs and digital tools to build confidence in each leader’s ability to lead the Creation, Communication and Commercialization of meaningfully unique ideas.  IELI gives organizations the basics of how to implement an innovation SYSTEM.  At the end of the three days, attendees have a set of ideas and plans for implementation on their first day back to work, plus access to support from the Innovation Engineering Labs website.

Participants learn using the University of Maine Innovation Engineering curriculum and can receive three Continuing Education Units (CEUs).   Training dates and full details are available from VMEC by contacting Patricia Giavara at 802-279-6103 or  pgiavara@vmec.org