“If you have always done it that way, it is probably wrong.” – Charles Kettering
Innovation often feels like a slow, arduous process. Great ideas can become entangled in technical hurdles and stalled by inefficient processes. The challenge is accelerating the innovation process without sacrificing the quality and creativity of the ideas. At 11:59, we condense what usually takes 3-6 months into a few action-packed days. Our approach tackles the art of innovation—the hard part—by merging combinatorial play, customer-centricity, and practical execution in a hands-on workshop format.
Introducing "Idea to Impact"
11:59 recently hosted the beta version of our transformative two-day innovation workshop in Santa Monica called "Idea to Impact," co-sponsored by our partners at AWS. The workshop’s purpose was straightforward: to help organizations discover new and different ways to create value for their customers.
Workshop Structure and Objectives
The workshop had clear objectives: to brainstorm customer problems, select one to innovate against, ideate potential solutions, evaluate them for fit and feasibility, and ultimately, prototype a solution. Our mission was to bridge the gap between the art and science of innovation, transforming a slow and messy process into a streamlined journey from concept to execution.
“This workshop highlighted the importance of rapid prototyping and the benefits of working in a creative environment. Recognizing that the first idea isn't always the best encouraged quick thinking and diverse perspectives during our brainstorming session. The iterative process we followed enabled us to test and refine our ideas rapidly, collaboratively engaging with previous iterations to find the best solution. This workshop was incredibly timely and aligned perfectly with our organizational goal setting. Highly recommended!” – Dico Angelo, Global Cloud Operations Specialist at Contentsquare
Collaboration and Creative Combination
We purposefully asked participants to bring diverse, cross-functional representatives from all levels of their organization, not just “product development.” We believe that innovation thrives when dissimilar perspectives come together, breaking down organizational silos and group norms that often hinder creativity. By bringing together people with different responsibilities and expertise, we foster an environment where every participant contributes their unique perspective and adds value to the innovation process.
Innovation is, after all, an exercise in creative combination. History is rife with examples of groundbreaking innovations born from this type of cross-pollination. Take, for instance, Apple and its innovative products resulting from cross-disciplinary approaches. The development of the iPhone, one of the most revolutionary products of the 21st century, involved collaboration between software engineers, hardware designers, and user experience experts. Apple's focus on seamless hardware and software integration across its product lineup is a testament to its cross-pollination strategy.
The Experience with Crownpeak and Contentsquare
We were thrilled to welcome participants from two leading digital experience companies, Crownpeak and Contentsquare, who traveled worldwide to join us. During the workshop, these two teams conducted a series of activities to think deeply about their customers, employing divergent and concentric thinking to develop a high-impact prototype that addresses real customer problems.
“The most illuminating part of the workshop was the cross-pollination sessions, where we got to see how other teams approached similar problems and integrated those insights into our solutions.” – Matt Pilgrim, VP of Global Alliances at Crownpeak
Pitching to the Sharks
The workshop culminated in a Shark Tank-style pitch session. We recruited a diverse panel of executives to witness each team’s pitch, ask questions, and provide candid feedback. This final step provided teams with valuable insights and direction from industry leaders.
"Pitching to the sharks was a unique experience that provided us with direct, actionable feedback and the opportunity to refine our ideas further." – Zac Fuld, VP of Partnerships America at Contentsquare
Transformative Results
The "Idea to Impact" workshop demonstrated that organizations can accelerate innovation and achieve impactful results with the proper framework. The cross-pollination sessions highlighted the value of collaborative thinking, while the final pitches provided teams with essential feedback and direction. We are eager to see how Crownpeak and Contentsquare implement their ideas and continue to unlock hidden potential.
The workshop reinforced our belief that innovation is both an art and a science and that mastering the art can drive remarkable transformation. Contact us today for a free consultation to see if this workshop is the right fit for your organization.