It is becoming increasingly common for companies both large and small to focus on their core abilities and outsource other business requirements. This is no different in the design and innovation of their new products. It may be a surprise to many people that many well known brands both large and small often use outside help when devising and creating new products.

Turning an idea into the next must-have item on the shelves uses many specialist skills from market research, designers and engineers to prototyping, manufacturing and logistics. If a company is not constantly introducing new products it may be unnecessarily expensive to keep all these activities in-house. Open innovation is a way of working that looks outside an organisation to source new product concepts. This operating culture allows networks of expert teams to be used efficiently and allow access to fresh ideas or niche skills on demand.

No company has a monopoly on good ideas so sometimes it is an advantage to find the skills needed for a job or even a ready-made solution from a partnership with another group. Large corporations that embrace open innovation aim to capitalise on the ideas and agility of smaller companies in supplying specialist solutions that can then be maximised using the power of a global brand. Smaller companies too can benefit from partnerships on a project basis where it would either take too long or be too expensive to do everything in-house.

However, for new product development to run smoothly, all those involved need to be able to communicate with as few barriers as possible. Business environments such as The Technology Centre can help foster an open innovation culture where independent companies can access knowledge and expertise from fellow tenants all under the same roof. While all the units have their own secure workspaces, meeting rooms and informal meeting places mean that it is easy for everyone to interact and share knowledge every day.

Minima Design Ltd has been able to work with fellow tenants in the Technology Centre both in the design and prototyping of new ideas for their customers and also in the use of specialist business services that we need.

Working in open networks expands the capability of a company without expanding overheads. For some it requires a change in mindset but, where managed properly, more minds bringing new inspiration to solving problems can show a bottom line benefit.

www.t-centre.co.uk