Uncertainty, innovation and connectivity
Fostering Archipelagos of Fit for Purpose Task Forces to boost innovation in times of uncertainty.
** This essay is based on and elaborates upon a previous article posted by Hypsous and Treebute in April of 2021 by the name of “One Certainty in These Uncertain Times: Innovate Through Ecosystems, or Miss the Opportunity to Radically Transform Your Innovation Strategy”.
1. Uncertainty Opens New Horizons
Everyone will remember 2020 as a year that bred uncertainty and fear, however, 2021 shows a promising return to the new status quo. As vaccines are being commercialized worldwide and countries are loosening their social distancing policies, the world is seemingly returning to normal; while the business world is making a comeback and people are beginning to come together again, we saw firsthand how quickly our world can turn upside down.
Life is full of uncertainties and the fear of the unknown makes it extraordinarily undesirable in the business world. Businesses constantly look for ways to navigate uncertainties through adaptation and innovative thinking which are only possible through collaboration and cooperation mechanisms.
This past year was filled with uncertainty and bumps in the road, yet the scientific world evaluated, published, and shared more data on the deadly Covid-19 pandemic than previously imaginable. The cumulative data that was gathered worked together to create an interconnected information ecosystem. Corporations, governments, and advanced researchers in the medical field pooled together their knowledge in order to innovate and find a swift but safe solution. The rapid success in developing a vaccine goes to show how innovation can best be developed in a community (Task Force) in which all the stakeholders coordinate and act with a clearly defined common goal (A Covid-19 Vaccine).
2. The Solution Lies in a Fit for Purpose Task Force
A Fit for Purpose Task Force can be looked at like a ‘living business organism’ operating within an ecosystem. The Task Force, much like a living organism works towards its purpose, which in this case is built through a managed process. It is a network of intertwined participants, each bringing their own subset of knowledge and competencies. A Task Force grows, adapts, and evolves, similar to the ecosystem around us. It is a fit-for-purpose entity, combining skills, competencies, technologies, and complementary knowledge brought upon by new partners seeking a common goal.
As most companies and industries are facing an unprecedented convergence of risks and challenges, there is an ever-growing need to act promptly to grow and sustain their business. Now more than ever, innovation remains a key driver in achieving success and we believe that Fit for Purpose Task Forces are the most efficient mechanism to navigate obstacles and achieve success.
We at Hypsous & Treebute have been actively engaging with companies in various sectors who put a strong emphasis on the need to innovate and embrace the opportunity to do so within the framework of the Fit for Purpose Task Force.
3. Urgent Call to Action
Through our research, we have identified three key features that a Fit For Purpose Force seeks to offer its constituent companies:
- Synergize — Complement and add value to current offerings.
- Amplify — Leverage core technologies, skills, and competencies to enter new territories and develop upon existing ones.
- Innovate — Reinvent the value proposition and the markets they traditionally operate in.
Developing an effective innovation strategy will require managing multiple Task Forces (some intersecting and others independent) centered around the company’s core competencies. This is where Treebute comes in. Treebute offers access to an AI platform that gathers, analyzes, and summarizes the most relevant insights on technology and innovation, connecting companies through relevant Task Forces and drastically enhancing the process of decision-making. The speed at which Treebute is able to gather such intelligence provides a community of complementary companies at a fraction of the time it ordinarily would have taken. In summary, Fit For Purpose Task Forces not only provide a collection of intersecting communities, but they are also the future of innovation in the modern world.
4. Organizing Task Forces
There are multiple ways to organize Fit for Purpose Task Forces depending on what business objective is being pursued. However, regardless of the objective, the following traits remain constant for each task force:
- Navigating unfamiliar spaces: Quickly identify who will fit in, what they bring to the table, and willingness to work towards a common goal. Multiple iterations help refine and focus on specific areas which together, shine a light on the bigger picture, and in some cases, even help the client crystallize the purpose of the search itself. Nowadays, with the help of technology, such iterative movements can be achieved very quickly. This is done by cleverly mining thorough databases and relying on AI and Machine Learning algorithms to break new ground on cross-linking information and uncovering connections.
- Speed: Defining a knowledge foundation to have as a starting point helps to understand what the Fit for Purpose Task Force may reasonably achieve, and quickly tailor a search to develop a precise guideline around the Fit for Purpose Task Force and its expected solutions. After that, the foundation is quickly established in order to provide an exhaustive understanding of what’s currently possible. There’s no need to spend months building a full landscape and the speed ensures that momentum among internal and external stakeholders is built up and maintained over time.
- Curation: With technology today, the wealth of different data sources can be efficiently mined in a recursive manner. The goal is to ensure that various angles are covered, and monitored over time.
- Agility: Establishing multiple Task Forces on the same topic is vital for achieving the principal outcome. Trial and error will eventually help select the most suitable path.
5. Setting Up & Managing Task Forces
Managing task forces has both internal and external factors. On one hand, there’s the relationship between the managing party and the Task Force (outbound management) and, on the other hand, the interaction between the managing party and the corporate stakeholders (inbound management). Both are vital to optimize the process of innovation and growth.
Furthermore, it is important to put together a framework in which all interests are aligned. Namely — the interests of managers and high-level executives as well as members of the Task Force, whilst also balancing individual non-Task Force related, internal concerns of the constituent members of the Task Force. An exhaustive plan, shared budgets, and rules of engagement must be agreed upon to ensure collective success, such plans include budget, responsibilities, IP ownership, conflict mediation mechanisms, etc. A PoC or MVP should also be developed in order to evaluate the results and performance of the Task Force or to correct early-stage assumptions, as learnings are accumulated.
This stage typically challenges the traditional way of innovation management, as it demands new skills, such as unemployed human resource management, and ‘commercial empathy’ with a deep diplomatic sensibility. A transparent approach to the process, a deep understanding and protection of the various stakeholders’ needs, incentives, and interests, and the collective drive to foster momentum within the Task Force. In short, a huge portion of trust and faith in the process is required.
6. Going Forward
The notion of Task Forces is increasingly being embraced by companies, although at a different pace, depth, and in various forms. Academic papers and consulting firms’ studies formulating the theoretical backing of this idea, are highlighting its successes and claiming that it is the future of the industry.
While we realize that this mode of connectivity is still a long way away from fully organizing a company’s innovation strategy as an Archipelago of numerous Fit for Purpose Task Forces, innovation is all about the integration of new ideas. Being malleable to the changes in the industry and navigating to find solutions will help to build and maintain momentum by offering a mutualistic relationship to all parties involved.
Mr. Patrick Ferran & Mr. Francois Bourachot
Based on an article, written and published in April of 2021 by the name of “One Certainty in These Uncertain Times: Innovate Through Ecosystems, or Miss the Opportunity to Radically Transform Your Innovation Strategy”. The original article was written with Mr. Ferran & Mr. Bourachot, founders of Hypsous SA.
Ms. Isabella Jardanovski Strozberg & Mr. Eduardo Ezban
Written as part of their internship with Treebute during Spring Semester of 2021. Isabella & Eduardo were international MBA students at Tel Aviv University, part of their work was also to contribute to this blog !
Mr. Marcus Frankel
Edited as part of his internship with Treebute during Summer 2021. Marcus is a student at the University of Michigan, and has been visiting Israel to do great work during the summer !
