Design and Implementation of a Collaborative Idea Evaluation System | SpringerLink
Skip to main content
Springer Nature Link
Log in

Design and Implementation of a Collaborative Idea Evaluation System

  • Conference paper
  • First Online:
HCI in Business, Government and Organizations (HCII 2022)

Part of the book series: Lecture Notes in Computer Science ((LNCS,volume 13327))

Included in the following conference series:

  • 2089 Accesses

Abstract

Digital transformation is a complex endeavor with unforeseen pitfalls. However, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) seem to struggle with digital transformation. To address this problem, governments have started initiatives, i.e., publicly-funded support units, with the purpose to support digital transformation through facilitating idea management in SMEs. Studies suggest that the application of (IT-based) idea evaluation systems could impact the digital transformation success of SMEs. However, contributions addressing the interplay of support units and SMEs in the context of idea evaluation are scarce. Therefore, this article addresses the following problems (1) SMEs require external support in the context of digital transformation, and (2) idea evaluation is often improperly executed. Bringing together these areas leads to the objective to design and implement a collaborative idea evaluation system. The system development follows the methodological pathway for design science research. Observations from seven small-scale projects with SMEs complemented with selected literature inform the system design. Two focus group discussions serve as an evaluation of the system. The results are a set of design features and an interaction concept. Finally, a prototypical web application puts the conceptual design into action to tackle the identified practical problem.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Log in via an institution

Subscribe and save

Springer+ Basic
¥17,985 /Month
  • Get 10 units per month
  • Download Article/Chapter or eBook
  • 1 Unit = 1 Article or 1 Chapter
  • Cancel anytime
Subscribe now

Buy Now

Chapter
JPY 3498
Price includes VAT (Japan)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
JPY 10295
Price includes VAT (Japan)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
JPY 12869
Price includes VAT (Japan)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Aschehoug, S.H., Ringen, G.: Open innovation and idea generation in SMEs. In: Proceedings of the International Conference on Engineering Design, ICED, vol. 1, pp. 169–178, August 2013

    Google Scholar 

  2. Baez, M., Convertino, G.: Innovation cockpit: a dashboard for facilitators in idea management. In: Proceedings of the ACM Conference on Computer Supported Cooperative Work, CSCW, pp. 47–48 (2012)

    Google Scholar 

  3. Barann, B., Hermann, A., Cordes, A.K., Chasin, F., Becker, J.: Supporting digital transformation in small and medium-sized enterprises: a procedure model involving publicly funded support units. In: Proceedings of the 52nd Hawaii International Conference on System Sciences, HICSS, Wailea, Hawaii, pp. 4977–4986 (2019)

    Google Scholar 

  4. Barthel, P.: What is meant by digital transformation success? investigating the notion in IS literature. In: 16th International Conference on Wirtschaftsinformatik (2021)

    Google Scholar 

  5. Barthel, P., Fuchs, C., Birner, B., Hess, T.: Embedding digital innovations in organizations: a typology for digital innovation units. In: Proceedings of the 15th International Conference on Wirtschaftsinformatik, Potsdam, Germany, pp. 780–795, March 2020

    Google Scholar 

  6. Berghaus, S., Back, A.: Stages in digital business transformation: results of an empirical maturity study. In: Proceedings of the 10th Mediterranean Conference on Information Systems, MCIS 2016, Paphos, Cyprus (2016)

    Google Scholar 

  7. Binz, H., Reichle, M.: Evaluation method to determine the success potential and the degree of innovation of technical product ideas and products. In: 15th International Conference on Engineering Design, Melbourne, Australia (2005)

    Google Scholar 

  8. Boeddrich, H.J.: Ideas in the workplace: a new approach towards organizing the fuzzy front end of the innovation process. Creativity Innov. Manage. 13(4), 274–285 (2004)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  9. Boell, S.K., Cecez-Kecmanovic, D.: A hermeneutic approach for conducting literature reviews and literature searches. Commun. Assoc. Inf. Syst. 34(1), 257–286 (2014)

    Google Scholar 

  10. Bothos, E., Apostolou, D., Mentzas, G.: Idea selection and information aggregation markets. In: 2008 IEEE International Engineering Management Conference, pp. 1–5. IEEE, Estoril, June 2008

    Google Scholar 

  11. Brem, A., Voigt, K.I.: Innovation management in emerging technology ventures - the concept of an integrated idea management. Int. J. Technol. Policy Manage. 7(3), 304–321 (2007)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  12. Brunswicker, S., Ehrenmann, F.: Managing open innovation in SMEs: a good practice example of a German software firm. Int. J. Ind. Eng. Manage. 4(1), 33–41 (2013)

    Google Scholar 

  13. Chen, C.L., Lin, Y.C., Chen, W.H., Chao, C.F., Pandia, H.: Role of government to enhance digital transformation in small service business. Sustainability (Switzerland) 13(3), 1–26 (2021)

    Google Scholar 

  14. Chen, J., Zhu, Z., Zhang, Y.: A study of factors influencing disruptive innovation in Chinese SMEs. Asian J. Technol. Innov. 25(1), 140–157 (2017)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  15. Chrisman, J.J., McMullan, W.E.: Outsider assistance as a knowledge resource for new venture survival. J. Small Bus. Manage. 42(3), 229–244 (2004)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  16. Crupi, A., et al.: The digital transformation of SMEs - a new knowledge broker called the digital innovation hub. J. Knowl. Manage. 24(6), 1263–1288 (2020)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  17. Dean, D.L., Hender, J.M., Rodgers, T.L., Santanen, E.L.: Identifying quality, novel, and creative ideas: constructs and scales for idea evaluation. J. Assoc. Inf. Syst. 7(10), 646–699 (2006)

    Google Scholar 

  18. Dunstheimer, M.: Idea Management in technology development evaluation criteria for value proposition, technology and strategy. Ph.D. thesis, Halmstad University (2019)

    Google Scholar 

  19. Ebel, P., Bretschneider, U., Leimeister, J.M.: Leveraging virtual business model innovation: a framework for designing business model development tools. Inf. Syst. J. 26(5), 519–550 (2016)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  20. European commission: digital transformation scoreboard 2018 - EU businesses go digital: opportunities, outcomes and uptake. Tech. rep., Executive Agency for Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (2019)

    Google Scholar 

  21. Ferioli, M., Dekoninck, E., Culley, S., Roussel, B., Renaud, J.: Understanding the rapid evaluation of innovative ideas in the early stages of design. Int. J. Prod. Dev. 12(1), 67–83 (2010)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  22. Flynn, M., Dooley, L., O’Sullivan, D., Cormican, K.: Idea management for organisational innovation. Int. J. Innov. Manage. 07(04), 417–442 (2003)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  23. Gebauer, M., Tangour, C., Zeitschel, D.: Digital business model innovation in SMEs - case studies with DIH support from brandenburg (Germany). In: Bach Tobji, M.A., et al. (eds.) ICDEc 2020. LNBIP, vol. 395, pp. 155–165. Springer, Cham (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-64642-4_13

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  24. Gerlach, S., Brem, A.: Idea management revisited: a review of the literature and guide for implementation. Int. J. Innov. Stud. 1(2), 144–161 (2017)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  25. Goerzig, D., Bauernhansl, T.: Enterprise architectures for the digital transformation in small and medium-sized enterprises. In: Proceedings of the 11th CIRP - Conference on Intelligent Computation in Manufacturing Engineering, Gulf of Naples, Italy, pp. 540–545 (2018)

    Google Scholar 

  26. Gollhardt, T.: Towards business model tools for SMES - knowledge boundaries in business model innovation projects. In: Proceedings of the 17th International Conference on Wirtschaftsinformatik, WI 2022, Nürnberg, Germany [virtual conference] (2022)

    Google Scholar 

  27. Gollhardt, T., Hermann, A., Cordes, A.K., Barann, B., Kruse, P.: Design of a software tool supporting orientation in the context of digital transformation. In: Proceedings of the 55th Hawaii International Conference on System Sciences, HICSS 2022, Maui, HI [virtual conference], pp. 4859–4868 (2022)

    Google Scholar 

  28. Gregor, S., Chandra Kruse, L., Seidel, S.: Research perspectives: the anatomy of a design principle. J. Assoc. Inf. Syst. 21(6), 1622–1652 (2020)

    Google Scholar 

  29. Guimarães, L.G.d.A., Blanchet, P., Cimon, Y.: Collaboration Among Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises as Part of Internationalization: A Systematic Review, December 2021

    Google Scholar 

  30. Hermann, A., Gollhardt, T., Cordes, A.K., Kruse, P.: PlanDigital: a software tool supporting the digital transformation. In: Chandra Kruse, L., Seidel, S., Hausvik, G.I. (eds.) Proceedings of the 16th International Conference on Design Science Research in Information Systems and Technology, DESRIST 2021, Kristiansand, Norway [hybrid conference], pp. 356–361 (2021)

    Google Scholar 

  31. Herrmann, T., Binz, H., Roth, D.: Necessary extension of conventional idea processes by means of a method for the identification of radical product ideas. In: Proceedings of the International Conference on Engineering Design, ICED, vol. 8 (2017)

    Google Scholar 

  32. Hess, T., Benlian, A., Matt, C., Wiesböck, F.: Options for formulating a digital transformation strategy. MIS Q. Exec. 15(2), 123–139 (2016)

    Google Scholar 

  33. Hevner, A., March, S.T., Park, J., Ram, S.: Design science in information systems research. MIS Q. 28(1), 75 (2004)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  34. Hevner, A.R.: A three cycle view of design science research. Scand. J. Inf. Syst. 19(2), 87–92 (2007)

    Google Scholar 

  35. Hönigsberg, S., Dias, M., Dinter, B.: Design principles for digital transformation in traditional SMEs - an antipodean comparison. In: Chandra Kruse, L., Seidel, S., Hausvik, G.I. (eds.) DESRIST 2021. LNCS, vol. 12807, pp. 375–386. Springer, Cham (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-82405-1_36

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  36. Khastehdel, M., Mansour, S.: Developing a dynamic model for idea selection during fuzzy front end of innovation. In: 7th International Conference on Industrial Technology and Management (ICITM), pp. 78–82. IEEE, Oxford (2018)

    Google Scholar 

  37. Kohli, R., Melville, N.P.: Digital innovation: a review and synthesis. Inf. Syst. J. 29(1), 200–223 (2019)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  38. Lu, C., Yu, B.: The effect of formal and informal external collaboration on innovation performance of SMEs: evidence from China. Sustainability (Switzerland) 12(22), 1–21 (2020)

    Google Scholar 

  39. Matt, C., Hess, T., Benlian, A.: Digital transformation strategies. Bus. Inf. Syst. Eng. 57(5), 339–343 (2015)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  40. Messerle, M., Binz, H., Roth, D.: Elaboration and assessment of a set of criteria for the evaluation of product ideas. In: International Conference on Engineering Design, Seoul, Korea (2013)

    Google Scholar 

  41. Mikelsone, E., Liela, E.: Literature review of idea management: focuses and gaps. J. Bus. Manage. 9, 107–121 (2015)

    Google Scholar 

  42. Mikelsone, E., Spilbergs, A., Segers, J.P.: Benefits of web-based idea management system application. Euro. J. Manage. Issues 29(3), 151–161 (2021)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  43. Milder, R.: The effect of anonymity in idea evaluation. Ph.D. thesis, Rotterdam School of Management (2019)

    Google Scholar 

  44. Mole, K., North, D., Baldock, R.: Which SMEs seek external support? business characteristics, management behaviour and external influences in a contingency approach. Eviron. Plann. C. Gov. Policy 35(3), 476–499 (2017)

    Google Scholar 

  45. Möller, F., Guggenberger, T.M., Otto, B.: Towards a method for design principle development in information systems. In: Hofmann, S., Müller, O., Rossi, M. (eds.) DESRIST 2020. LNCS, vol. 12388, pp. 208–220. Springer, Cham (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-64823-7_20

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  46. Müller, E., Hopf, H.: Competence center for the digital transformation in small and medium-sized enterprises. In: FAIM 2017–27th International Conference on Flexible Automation and Intelligent Manufacturing, Modena, Italy, vol. 11, pp. 1495–1500 (2017)

    Google Scholar 

  47. Murah, M.Z., Abdullah, Z., Hassan, R., Bakar, M.A., Mohamed, I., Amin, H.M.: Kacang cerdik: a conceptual design of an idea management system. Int. Educ. Stud. 6(6), 178–184 (2013)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  48. Orji, C.I.: Digital business transformation: towards an integrated capability framework for digitization and business value generation. J. Glob. Bus. Technol. 15(1), 47–57 (2019)

    Google Scholar 

  49. Reis, J., Amorim, M., Melão, N., Matos, P.: Digital transformation: a literature review and guidelines for future research. In: Rocha, Á., Adeli, H., Reis, L.P., Costanzo, S. (eds.) WorldCIST’18 2018. AISC, vol. 745, pp. 411–421. Springer, Cham (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-77703-0_41

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  50. Sandström, C., Björk, J.: Idea management systems for a changing innovation landscape. Int. J. Prod. Dev. 11(3–4), 310–324 (2010)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  51. Sassanelli, C., Terzi, S., Panetto, H., Doumeingts, G.: Digital innovation hubs supporting smes digital transformation. In: 2021 IEEE International Conference on Engineering, Technology and Innovation, ICE/ITMC 2021 - Proceedings, pp. 1–8 (2021)

    Google Scholar 

  52. Stevanović, M., Marjanović, D., Štorga, M.: Decision support system for idea selection. In: International Design Conference, Dubrovnik, Croatia, pp. 1951–1960 (2012)

    Google Scholar 

  53. Stevanovic, M., Marjanovic, D., Storga, M.: A model of idea evaluation and selection for product innovation. In: Proceedings of the International Conference on Engineering Design, ICED, Milano, Italy (2015)

    Google Scholar 

  54. Stich, V., Zeller, V., Hicking, J., Kraut, A.: Measures for a successful digital transformation of SMEs. In: Procedia CIRP, vol. 93, pp. 286–291. Elsevier B.V. (2020)

    Google Scholar 

  55. Szopinski, D., Schoormann, T., John, T., Knackstedt, R., Kundisch, D.: How software can support innovating business models: a taxonomy of functions of business model development tools. In: AMCIS 2017 - America’s Conference on Information Systems: A Tradition of Innovation 2017-Augus (Recker 2012) (2017)

    Google Scholar 

  56. Thom, N.: Idea management in Switzerland and Germany: past, present and future. Die Unternehmung 69(3), 238–254 (2015)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  57. Tremblay, M.C., Hevner, A.R., Berndt, D.J.: Focus groups for artifact refinement and evaluation in design research. Commun. Assoc. Inf. Syst. 26, 27 (2010)

    Google Scholar 

  58. Van Goolen, R., Evers, H., Lammens, C.: International innovation labs: an innovation meeting ground between SMEs and business schools. Proc. Econ. Finan. 12, 184–190 (2014)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  59. Vandenbosch, B., Saatcioglu, A., Fay, S.: Idea management: a systemic view. J. Manage. Stud. 43(2), 259–288 (2006)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  60. Venable, J., Pries-Heje, J., Baskerville, R.: FEDS: a framework for evaluation in design science research. Eur. J. Inf. Syst. 25(1), 77–89 (2016)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  61. Wagner, S., Bican, P.M., Brem, A.: Critical success factors in the front end of innovation: results from an empirical study. Int. J. Innov. Manage. 25(04), 2150046 (2021)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  62. Wessel, L., Baiyere, A., Ologeanu-Taddei, R., Cha, J., Blegind Jensen, T.: Unpacking the difference between digital transformation and it-enabled organizational transformation. J. Assoc. for Inf. Syst. 22(1), 102–129 (2021)

    Google Scholar 

  63. Wiesböck, F., Hess, T.: Digital innovations: embedding in organizations. Electron. Mark. 30(1), 75–86 (2020)

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. European Research Center for Information Systems (ERCIS), University of Münster, Münster, Germany

    Andreas Hermann

Authors
  1. Andreas Hermann
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Andreas Hermann .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, Hong Kong

    Fiona Fui-Hoon Nah

  2. City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, Hong Kong

    Keng Siau

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2022 The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG

About this paper

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this paper

Hermann, A. (2022). Design and Implementation of a Collaborative Idea Evaluation System. In: Fui-Hoon Nah, F., Siau, K. (eds) HCI in Business, Government and Organizations. HCII 2022. Lecture Notes in Computer Science, vol 13327. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-05544-7_3

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-05544-7_3

  • Published:

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-031-05543-0

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-031-05544-7

  • eBook Packages: Computer ScienceComputer Science (R0)

Publish with us

Policies and ethics