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CUSTOMER SUCCESS STORY

A digital and
cross-site idea management system

How LEONHARD WEISS was able to set up an innovation ecosystem within 2 years using ITONICS' Innovation Platform

1,815

active users

800
submitted ideas
250
implemented ideas
Leonhard Weiss Bauunternehmung Logo
"The platform is a multi-location innovation community. Every employee has the opportunity to submit ideas and trends, contribute to their realization and thus help shape the future of the company. We have found an agile partner in ITONICS. The product gives thousands of employees in the company the opportunity to drive innovation forward."
 
– Simeon Eichmann, Head of Research and Development, LEONHARD WEISS
Overview Initial Situation Leonhard Weiss
THE CHALLENGE

A digital and multi-location idea management system

The know-how and creative potential of one‘s own employees are among the most important sources of innovation for any company. This makes it all the more demanding when several locations and departments work together on developing novel ideas and implementing solutions.

The establishment of a company-wide innovation culture becomes the central driver for effective innovation projects.

Overview Dashboard Leonhard Weiss

Initial situation at LEONHARD WEISS

Since 2014, LEONHARD WEISS has had a centralized idea management system called 3i (Idea, Initiative, Innovation). This system has been supported since 2017 by the ITONICS digital innovation platform.

The platform has since evolved into the central and company-wide place to go for matters concerning exhibition scouting, ideation, and innovation portfolio management. For its innovative achievements, LEONHARD WEISS was listed among the 100 most innovative medium-sized companies in Germany.

  • Idea management system centralized in 2014, Share-Point technology for administration
  • Multi-location and interdisciplinary knowledge transfer of new solutions
  • Consideration of all ideas (from product proposals and occupational safety to machine development)
  • Full-time support by an employee, further 100 employees assist by evaluating ideas
  • Approx. 350 proposals submitted manually each year via SharePoint on proprietary system
  • Lack of effective administration, transparency and communication of new ideas as well as implemented solutions

Objectives of an innovation ecosystem

Reduce administrative work

LEONHARD WEISS wanted to reduce administrative work around their company-wide idea management.

Increase communication

One main objective was also to increase and automate communication between idea creators and evaluators.

Achieve transparency

With the help of a digital platform, realized ideas are to be exchanged and shared across all departments.

THE WAY FORWARD WITH ITONICS

A company-wide platform for inspirations, ideas, and projects

The LEONHARD WEISS innovation platform, developed and operated by ITONICS, consists of an exhibition scouting tool, an idea platform and a section for development and innovation projects.

Process Graphic Leonhard Weiß

Exhibition scouting

With the ITONICS Inspirator App, the newest trends, innovative inspirations, and products are scouted at various events and conferences and bundled in a system for each conference. In this way, new impulses can be quickly and easily fed into the platform and suggestions for new ideas and initiatives can be created.

Ideas & initiatives

  1. Submitting an idea: Contributors can submit ideas at any time, on any topic, accompanied by detailed problem descriptions, proposed solutions, and additional media like videos and photos.

  2. Evaluating an idea: Experts in the relevant field evaluate submissions, with the level of scrutiny ranging from quick assessments to in-depth evaluations, depending on the idea's complexity and uniqueness.

  3. Rewarding an idea: Implemented ideas receive reward points determined by an algorithm, with further actions including coordination on the platform, communication with the community, and progression into the project's implementation pipeline based on the idea's impact and implementation requirements.

Innovation projects

The platform is designed to support all business areas in the evaluation and integration of new developments. This allows to start an innovation project from scratch with the overall aim to implement innovative concepts or prototypes in the company. Investors (usually managers) support the implementation of the internally founded start-ups. 

Stakeholders

The initiator discovers new solutions or comes up with an idea. He or she uses elements such as exhibition scouting and idea management.

The investor offers resources during the realization of projects and solutions – including for example, construction sites and test environments, contacts and budgets. He also functions as multiplier and actively introduces new solutions into the company

The start-up coordinates, controls, and implements the projects. Team members actively search for experts and partners who can support and accelerate the project. They also ensure projects are visible within the right business areas.

THE OUTCOME

Achievements

  • A comprehensive innovation platform was built within 2 years, on which ideation, exhibition scouting, and innovation projects can be mapped digitally.
  • More than 1,800 users are active on the platform. 800 ideas have been submitted (250 realized) since the go-live.
  • All administrative tasks regarding idea management have been reduced to a minimum.
  • A company-wide knowledge database has been created for better collaboration and a stronger knowledge transfer between locations and teams
  • Employees are encouraged to actively engage in the development of the company.
  • Usability and automated status updates increase employee motivation to actively participate in innovation management.
  • A dashboard enables continuous performance management and controlling of all ideas and innovation management activities.
  • The new approach created a sustainable innovation program along with an innovation-promoting culture.
  • The platform cultivates a more transparent collaboration as well as synergy effects between different business units.
  • Mutual exchange and idea appreciation enhances employee satisfaction.
  • Exchange between idea evaluator and idea provider has been automated and increased in a sustainable way.
  • The communication of realized ideas has been strengthened in all areas.
  • LEONHARD WEISS was listed in 2022 among the 100 most innovative medium-sized companies in Germany.

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About LEONHARD WEISS

LEONHARD WEISS, as a full-range provider of construction services, is one of Germany‘s most productive and successful construction companies. The 4th generation family business was founded in 1900 purely as a track construction company. Since then, an innovative, mid-sized consortium with over 5,500 employees has developed, operating in all sectors of construction. Employees are spread over more than 20 locations in Germany.

Learn more about how innovative companies implemented a world-class innovation ecosystem. Get a free demo!

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