Technology Scouting is a unique innovation methodology to find a range of solutions to a product development challenge. It is a key part of transferring solutions and approaches from different sectors, as it allows us to understand the challenge, find a wide range of solutions and objectively evaluate them.
Read below for more information and FAQs.
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Innovation is risky and unpredictable by nature so there are never guarantees. Having said that, BueThink has carried out over 300 Technology Scouting projects with over 100 clients and a range of solutions has always been found.
BlueThink has developed the Technology Scouting methodology to address complex challenges. Combining this methodology with our innovation expertise, cross-sector view and unique Solvers Network, BlueThink can systematically analyse the challenge and reach for solutions in different applications.
While our clients are experts in their fields and have an established network within the sector, they normally lack the visibility and experience to rapidly find and assess solutions originating in very different applications.
Yes, we can. Having performed over 300 Technology Scouting projects with more than 100 different clients, we have the experience to deliver it in 12 weeks and to the agreed budget. If for some reason we believe that a particular project might need more time we would discuss it before starting and agree on a particular timeline beforehand.
Usually, we can find around 20 technologies and approaches that can, alone and/or combined, address the challenge. The actual number in a particular project changes depending on the type of challenge, boundary conditions and timeframe considered, among others.
Almost certainly. The methodology has been developed to analyse product development challenges in a structured way to identify technological bottlenecks and potential solutions for them. This methodology is mostly independent of the type of product analysed and BlueThink has applied it to tangible and digital products including areas like:
Most probably. In the last 12 years, we have worked on over 300 projects with more than 100 clients across a wide range of sectors and applications.
Even if we didn’t, it doesn’t really matter. Our aim is to complement our clients’ sector knowledge with innovation expertise and a wide cross-sector view. By working together we can set the scene for the challenge and find applicable solutions originating in different, and often unrelated, applications.
We usually ask our clients to get involved in 3 meetings throughout the 12 weeks project:
There might be some additional questions to answer throughout the project so it usually takes about 8 working hours throughout the 12 weeks projects.
Some clients prefer to be more involved in the development of the Technology Scouting in which case we can organise regular meetings to keep them updated. These are usually fortnightly and last 1 hour.
Yes, we have many good references. BlueThink has successfully applied the Technology Scouting Methodology hundreds of times with over 100 clients. Most of our clients will continue working with us on a regular basis, which we think is the best reference.
If you would like to hear what our clients have to say about working with BlueThink please get in touch here or send us an email at info@bluethink.co.uk and we will happily arrange it.
A good amount of work goes to objectively characterise and evaluate each of the proposed solutions in a comparable way. To this aim, a set of KPIs is agreed upon with the client early on in the process. These are then used to present the solutions using a custom set of tools to support the decision-making process.
Moreover, the Selection Brainstorming meeting on week 8 is aimed at working together to present, analyse and select the most interesting solutions to then focus on them for the convergent part of the analysis.
Please download the sample Technology Scouting report in the previous section to see an example of the comparative presentation.
Confidentiality is a key aspect of the Technology Scouting and one of the aspects that sets it apart from other landscaping activities.
BlueThink will decompose the problem and render it blind to any external Solvers that may be involved in the process. This means that nobody outside of BlueThink will know what the challenge, project or even the client is, protecting our clients’ confidentiality in the best way possible.
Furthermore, confidentiality is taken extremely seriously within BlueThink and our clients’ data is protected as if it was our own. An NDA will be in place from the start of the discussions and no information will be shared externally without the express authorisation from the client.
It is expressly stated in the Technology Scouting agreement that all IP generated during the project is the client’s property upon full payment.
This means that once the project is completed and fully-paid, the client owns all IP rights to the knowledge generated and can make use of it as they see fit.
Certainly. The objective of the activity is to provide an objective and experience scouting activity and setting the foundations for a successful solution and this inevitably includes sharing the sources and contacts needed to move forward.
BlueThink has no intention of holding back any information generated throughout the project and this includes companies’ names and contacts.
If following the project our client wishes to remain anonymous to the potential Solver we can support further stages of development.
