A Virtual Hothouse for Global Product Development

The virtual HOTHOUSE® online innovation tool was developed by UK based consultancy, Ideas First® as a smart, fast and cost effective way of driving regional and global product development projects. Online delegates are taken through the GAMES RoadMap®, a systematic six step process to generate business-building insights, new product ideas and new product claims against focused innovation objectives. The process is run in two stages. The first stage generates and identifies leading consumer insights. The second stage is focused on generating and refining new ideas linked to leading insights from the first stage. Other stimulus and files can also be added to the system at the second stage. Scroll through the images below to see how the process unfolds.See More

The virtualHOTHOUSE Road Map
virtualHOTHOUSE Objective
Starting with Insights
Different Team Objectives
Adding New Insights
Countdown for Different Stages
Generating New Ideas
VHH Facilitator Instructions
Adding New Ideas
Selecting Early Favourites
The Merging Stage
Identifying and Managing Themes
Editing Insights or Ideas
Evaluating Ideas
Delegate and Consumer Voting
Final VHH Ideas

Develop New Concepts and Claims to Grow a Business

The virtualHOTHOUSE® can be used in a variety of ways to help innovation teams develop stronger business-building ideas, from fully virtual projects to maximising the impact of traditional brainstorming meetings. For example, in 2011 and early 2012 a fully virtual project was run over a period of 16 weeks for a leading consumer goods company to develop new product ideas and claims that would appeal to consumers in key emerging markets such as Brazil, China and India. A total of 60 delegates took part in the global process, together with a team of "creative agents", based in 13 countries. The process produced over 300 early insights, 400 early ideas, and 120 refined ideas that were evaluated by an online panel of 80 delegates. Final evaluation identified fifteen concepts with strong market potential that will be taken forward by the R&D teams. See More

virtualHOTHOUSE® User Feedback

Recent feedback from a survey of over 200 user confirms the significant benefits of the new virtualHOTHOUSE® tool. For example, 89% of users agreed that the tool “a much more convenient way of taking part in an innovation process"; 87% of users agreed it is a "great way of getting early insights and early ideas from a much larger team"; 91% felt that the process "saves time and travel costs associated with traditional innovation meetings"; and 88% users said that "the process generated at least least 2 to 3 new ideas that would drive business growth".See More

Login / Register

Click the link below to login or register to the virtualHOTHOUSE®, a powerful new on-line tool that improves the way innovation teams can generate new insights and ideas.

User Comments

" It was a fun process, and a great way of getting better insights and ideas from a larger regional or global innovation team."
" A smart way of involving consumers in the early stages of the innovation process to help refine insights and get feedback to ideas."
" The Ideas First combined approach helped us to save time and travel costs associated with traditional innovation projects. "
" Nearly 90% of users agreed that the virtual process allowed them to generate and review ideas at a time that was more convenient."
" I really liked the way that I could see and build on the ideas that were generated by my colleagues and creative agents in other global markets."
" 89% of users liked being able to vote on insights and ideas at different stages of the process e.g. before, during and after the workshop."
" Over 90% of delgates felt that the Hothouse process generated at least least 2 to 3 new ideas or claims that would drive business growth."
" A creative, insight driven approach, and most importantly, is focused on helping multi-function teams develop ideas that can win in the market."
" I would highly recommend the Ideas First process if you are looking to bring a fresh perspective to innovation and concept development. "
" Their ideation process, whether face to face or on-line, is leading edge. They are experts in creative projects that focus on business delivery."
" We have used their Claimstorming Hothouse® on a number of different projects to generate compelling new claims for exisiting products."

A Virtual Hothouse for Global Product Development

The virtualHOTHOUSE Road Map

virtualHOTHOUSE Objective

Starting with Insights

Different Team Objectives

Adding New Insights

Countdown for Different Stages

Generating New Ideas

VHH Facilitator Instructions

Adding New Ideas

Selecting Early Favourites

The Merging Stage

Identifying and Managing Themes

Editing Insights or Ideas

Evaluating Ideas

Delegate and Consumer Voting

Final VHH Ideas

Develop New Concepts and Claims to Grow a Business

virtualHOTHOUSE® User Feedback

Login / Register

User Comments

Companies and Brands Supported