Innovation management: methods for promoting creativity
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Posted 14 Jul 2025
Where ideas ignite, the future unfolds. However, revolutionary innovation is not coincidental; it requires environments that foster creativity and provide targeted guidance. For established companies, it is no longer sufficient to merely permit new ideas to arise; It is necessary for them to create frameworks that promote innovation in an active manner. This is precisely the point at which contemporary innovation management becomes relevant: it develops frameworks, processes, and methods that organise creative thought and convert it into market-ready solutions. With the fast pace of technological advancement and rising customer expectations, the capacity to innovate is emerging as a crucial competence.
So which methods promote creative solutions, and how can they be meaningfully integrated into existing processes?
A key element of innovation management is choosing and using appropriate creative methods. Design thinking is one of the most recognized and validated methods. This method, which focuses on the user, aids teams in comprehending intricate issues, fostering empathy for users, and creating inventive solutions via iterative prototyping. Results that transcend traditional product development often arise from interdisciplinary exchange and a sustained focus on genuine needs.
Companies in various industries, from services to manufacturing, use design thinking to make internal processes more customer-friendly, redesign digital services, and develop physical products further in a user-centric way. This approach is particularly effective in the early stages of innovation.
Another effective approach for fostering creative ideas in a team is brainwriting. It is especially beneficial in situations where conventional brainstorming fails to yield the desired diversity of ideas. Brainwriting involves gathering ideas in written form, typically without revealing identities, allowing each participant to develop their own approaches without disruption. By sharing and building upon these concepts, a beneficial and inventive chain reaction is established that dismantles hierarchical obstacles and allows introverted individuals to express themselves.
Large organisations actively use innovation workshops involving brainwriting to capture a wider range of perspectives on product or service ideas, particularly when participants have different levels of experience and come from a variety of backgrounds.
Another technique that supports the creative use of existing products or processes is the SCAMPER method. This analysis is based on seven specific questions: Which elements can be replaced, combined, adapted, changed, used differently, omitted or reversed? This change of perspective can help you to challenge and develop existing ideas, often yielding surprising results.
SCAMPER, for example, is a tool that companies use to make existing product lines more sustainable, simplify packaging or design processes in a more resource-efficient way. The aim of this is to improve existing solutions iteratively.
Companies intentionally expose their innovation processes to external influences, as per the principle of open innovation. They incorporate external sources of inspiration, including customers, partners, start-ups, and research institutions. This exchange fosters innovative thinking, speeds up development processes, and expands horizons beyond the confines of the company.
In practice, this takes the form of innovation competitions, cooperation platforms and research networks, which specifically integrate external expertise for the development of new technologies, business models and services.
Another important element for success are innovation labs, which can be either physical or virtual environments where teams can develop new ideas without the pressures of daily business operations. Creative freedom, agile methods, and interdisciplinary teams often yield solutions in ‘protected spaces’ that would be virtually impossible to implement within a traditional corporate context. This project aims primarily to promote innovation and render it visible and tangible.
Creativity does not arise by accident; it necessitates frameworks, approaches, and a culture of openness. To manage innovation successfully, it is important to choose the right approach for the specific objective and context, rather than relying on the same method every time. Although design thinking works well for user-focused problems, SCAMPER provides a structured approach for advancing current ideas, and brainwriting generates diverse viewpoints. The method chosen should always be contingent on the context, considering the problem at hand, objectives, and corporate culture.
Would you like to learn how to initiate creative processes in your company in a targeted manner and support them with effective communication? The HBI team is happy to assist you in identifying and promoting your innovation potential. We offer a wide range of services, including thought leadership strategies and PR support for your future projects. Simply contact us at vibes@hbi.de!
Junior Marketing Consultant at HBI Communication Helga Bailey GmbH
Jasmin Sobhanian has been part of HBI’s marketing team since 2023. As Junior Marketing Consultant, her responsibilities include the development of marketing campaigns, social media management, and the creation of specialized articles.
Picture: Freepik
