Increased Flow in the Innovation Process - an Assessment Tool

Paper in proceeding, 2012

The paper contributes to Lean Innovation research by formulating an assessment tool for evaluating to what extent an organization is flow-oriented with regards to its innovation activities. The tool was applied during case studies at two large Swedish companies, Saab Aeronautics and Scania, where extensive change programs have been rolled out during recent years. The provided assessment tool consists of success factors formulated as statements for an R&D team, to improve the efficiency and delivery precision in the innovation process. It is based on Lean principles such as customer focus, flow-orientation, visualization, continuous improvement and knowledge transfer. The case studies show that the tool is robust in different contexts and is easy to apply. The assessment tool is perceived as straightforward and quick to put into practice.