How to frame your challenge question

How to frame your challenge question

Once confirmed your participation in the Innovation Days, it is important to clarify expectations from the event. You should actively reflect on the motivations that lead you to consider the Innovation Days within your open innovation strategy. Your motivations shall be then translated into a challenge question.

What is a good challenge question?

A good challenge question strikes a balance between pointing to corporates’ interests, and allowing space for creative solutions. Questions have to be motivating, inspiring, and appealing. They are specific enough to the corporate and to the target area, yet providing an open solution space for creative ideas. Too narrow questions might constrain the teams, whereas too broad questions might lead them off-topic.

How to write a challenge brief?

Challenge questions are concise statements that summarise the expectations of the company. They are published on the event page on our website and they are accompanied by a challenge brief. The challenge brief is a more detailed explanation of the challenge. It includes a written description and a 3-4 minutes introductory video to the challenge. The challenge brief and the video serve to give a background to the challenge and to motivate participants to tackle the corporate innovation problem. Finally, the collaboration incentive offered to the winning teams need to be highlighted (read more about collaboration incentives).

When to write a challenge question?

Writing the challenge question is a critical moment in the preparation of the Innovation Days. Therefore, we start working with corporate partners on the framing up to six months before the event takes place. The challenge question has to be communicated one month before the event at latest, so that participants can adequately prepare studying industry trends and brainstorming initial ideas.

SOME BEST PRACTICES FROM OUR PAST EVENTS

Julius Blum – Innovation Days Rheintal 2018

How might we design and enhance the functionality of a future proof waste management system for the household and the kitchen?

Rauch Fruchtsäfte – Innovation Days Rheintal 2018 

How might we reimagine the fruit juice experience of the future?

Outrigger Hotels and Resorts – Innovation Days Hawaii 2018

How might we and our guests contribute to coral reef preservation and the health of our ocean?

Open Source Imaging – Innovation Days Berlin 2018

How might we improve our healthcare ecosystems based on open source medical technology?