Use of an Innovation Board to Integrate the Front End of Innovation with Formal NDP Processes

Drawing on a twelve-year case study, this article reports on the creation, structure, processes, and results of a major corporation's innovation board. A variety of front-end activities are described to show how the innovation board integrates its front-end activities with formal development processes. This research describes the formation of the innovation board, the "light touch" process developed for front-end projects, and the specialized roles that emerged to conduct early stage innovation. The institution of the board and its evolving practices changed leadership and culture in the organization; the board was reorganized over time to address new challenges. The case study offers a detailed description of the activities and evolution of the board.