Knowing Communities in the Front End of Innovation

OVERVIEW: Drawing on a case study at Ubisoft, a major creative firm in the videogame industry, this article shows how a firm can nurture and engage with its knowing communities to fuel the front end of innovation. Actions taken by management can catalyze four types of knowing community activities: unscripted internal activities, which are emergent, spontaneous activities internal to the firm whose content and output are not directed by management; unscripted external activities, which take place outside the firm's boundaries; scripted internal activities, which are knowledge creation activities within the firm that are prescribed by management; and scripted external activities, which occur outside the firm. The findings provide insight that can help managers better understand how to foster those activities in which knowing communities can engage in order to bolster creativity and innovation.