Bright Idea Software Review

Overview

• Comprehensive set of tools combined in a software suite intended to provide a framework for idea creation management, vetting, proposal creation and project management
• Wide range of integration options which will help it blend seamlessly into existing organizations
• User-interface leaves some room for improvement

Review

The minds at Bright Idea have come out with an Innovation Suite, which is intended to follow ideas from their generation to their implementation. The suite comes in three parts – Webstorm, Switchboard and Pipeline. Webstorm is a space for brainstorming and creating ideas which can be moved into Switchboard as they progress. Switchboard allows for ideas to be developed into proposals based on collaboration and voting. The last stage, Pipeline, take proposals and allows users to create projects based off of them.

Webstorm

This is where ideas are to be generated and managed. Webstorm is an incredibly flexible tool that allows users to add ideas with ranging complexity. Ideas can be added through a user-friendly one-click setup method, though other options are available. Webstorm contains built in templates which make customization easy and allow users to change layout and color scheme for their ideas with just a few clicks of the mouse.

The management dashboard is by far the most impressive feature of Webstorm. It allows users to view lists of ideas based on customized filtering. Furthermore, similar ideas can be connected by linking them in the system. Ideas can also be tagged and grouped based on keywords similar to the manner in which many online photo galleries are organized today. The dashboard is user-friendly, easy to read, and meant to be accessible to a wide range of individuals including business executives and employees.

Switchboard

Any idea or ideas created in Web Storm can be easily migrated to Switchboard. It is here where these ideas can be made into proper proposals. Users have the option of merging multiple ideas into one proposal. Once a proposal has been created, co-workers and other experts can be invited to comment, collaborate or discuss within Switchboard. Each proposal page also allows for document sharing to further facilitate collaboration.

In addition to collaboration through discussion, Switchboard also supports rating proposals through customized surveys. These surveys can be created directly in the system and pertinent individuals can be sent an email, alerting them to evaluate the proposal by filling out the survey. Once the surveys have been completed, their comprehensive results can be viewed within Switchboard.

Pipeline

Proposals which have survived the vetting process will make it through to the Pipeline. Here, it is possible set and create projects based on proposals in switchboard. Pipeline works in a similar fashion to many project management systems. Users are able to create projects, create milestones for these projects and track their projects. Additionally, project projections can be made in Pipeline and there is also a handy visual dashboard available which gives users an overview of projects currently in progress and what their status is.

Other Features

In addition to Bright Idea’s Innovation Suite, the company also offers a wide range of technical and business support to its customers. This includes technical and creative services, system setup, application support and even program launching events. The sum of Bright Idea’s offerings is quite impressive and should indeed cover the needs of a vast majority of businesses.
Its dashboards and calculated statistics are especially notable, while the overall user-interface probably could be improved upon. Additionally, while the Innovation Suite may appeal to business looking for a purely functional workflow platform, it does lack some of the bells and whistles that other products provide in terms of measuring and rating collaboration. Nevertheless, the software’s logical work flow makes up for any aesthetic or surface-level shortcomings it may have.

Integration

The Innovation Suite features integration options in three major areas – social platforms, portfolio management and analytics reporting. Bright Idea have gone to great lengths to ensure its software incorporates easily and seamlessly into existing organizations. The following is a list of integrations it currently supports:
Sharepoint, Yammer, Jive, Tibbr, Rally, JIRA, IBM Rational Focal Point, Planview, Qlikview, GoodData, Zendesk, Pervasive, Facebook, Mobile, Web

Bright Idea have already garnered an enviable client list for its Innovation Suite. Running the gamut from the energy industry to finance, manufacturing and pharmaceuticals, companies from around the world seem to have embraced this software suite.
Current clients include Bosch, Cisco, Panasonic, Humana, HP, the City of San Francisco, Bayer, British Telecommunications and Harley Davidson. The reason for the Innovation Suite’s success is no accident. It is comprehensive, well thought out and appeals to those looking for an innovation management.