PICATINNY ARSENAL, N.J. - What do you do when you have an idea' Where do you take it so that idea can mature'
A new process called the Collaborative Innovation Framework is just beginning and is geared to helping engineers take their innovation instincts to the next level.
As a way of stimulating the drive to create something new, the search has begun for a logo that screams innovation.
"We are looking to help spur creativity," said Bridgett Hackett, team leader in the Armament Research, Development and Engineering Center's Strategic Communications Branch.
"Innovation is an idea farm waiting to be harvested," she said.
The CIF process began in 2007 when ARDEC senior leaders realized that new ideas were repeatedly generated by the same few employees.
Within the last ten years or so, more than 1,000 interns had been hired, yet their creative "voice" was not being heard, said Cindy Perrazo of ARDEC's Project Integration Office.
An effort began to turn this situation around.
"A Lean Six Sigma black-belt project started about a year after the innovation journey began," Perrazo said.
A team of 22 members from various ARDEC competencies worked to bring the process of innovation from concept to reality. When the project started, ARDEC did not have a defined and robust innovation process.
"Innovation does not equal ideas. Applying them to something, and getting a value from them, is what it is really about," Perrazo said.
The official process launch was held in the Lindner Conference Center May 25, where seven idea catalysts and three champions were introduced.
Sam Ferlazzo, Tom Kiel, Doug Chesnulovitch, Eric Kathe, Ernie Garcia, Andrea Stevens and Jeff Varner were all chosen as catalysts, while Tony Sebsasto, Michael Zecca and Ton Pezzano were selected as champions.
As idea catalysts, they will encourage and foster associates' ideas, help enhance existing ideas, connect associates with other ARDEC entities, and advise associates on innovation processes.
Champions will then aid the catalysts with identifying potential customers, measuring processes, and communicate with the governing body consisting senior leaders: John Hedderich, David Castellano, Barbara Machak, Mary Manser, Bob Rossi, and Dominick Carra.
"Your obligation is to have your voice heard. That is what we pay you for," said Barbara Machak, associate technical director, Systems Concepts and Technology.
Currently, three innovation hubs will support local idea generation and shape ideas into concepts.
For example, an online science and technology portal went live in March to help facilitate and create unmatched and unprecedented capabilities for the future combat forces, while leveraging early instances of validation of these capabilities for the warfighter.
This portal is available through the ARDEC intranet site.
Innovation has been the foundation of ARDEC's continuous improvement culture.
However, a contractor with Idea Connection Systems expanded on the concept of innovation by telling the audience, "Organizations don't innovate. People do."
John Hedderich, executive director, Munitions Engineering Technology Center, stressed that for this new process to work, all levels of management need to support employees tasked to participate in this project.
"We are trying to change the current culture," Hedderich said, noting that sometimes it's easier said than done.
Employees involved in stimulating the creative process will go through an extensive training program before the program is launched later this summer.
Submissions for the logo contest may be submitted in a vector format via <a href="mailto:svc.picastratcom.pic@conus.army.mil">e-mail</a>, which can be produced with programs such as Adobe Illustrator.
Submissions are also possible through the Science and Technology portal.
Both black and white or color submissions will be accepted. The contest entry deadline is July 5.
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