NTT DATA, a global leader in IT and business services, sought to transform its innovation processes to bring structure and transparency to its extensive portfolio of activities. By implementing Crowdworx, NTT DATA established a unified system to manage ideas, coordinate projects, and engage employees across global teams. The result was a streamlined process, enhanced reporting capabilities, and increased participation through gamification and voting tools.
About NTT DATA
NTT DATA is a Japanese multinational IT service and consulting company headquartered in Tokyo, Japan. As a trusted global innovator, the company invests over $4 billion annually in research and development across its seven global innovation labs. With more than 19,000 patents worldwide and 2,000 researchers, NTT DATA leads the way in IT and business services innovation.
The Challenge
NTT DATA has always placed a strong emphasis on innovation but struggled with a lack of a consolidated process to bring order and transparency to its activities. The innovation team juggles responsibilities such as idea management, portfolio oversight, and initiating innovation projects, all while coordinating with various departments during product development.
In Germany alone, the company manages 200-250 R&D projects annually, involving employees, customer consultants, and researchers. With such complex processes, numerous stakeholders, and an extensive project portfolio, the limitations of the existing tools—primarily SharePoint—became increasingly evident.
The tools lacked visibility and clarity, making it difficult to track and manage projects effectively. The absence of robust reporting capabilities hindered the team’s ability to evaluate ideas and manage projects efficiently. Additionally, a poor user experience resulted in low participation and limited idea generation, preventing NTT DATA from fully leveraging its innovation potential.
The Solution
To address its challenges, NTT DATA partnered with Crowdworx to rebuild and consolidate its innovation process. The goal was to create a unified system that streamlined workflows, engaged employees, and brought clarity to the company’s innovation activities.
Crowdworx introduced a structured idea management process based on the Stage Gate methodology, providing a clear framework for advancing ideas through development stages. This ensured that only the most promising concepts progressed. Powerful reporting dashboards were added, offering real-time insights into the performance of the innovation portfolio. For the first time, NTT DATA could easily evaluate the status and impact of its projects across all departments.
To drive participation, Crowdworx introduced targeted idea campaigns that encouraged focused innovation on specific topics. Gamification features, such as voting tools and rewards, motivated employees to contribute and take an active role in the innovation process.
The Results
The introduction of Crowdworx transformed NTT DATA’s innovation processes, fostering greater collaboration and transparency. Employees gained visibility into ongoing activities, while the streamlined Stage Gate process ensured ideas progressed quickly and efficiently. Advanced reporting tools provided clarity over the extensive project portfolio, enabling better decision-making and resource allocation.
Key Outcomes:
- Increased Engagement: Voting tools and gamification features energized employees, driving higher participation.
- Improved Transparency: A clear, comprehensive view of innovation activities kept employees and stakeholders informed.
- Streamlined Processes: Structured workflows and real-time reporting accelerated idea implementation and improved overall efficiency.
