Idea generation typically follows a familiar and flawed pattern: the business identifies a problem, submits a request to IT, and IT responds. It’s a functional system, but it limits innovation. It positions IT as a service desk rather than a strategic partner. Solutions often arrive late, cost more than expected, or just miss the problem altogether.
High-performing organizations flip this model. Instead of waiting for requests, IT actively engages the business through structured, repeatable interactions designed to surface opportunities early before they become costly initiatives.
This can be accomplished in different ways. Below are four practical engagement models high-performing IT leaders use to move through the idea cycle without bureaucracy or slow execution.
What It Is
An idea forum is an informal, facilitated session where business stakeholders are invited to share challenges and ideas in a low-pressure environment. It’s a space for early ideas. The goal is not to produce requirements or business cases, but to identify problems worth solving and inefficiencies or opportunities worth investigating.
Best Used When
Why It Works
Many valuable ideas never make it into a formal intake process because they feel too early, too small, not fully thought out, etc. Idea forums encourage participation and broad involvement, including frontline staff who usually experience problems first.
How IT Should Use It
Focus on conversation over documentation. Idea forums generate a volume of ideas quickly. You’ll notice patterns begin to emerge (recurring operational bottlenecks, customer issues, manual workarounds, etc.).
Listen, ask clarifying questions, and help articulate ideas. Ask:
Come away with a short list of ideas that warrant deeper exploration. These aren’t commitments. They’re ideas for further shaping.
What It Is
Show and tell sessions are structured forums where IT demonstrates tools, technologies, prototypes, or capabilities in short, focused demos. These are not training sessions or vendor pitches. They are designed to spark curiosity and connect technology capabilities to challenges. The goal is to expand what the business thinks is possible.
Best Used When
Why It Works
People generate better ideas when they can see what’s possible. A live demo or prototype can trigger insights that would never come from a slide deck or conceptual discussion. Business stakeholders often start to ask, “What if we applied this to…?”
Show and tell shifts the dynamic between IT and business. Instead of reacting to requests, IT demonstrates leadership by proactively sharing capabilities and exploring how they might be applied.
How IT Should Use It
Effective show and tell sessions:
The most important outcome isn’t applause. It’s follow-up conversations. This should naturally lead to deeper discussions or targeted experimentation.
What It Is
An innovation sprint is a short, time-boxed effort (days or weeks) to explore an idea through rapid experimentation. The objective is not full delivery, but learning, testing feasibility, clarifying value, etc.
Best Used When
Why It Works
Many ideas fail because uncertainty isn’t addressed early. Innovation sprints reduce this risk by forcing teams to move from discussion to action quickly. A lightweight prototype, process simulation, or proof of concept helps uncover issues that would remain hidden until later.
How IT Should Use It
Successful Innovation Sprints start with clear framing:
At the end of a sprint, the team should be able to say one of three things with confidence:
All three outcomes are wins.
What It Is
Innovation labs are facilitated workshops that bring together a broader group of stakeholders across functions to collaboratively explore complex problems and generate solutions. Unlike an idea forum, labs are more structured and outcome-oriented.
Best Used When
Why It Works
Complex challenges rarely belong to a single function. Innovation labs create shared understanding by putting diverse perspectives (operations, IT, compliance, analytics, etc.) in the same room.
Through structured exercises, participants move from problem framing to idea generation to prioritization. They build alignment and ownership early to reduce friction later.
How IT Should Use It
IT should act as a co-facilitator and integrator to:
In the end, come away with a small set of prioritized ideas with clear next steps and accountable owners.
Each model shares a common objective: shifting IT from order taker to strategic partner. They strengthen delivery discipline and governance by improving the quality of ideas before they become initiatives.
Organizations that consistently use these approaches see fewer surprises down the line and have better outcomes. Their ideas are much better.
At Trenegy, we help organizations position IT as a strategic partner to the business. To chat more about what this looks like, email info@trenegy.com.
Trenegy is a non-traditional consulting firm based in Houston, Texas.
