P.I.CThe C.E.S.A.RInnovation Process

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Innovation is a change in the behavior of market agents, as producers and consumers of anything:

Processes, products or services. In an interconnected economy (by information and knowledge) and

intensive (by services and processes) a major part of what can be defined as innovation involves

Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) which transforms artifacts and experiences into

answers to market demands. The C.E.S.A.R. Innovation Process (known as PIC) inspired by the principles of user-centered design is

based on the premise that ICTs serve to meet people´s demands within certain contexts, purposes and

strategies and that successful user experience is a condition for the entire innovation process. Thus,

PIC emphasizes an understanding of people who are (or will be) users of the company-client´s

products and services, the study of what is valuable for these individuals and how they live whereas it

will be then possible to develop experiences of uses that will improve their quality of life.

P.I.C The C.E.S.A.R Innovation Process

Identify users and investigates how the product can be used and in which circumstances.

Problems and opportunities identified by the research inspires the solutions, which is the goal of this phase.

By building prototypes it is possible to identify limits and restrictions as well as the potential of the generated solutions.

The last step is validation (in the lab or in the field) of the prototyped concepts with the users.

During this first step, the team responsible for the PIC builds jointly with the client an understanding of the demands,

market strategies and existing innovation processes, if any. At the same time, the team reviews existing or similar

solutions by benchmarking preliminary studies. Also during this phase, the team will review competitors´ strategies

for the theme under study. The definition of a theme is the result of three activities which are performed continuously:

Context diagnostics:

Trend follow up:

Definition of an initial strategy:

it is performed by several well

documented studies both internal and externally, i.e., at the

company, its relationship with competitors, partners and

o t h e r i n d u s t r y a n d m a r k e t r e l a t e d r o l e s .

Includes areas such as technology,

behavior, design, culture and politics, noting changes in

trend patterns in order to find opportunities for innovation.

directly aligned with the

company´s strategy, it is used as a reference for the

opportunities which arise from crossing diagnostics with

observed trends.

In the process represented by the above illustration, Gate 1 is the stage in which the work proposal for

executing the innovation process is evaluated by the client.

This basic cycle is continuous, wheel like, up to the conclusion of an innovation process at the company-client. The entire

process can be customized according to the nature of client demands and his/her strategic and operational planning. In the

following illustration, the same process is shown in detail, phase by phase, until it is execution. It can represent the

development of created artifact(s), implementation of service(s) and or experiences elaborated during the process.

In the above illustration, the phases Studies and Research, Ideation, Prototyping and Evaluation show details of the PIC

main activities. The process begins with the development of a theme and the definition of a problem/need statement of

areas as determined by the client during a consulting meeting held with the innovation institute collaborators. At the conclusion of this phase, C.E.S.A.R. will present a work proposal to the company-client for executing the PIC. The

proposal includes a timeline for the research, ideation and prototyping phases

1. Studies and Research

Gate1

client

CESAR

Understandingthe demand

Preliminary viabilitystudies

Research,ideation,

prototypingtimeline

Proposal scopeof the work

Ideationdocumentation

Quantitative,qualitativeresearch

Businessmodel

Viability, technological,functional

and economic studies

Usabilitytesting and

servicesevaluation

Prototypingof artifact,services or

experience

Productspecifications

documents

Scenariosfor use

documents

Ideation

execução

Studies and research

Gate1 Gate2 Gate3 Gate4

execution

Prototyping and evaluation

client

CESAR

Understandingthe demand

Preliminary viabilitystudies

Research,ideation,

prototypingtimeline

Proposal scopeof the work

2. IdeationOnce the studies and research phase is completed, the team responsible for the PIC begins the ideation process using the following sources:[1] Quantitative and qualitative research about the theme either designed by the team or acquired by third parties; [2] client´s own knowledge and needs; [3] the experience of the consulting team, member of the main team; [4] available academic knowledge about the state of the art and vision of the future for the area.

The C.E.S.A.R teams are trans-disciplinary, i.e., they are professionals with diversified profiles who treat innovation as a solution to market´s problems. Although some of the problems to be solved can seem to be engineering problems, most of them are multi-faceted and require knowledge to be drawn from several areas. For instance, sometimes a problem seemingly is a technical problem such as reducing an application´s hosting costs and it is interpreted from a macro point of view, completely changing the initial business model by relaxing non critical clauses of the Service Level Agreement.

To understand the emerging behaviors of consumer/user requires research efforts focusing on the contexts of his/her daily practices. The innovation process design involves several methods whose aim is to collect data on a product´s final users or a process´s audience, and can include:

- (detailed study of individuals or groups routine practices by observation, videography, interviews and analyses of artifacts;

– seeks to understand the habits and purposes of users in order to collect data on functional requirements and usability of products or services;

– uses direct interaction techniques especially for the survey of subject aspects surrounding the products or services;

– applied to quantitative research based on a large sample of users.

In situ ethnography

In lab focus groups

Interviews

Diverse statistic methods

Versatility

The PIC can be used in

projects with distinct themes,

budgets, timelines and also

diversified teams.

The ideation meetings (which include the Project executing team and C.E.S.A.R. consultants) are directly fed by research which has either been already performed and/or underway. Using techniques such as brainstorming and placestorm their main goal is to define concepts, technological environments and scenarios which are relevant to the following phase, prototyping.

At the end of the ideation phase, the C.E.S.A.R. team will deliver an ideation document to the client containing the following sections for each proposed idea:

- Summary of ideas and scenarios for use of the artifact or service applications;

- Basic technical characteristics and analysis of competitors offering similar artifacts or services;

- Premises and restrictions for developing the idea;- Business model for marketing the idea and perspectives for

product or service evolution at both medium and long terms.

Gate 2, shown in the side illustration, represents the phase where the client validates the ideation documents.

Once approved, the ideas can be more detailed by technological, functional and economic viability studies, and the

eventual formulation of a business model for the product. These studies aim to add value to the already conceived

ideas and can involve inviting others to join the consulting and experts´ teams involved in the process. This occurs

because of the process´s open format in which many individuals can collaborate with suggestions, criticism and

indications for directing the research and thus avoiding a focus in one single train of thought.

Also considered in this phase are the product and/or service development technical difficulties, its eventual

implementation as well as issues related to intellectual property. Gate 3, shown in the side illustration, represents

validation of the Viability Studies Report by the client.

Flexibility

Due to its flexibility, the PIC can be successfully used either in its full, 4-

phase format or less, according to Project needs and client demands.

Ideationdocumentation

Quantitative,qualitativeresearch

Businessmodel

Viability, technological,functional

and economic studies

Gate1 Gate2

After leaving Gate 3, prototyping of the artifacts, services or

experiences begins. This phase includes planning and a

definition of a roadmap resulting from the business cases and

the development of prototypes at several levels of similarity as

per the artifact, service or experience specifications. In this

phase, low similarity prototypes (made of paper, cardboard or

Styrofoam) are welcome because they are low cost and

provides good results during usability testing.

Once the prototype is ready, the concept elaborated so far, still in this

phase, will be tested as far as user-friendliness, efficiency of use and user

satisfaction. It is here that errors are welcome since changes during the

prototyping phase can be readily performed without incurring high costs.

This means that, the sooner the error is identified, the cheaper will be the

correction. The prototyping phase is the ideal moment to err and to make

timely corrections.

This last phase involves, among other activities, definition of users profile; survey the

risks associated to testing and planning of mitigating actions; determination of a

timeline for activities to be performed; survey hardware and software resources and

others of any nature that will facilitate the execution of the tests; recruit users; plan the

tasks to be performed by participating users; establish lab test procedures and analyze

the results.

C.E.S.A.R. has two usability labs equipped with all materials and devices needed to

perform several types of use tests. These labs are strategically located in order to be

able to service both the Northeast and the South/Southeast regions in the best way

possible; their location also helps C.E.S.A.R. testing teams be closer to the users

under study.

3. Prototyping

4. Evaluation

Businessmodel

Viability, technological,functional

and economic studies

Usabilitytesting and

servicesevaluation

Prototypingof artifact,services or

experience

Gate2 Gate3

Usabilitytesting and

servicesevaluation

Prototypingof artifact,services or

experience

Gate3 Gate4

At the end of the tests and analyses, the project team delivers the results to the client using a workshop format which may

include testing simulations and use of available prototypes. Gate 4 represents approval of deliveries up to this point.

After negotiating the products´ acceptance conditions, a Final Report which includes a documentation of all phases of the

process, from thematization to test results and evaluations, is delivered to the client for approval. This report can be in the

PRD (Product Requirements Document) format and includes a description of scenarios for use of the created products. The PRD will also include the CIP final phase, execution and even though it is not a construction document (i.e., hardware),

development (i.e., software) or implementation and implantation (i.e., services).

Once the final report is ready, the client has the option of contracting with

C.E.S.A.R. for executing the concepts elaborated and validated in the innovation

process, thus increasing the chances of a harmonious relationship between

concept, development and market life.

The possibility of executing a PRD by C.E.S.A.R. means that the team is more than

a think tank and is capable of conceiving innovative processes, products and

services in close partnership with its clients. Our engineering skills in ICT go well

beyond that: From chip design and construction of embedded systems to

conception, design, development, implantation, evolution and operation of

information systems. Also, design, mobility, performance and application safety, software reuse, methods and processes

for software engineering, testing of operational systems and many others areas in the ICT value chain are mastered by

C.E.S.A.R. teams. The adequate development of these activities demand trans-disciplinary teams that meet the needs of

innovative design acting on three interdependent and interconnected spheres: People, technology and business.

Productspecifications

documents

Scenariosfor use

documents

execução

Gate4

execution

C.E.S.A.R is a non-profit institution founded in 1996. It offers

solutions that include the entire innovation generation process in and

with ICTs. From the development of an idea, through conception and

prototyping up to the execution of the projects for enterprises,

diverse industries as well as defense, telecommunications, electro-

electronics, commercial automation, finance, media, energy, health

and agribusinesses. C.E.S.A.R interconnects multiple innovation

centers in a knowledge and connections network to develop projects

with a view to the future, speed and quality. The institution has built a

portfolio of varied products and services in order to meet its

numerous clients located in different parts of the country.

Among the institutions that work or have worked in partnership with C.E.S.A.R for the user-centered innovation are Motorola,

Samsung, Sony Ericsson, Vivo, Oi, Positivo, Dell, Visanet, Bematech, Bradesco, Unibanco, Banco Central do Brasil, Siemens,

Philips, and CHESF.

C.E.S.A.R has over 580 professionals, counting on experts, master's degrees, doctorates and consultants located in the cities

of Recife, São Paulo, Sorocaba, Rio de Janeiro, Brasilia and Curitiba. They are a team of experts who understand the

relationship between people, technology and business. The institution also has state of the art labs for Design & Usability work,

Digital TV and interactive media as well as embedded systems which accelerate the prototyping process and development of a

variety of solutions for its clients.

The Institution is also recognized by its experience in all steps of the process of capture and application of resources for

incentives to R&D in the country. From a survey of needs up to the final accountability report, C.E.S.A.R. generates and

manages the entire ICTs innovation generation process for its clients, leaving them free to manage the evolution of their own

business.

According to FINEP, C.E.S.A.R was twice considered (2004 and 2010) the most innovative science and technology institution in

Brazil. According to the Brazilian Ministry of Science and Technology (MCT), in 2007, C.E.S.A.R was the center for innovation

that received the largest volume of resources as per the Informatics Law for the development of R&D projects in Brazil. This is a

reflection of one of the institution´s goals which is to make capturing and use of incentives for innovation an added value for the

business accomplishments of its partners and clients.

O CESAR

Talk to us

No matter what is your business, size

of the company or problem you are

trying to solve, rest assured that

C.E.S.A.R can be a part of the

network that is helping you to

innovate.

E-mail: negocios@cesar.org.br | Site: www.cesar.org.br

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