Status quo and quo vadis: creativity techniques and innovation methods for generating extended innovation processes

The digital transformation of entire economic sectors and occupational profiles as well as the introduction of new forms of human-machine collaboration through the increased use of cognitive systems require completely new approaches. The key to success in coping with this change, which can be seen in all industries, is to break up old structures and venture something new. The ability to adapt and innovate is becoming a central success-critical factor in entrepreneurial activity. In order to continue to achieve market success and ensure sustainable growth in an extremely dynamic and disruptive environment, companies and organizations are called upon to proactively shape change. In addition to the establishment of flexible working models and agile processes, the increased generation and integration of knowledge into and around technical systems in the course of targeted competence development of employees is indispensable. The introduction and use of technical systems thus must go hand in hand with the flexibilization of innovation and collaboration processes as well as the development of employee skills in order to generate the currently missing socio-technological link – for companies´ added value and for the benefit of people. In this paper, the authors present an overview of currently used creativity techniques and innovation methods and work out the strengths and weaknesses of the respective tools. Furthermore, the resulting need for action for the optimization of innovation processes in the interaction of established techniques and possibilities of cognitive systems is presented.