How to evaluate creative and innovative concepts during the contest of the 24h of innovation ?
Résumé
In this paper we present the "24h of innovation®" event based on the challenge to explore a design proposition and generate with engineering and management expertise a virtual or physical prototype in only 24 hours. Indeed, students and design practitioners form teams of around 10 members and select projects which are proposed by industrial companies. Just after the 24 hours period the obtained results (new concepts or solutions, sketches, CAD and virtual product models, prototype, storyboard, website...) are then presented by the teams in 3 minutes before a board of examiners. This contest "The 24h of innovation®" had been organized by the ESTIA engineering institute since 2007 and had gathered annually around 250 participants from students and professionals design community. First this article aims to present both on pedagogical and industrial dimensions how this experience stimulates open collaborative design activities of innovative products and services as part of the formation program for future engineers and managers. Second the question of the complexity of the evaluation of innovative design product proposition is also addressed here by the analysis of the data collected during this experience. And finally, the paper is concluded by presenting how innovation measurement could be efficient in selecting the best innovative projects in the scope of "the 24h of innovation®" challenge.