Autodesk, Inc. realized the value of expanding its offering beyond just being a software manufacturer for CAD tools. The company recently introduced the concept of “Innovation Workshops.” In these workshops, Autodesk brings together a smaller group of customers (less than ten) from different industries and they share experiences.
This generates an open dialog where the customer can speak about struggles and solutions that apply to common problems and at the same time hear from peers about their own approaches to resolve similar problems.
The workshop offers a template for digital innovation that walks customers through a structured process to identify the potential root cause of some of those problems. The group walks through different capabilities and asks some basic questions:
This is a new way for the company to offer value to its customers and for customers to embark in a digital strategy with the tools and methods to leverage innovation.
Source: SoftwareReviews, Accessed August 23, 2019
Software alone as a differentiator is no longer enough. We’re seeing an increase in software vendors taking a similar path to the one Autodesk has taken here. The path to innovation requires tools, processes, and a rich suite of services to support organizations.
Implement a Proactive and Consistent Vendor Selection Process