Web 2.0 social tools are swelling all around us, and the Fortune 100 are embracing them for two purposes - managing and engaging the internal employee base and managing and engaging the external customer base. Wikis, blogs, mashups, and social networks will improve productivity, connectivity, knowledge transfer, and ultimately profitability if deployed correctly.
What about innovation? Can the Web 2.0 environment increase, enable, accelerate, and deepen innovation within companies? I am impressed with the emergence of tools such as Wridea and others that have taken on the challenge. But I have yet to see one that works effectively. I am trying to figure out why. Are these applications using the wrong innovation tool or process? Do they have an effective innovation process, but deploy it incorrectly? Or, are people not using the application in an optimal way?