The rising importance of technology in business has amped up the pressure to get better contributions and results from technology and service providers. The old model of engaging providers as vendors misses big opportunities to get the most from them.

Future fit organizations have found a better way to maximize the value that they get from partners. It is through something Forrester calls “co-innovation.” These leading organizations develop advanced partner strategies that focus on outcomes, share risk, align incentives to motivate all parties, and work in blended teams to achieve better results. Every company can do the same.

To help you succeed, Forrester today launched a new partner priority in our innovative Forrester Decisions for Technology Executives service. By exposing and elevating our research and guidance on partnerships, we will help you and your teams maximize co-innovation techniques to capture the value needed to achieve your goals.

The new priority starts with five “co-innovation competencies” that will help you build and strengthen your new partner strategy:

  1. Redefine partners’ roles in driving your business outcomes.
  2. Create a co-innovation partner and ecosystem strategy.
  3. Assess and select partners for compatibility and superior delivery.
  4. Structure agreements that motivate partners to achieve outcomes.
  5. Manage co-creation and delivery with blended teams.

In addition, we have our flagship model that guides the research that we deliver, as well as the ways that Forrester’s analysts engage with you to help improve how you capture value from partners:

 

 

Let’s Connect

If you are asking how you can assemble the best partner portfolio; take full advantage of their innovation pipelines and alliances; and select, motivate, and manage providers to focus on your outcomes, Forrester can help. Click here to set up a time for us to talk. I can help or direct you to the analyst most suited to help. You can also follow or connect with me on LinkedIn if you’d like. If your company has expertise to share on this topic, feel free to submit a briefing request.