By looking outside we open up. More and more demands are being placed on us via our customers, suppliers, our regulators and a host of other stakeholders all wanting to contribute into our existing knowledge. The ability to collaborate, to cooperate is coming by purposefully designing ecosystems and platforms

We struggle to adapt to these new external pressures as the more we engage outside we realize there are (often) stark differences in approaching problems. This adaptation demands a very different approach to anyone organizations structures, processes and systems. They need to adapt to and support these changes in working within an ecosystem designed one.

We all need to be more flexible, adaptable and agile so our resources grow their capacity to absorb and strengthen the competency and capability in new more dynamic ways. To design in ecosystem thinking needs a very different approach.

Building Value into Networks

We need to ask specifically are we going to gain a significant advantage in working in networks as the work is highly demanding and calls for a very different mindset and business thinking application

I have written on this posting site many aspects of ecosystem thinking. One, I can point you to is “Connecting future value will come from ecosystem thinking”

We need to ask ourselves lots of questions. A useful post is “Designing our Innovation Ecosystem needs five considerations“

Why ecosystems have come of age in the business world.

To explore and exploit ‘the new,’ we have the opportunity to combine technology and leverage relationships to extract ‘greater’ meaning. Building a network of contacts, we are scaling and developing a more productive potential of something new.

We can, through data and exchanges, link up the real world and relate the physical and data worlds. Actually, we are building a digital-physical twin as we understand what is going on, explore how we can change it, and then compare this back in the digital world, that mapping back for all participants to work upon and extend it out. We are creating value in combining technology and relationships in any ecosystem design.

The ability to delve into or broaden out our thinking gives us these opportunities to extend what we have or create something new. In any ecosystem evolution, ‘something’ or ‘someone will exploit a gap, a niche, and utilize this. It takes time if it cannot build on its capabilities in that space, it needs to build up its environment around it.

We often limit our capabilities and capacity because we do not ‘stray’ from the knowns into the unknowns. Ecosystems that encourage that pushing frontiers to lead us often to finding that unexplored point. The combined realms of digital and physical meeting points allow us to do this in faster ways than ever before. We can reach wherever we want to go.

What are the on-going exchanges within the system that make up the communities for us?

As we interact what is the impact derived from the time it takes up for us to participate?

What ways can we extend, create and leverage the value. Can we convert a certain value into another that offers increased worth and growing usefulness?

We need to acquire, anchor and and transform this flow of new knowledge into future new worth.

Value Creation comes in many forms but it is the pivotal role of our intangibles that give it the greatest potential. Take a read of this “Exploring the Value of Your Innovation Capital“

– What makes up the negotiable and deliverables in what we do? Do we know all our capitals?

– What can be extracted as tangible benefits and intangible value exchanges that emerge as we explore them into more tangible ones?

– What impact these decisions and actions have to specific business activities, challenges and issues?

These make up the ‘currency’ of new value and are found across different networks and communities. We need to seek, find and engage in these.

Seeking out Social – Business Engagements

Organizations need to look for developing greater community engagement strategies.

This includes recognizing the new business goals social engagement can provide as social media relentlessly chips away at established practices

Every function is undertaking some form of transformation from technology and global digital networks.

* Ensure the leadership within the organization recognizes the opportunities and risks

* The necessary dedicated resources are made available that have the requisite skills

* The  building of response measures and actions in any growing social engagement

* Recognize the changes in working this shift to a greater ‘connected’ engagement means

* Prepare for engagement at growing scale, effect, shared value and increased insights.

* The increasing need for a modern engagement platform that listens, interacts, filters and provides.

Identity – Profiles and Reputation

As we look at our networks, both internally and externally we need to find clear identities, we need to build a profile that ‘speaks’ of reputation and trust. We have to become like-minded.

As we engage across different, often diverse resources we need to be authentic in how we go about our business. What we do, who we engage with it requires ‘relevancy’ to all

We need to place greater trust in others, as we perceive them so we can recognize their unique identities and contributions so we help build each other’s capabilities.

The level of engagement, our clarity and values build reputation and identity. The very patterns of participation and contribution are decided and often dictated at multiple levels by others, not ourselves.

We need clear identities that are the bedrock to build out our communities, based on reciprocating value and trust in how we exchange going forward.

To navigate through this often needs consistent support, it needs clarity of mind and underpinning of approach to draw out each of our unique identities.

Building an ecosystem design needs significant thinking through.

Take an extended browse through this posting site. Ecosystems and Platforms are discussed in different ways, you will find value as you browse. Ecosystem designs are critical to our “collective” future.

Let me help and contribute into your thinking, prompting you and encouraging you at the same time