# Best Enterprise Idea Management Software *By [Nana Serwah Nkrahene](https://research.g2.com/insights/author/nana-nkrahene)* Products classified in the overall Idea Management category are similar in many regards and help companies of all sizes solve their business problems. However, enterprise business features, pricing, setup, and installation differ from businesses of other sizes, which is why we match buyers to the right Enterprise Business Idea Management to fit their needs. Compare product ratings based on reviews from enterprise users or connect with one of G2's buying advisors to find the right solutions within the Enterprise Business Idea Management category. In addition to qualifying for inclusion in the Idea Management Software category, to qualify for inclusion in the Enterprise Business Idea Management Software category, a product must have at least 10 reviews left by a reviewer from an enterprise business. ## How Many Idea Management Software Products Does G2 Track? **Total Products under this Category:** 153 ### Category Stats (May 2026) - **Average Rating**: 4.45/5 - **New Reviews This Quarter**: 12 - **Buyer Segments**: Small-Business 50% │ Mid-Market 44% │ Enterprise 6% - **Top Trending Product**: Yumana (+0.25) *Last updated: May 19, 2026* ## How Does G2 Rank Idea Management Software Products? **Why You Can Trust G2's Software Rankings:** - 30 Analysts and Data Experts - 4,300+ Authentic Reviews - 153+ Products - Unbiased Rankings G2's software rankings are built on verified user reviews, rigorous moderation, and a consistent research methodology maintained by a team of analysts and data experts. Each product is measured using the same transparent criteria, with no paid placement or vendor influence. While reviews reflect real user experiences, which can be subjective, they offer valuable insight into how software performs in the hands of professionals. Together, these inputs power the G2 Score, a standardized way to compare tools within every category. --- **Sponsored** ### Ideawake Ideawake is an end-to-end idea management platform designed to increase ROI from employee, customer, and partner ideas while cutting the time it takes to manage ideas in half. We provide an easy to use, AI enabled idea management platform that makes it simple to capture, evaluate, and take action on ideas from those who know your organization best. Ideawake is a one-stop platform for innovation management, enabling organizations to run innovation challenges, hackathons, kaizen events, continuous improvement programs, and open innovation initiatives from initial idea sourcing through implementation and ROI measurement. Ideawake is trusted by organizations ranging from 100-employee startups to Fortune 500 enterprises to drive financial results, increase employee engagement, and build a culture of innovation at scale. The platform powers innovation programs in 39 countries across 17 industries, including manufacturing, technology, healthcare, financial services, retail, hospitality, and pharmaceuticals. Notable customers include US Bank, Sirius XM, Jason’s Deli, HP, Mercury Marine, and Nerolac Paints. The Ideawake platform features fully customizable workflows that guide ideas from intake through implementation and impact measurement, enabling organizations to manage the entire idea lifecycle while maintaining accountability at scale. Advanced reporting and analytics dashboards provide real-time visibility into ROI, cost savings, and portfolio performance. Enterprise-grade governance, including role-based permissions, approval workflows, and audit trails, ensures secure and compliant program management. Ideawake leverages automation and AI assistants to streamline innovation and continuous improvement processes, including AI-powered categorization, summarization, duplicate detection, and idea merging to reduce redundancy and accelerate decision-making. Robust collaboration tools including challenges, commenting, and multiple types of crowd voting drive engagement, while gamification features such as prizes and leaderboards motivate participation and foster a culture of innovation. Beyond idea submission, Ideawake provides powerful prioritization tools such as custom scorecards, along with built-in action tracking and seamless handoff to execution systems to ensure ideas translate into measurable outcomes. Designed for enterprise scalability, organizations can run multiple programs across departments while maintaining centralized visibility and control. With integrations across 50+ enterprise tools including Microsoft Teams, project management systems, and single sign-on platforms, Ideawake reduces data duplication and minimizes application fatigue. The platform is supported by an open API and built with enterprise security in mind, including SOC 2 compliant infrastructure and robust data protection standards. See how leading organizations capture, prioritize, and implement high-impact ideas. Book a demo today to experience Ideawake in action. [Visit website](https://www.g2.com/external_clickthroughs/record?secure%5Bad_program%5D=ppc&secure%5Bad_slot%5D=category_product_list&secure%5Bcategory_id%5D=239&secure%5Bdisplayable_resource_id%5D=239&secure%5Bdisplayable_resource_type%5D=Category&secure%5Bmedium%5D=sponsored&secure%5Bplacement_reason%5D=page_category&secure%5Bplacement_resource_ids%5D%5B%5D=239&secure%5Bprioritized%5D=false&secure%5Bproduct_id%5D=35871&secure%5Bresource_id%5D=239&secure%5Bresource_type%5D=Category&secure%5Bsource_type%5D=category_page&secure%5Bsource_url%5D=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.g2.com%2Fcategories%2Fidea-management%3Fpage%3D6&secure%5Btoken%5D=a0a70b1cffb501d948ad1760e09d7dfdcff9aa986b71a7eb1b35329210d66784&secure%5Burl%5D=https%3A%2F%2Fideawake.com%2Fbook-free-demo%2F&secure%5Burl_type%5D=book_demo) --- ## What Are the Top-Rated Idea Management Software Products in 2026? ### 1. [Mural](https://www.g2.com/products/mural/reviews) Mural is a visual collaboration platform specifically designed to enhance the productivity and effectiveness of go-to-market (GTM) teams. As an interactive workspace, Mural enables teams to create persistent visbility that builds alignment, while leveraging human-centered AI that accelerates teams to reach their outcomes faster. Whether it's building better products more in line with customer demand, creating more seamless marketing campaigns that drive pipeline, or collaborative selling motions that close deals faster, teams are using Mural to drive revenue growth more intelligently. The primary target audiences for Mural all have their hand in go-to-market motions, including product management & engineering teams, sales, marketing, and customer success teams. These teams often face challenges aligning their efforts and communicating effectively, hindering their ability to respond to market demands quickly enough to gain a competitive advantage. Within Mural, teams can leverage tools and expert-designed methods that increase their speed: to visualize their ideas, share insights, and collaborate in real time, regardless of their physical location. Key features of Mural include customizable templates by role or function, diagramming tools, intelligent workflows and methods, and AI infused throughout to help teams move faster from ideation to execution. The platform supports integrations with other popular software, including Salesforce, Microsoft, and Jira, enabling seamless workflows and reducing swivel-chair between systems. With Mural, teams can build a strategic visual layer that helps them calibrate decisions and actions and creates visibility so people stay informed without accessing multiple systems. Additionally, Mural's AI capabilities help teams identify patterns and insights from their collaborative sessions, further enriching the decision-making process. By providing a robust visual collaboration environment, Mural stands out in its category as a solution that not only enhances productivity but also fosters a deeper connection among team members. This unique approach to collaboration enables organizations to adapt quickly to changing market dynamics and customer needs, ultimately driving better outcomes and sustained growth. **Average Rating:** 4.6/5.0 **Total Reviews:** 1,398 **How Do G2 Users Rate Mural?** - **Ease of Use:** 8.8/10 (Category avg: 9.0/10) - **External Idea Generation:** 6.9/10 (Category avg: 8.4/10) - **Ranking:** 8.3/10 (Category avg: 8.7/10) - **Forums:** 6.2/10 (Category avg: 7.9/10) **Who Is the Company Behind Mural?** - **Seller:** [Mural](https://www.g2.com/sellers/mural) - **Company Website:** https://mural.co - **Year Founded:** 2011 - **HQ Location:** San Francisco, California - **Twitter:** @MURAL (13,605 Twitter followers) - **LinkedIn® Page:** https://www.linkedin.com/company/2384213/ (549 employees on LinkedIn®) **Who Uses This Product?** - **Who Uses This:** UX Designer, Product Manager - **Top Industries:** Information Technology and Services, Management Consulting - **Company Size:** 44% Enterprise, 35% Small-Business #### What Are Mural's Pros and Cons? **Pros:** - Ease of Use (43 reviews) - Team Collaboration (35 reviews) - Templates (31 reviews) - Collaboration (27 reviews) - Real-time Collaboration (25 reviews) **Cons:** - Slow Performance (17 reviews) - Slow Loading (16 reviews) - Performance Issues (15 reviews) - Limited Features (11 reviews) - Diagramming Issues (10 reviews) ### 2. [Aha!](https://www.g2.com/products/aha/reviews) Aha! is the world's #1 product development software. We help more than 1 million product builders to bring their strategy to life. Our integrated tools empower teams to go from discovery to delivery. The suite includes Aha! Roadmaps, Aha! Discovery, Aha! Ideas, Aha! Whiteboards, Aha! Builder, Aha! Develop, Aha! Teamwork, and Aha! Knowledge. Product teams rely on our expertise, AI assistant, and training programs via Aha! Academy to do their best work. We are proud to be a very different type of high-growth SaaS company. The business is self-funded, profitable, and 100% remote. We are recognized as one of the best fully remote companies to work for, champion the Bootstrap Movement, and have given over $1.5M to people in need through Aha! Cares. Learn more at www.aha.io. **Average Rating:** 4.4/5.0 **Total Reviews:** 355 **How Do G2 Users Rate Aha!?** - **Ease of Use:** 7.8/10 (Category avg: 9.0/10) - **External Idea Generation:** 8.9/10 (Category avg: 8.4/10) - **Ranking:** 8.5/10 (Category avg: 8.7/10) - **Forums:** 6.1/10 (Category avg: 7.9/10) **Who Is the Company Behind Aha!?** - **Seller:** [Aha! Labs](https://www.g2.com/sellers/aha-labs) - **Company Website:** https://www.aha.io/ - **Year Founded:** 2013 - **HQ Location:** Menlo Park, CA - **Twitter:** @aha_io (22,170 Twitter followers) - **LinkedIn® Page:** https://www.linkedin.com/company/3110591/ (125 employees on LinkedIn®) **Who Uses This Product?** - **Who Uses This:** Product Manager, Senior Product Manager - **Top Industries:** Computer Software, Information Technology and Services - **Company Size:** 47% Mid-Market, 31% Enterprise #### What Are Aha!'s Pros and Cons? **Pros:** - Customer Support (26 reviews) - Ease of Use (22 reviews) - Features (18 reviews) - Integrations (17 reviews) - Customization (16 reviews) **Cons:** - Learning Curve (13 reviews) - Limited Features (9 reviews) - Missing Features (9 reviews) - Difficult Navigation (8 reviews) - Learning Difficulty (8 reviews) ### 3. [HYPE Innovation Management](https://www.g2.com/products/hype-innovation-management/reviews) HYPE Innovation is a global leader in innovation management software and consulting services. We help enterprises, governments, and organizations of all sizes build strong, scalable innovation programs that deliver real business results. Our Smart Innovation Platform offers an integrated suite of solutions for idea management, innovation portfolio management, trend and technology scouting, partner ecosystem management, and agile innovation workflows. Powered by AI tools like the Innovation Graph, AI Coach, and Dynamic Content Translation, HYPE enables organizations to capture, develop, and scale ideas faster and more effectively across their networks. With over 20 years of experience, HYPE Innovation supports a client base that includes Fortune 500 companies, leading manufacturers, technology firms, and public sector organizations. Our platform is trusted to manage complex innovation ecosystems, connect employees, partners, startups, and customers, and deliver a measurable return on innovation investments. HYPE stands apart through its ISO 56000-aligned best practices, AI-powered insights, and a hands-on approach to customer success. Our clients don't just get software; they get a partner who supports innovation strategy, process design, change management, and long-term growth. By combining advanced technology with human expertise, HYPE helps companies drive open innovation, corporate innovation, digital transformation, and continuous improvement at scale. Whether launching employee suggestion programs, running agile innovation campaigns, or scouting emerging technologies, organizations rely on HYPE to future-proof their business and stay competitive in fast-changing markets. If you are looking for a proven innovation management solution that integrates people, processes, and technology, HYPE Innovation is your trusted partner. **Average Rating:** 4.8/5.0 **Total Reviews:** 63 **How Do G2 Users Rate HYPE Innovation Management?** - **Ease of Use:** 9.3/10 (Category avg: 9.0/10) - **External Idea Generation:** 8.4/10 (Category avg: 8.4/10) - **Ranking:** 9.4/10 (Category avg: 8.7/10) - **Forums:** 8.2/10 (Category avg: 7.9/10) **Who Is the Company Behind HYPE Innovation Management?** - **Seller:** [HYPE Innovation Inc.](https://www.g2.com/sellers/hype-innovation-inc) - **Company Website:** https://www.hypeinnovation.com/home - **Year Founded:** 2001 - **HQ Location:** Bonn - **Twitter:** @hypeinnovation (1,417 Twitter followers) - **LinkedIn® Page:** https://www.linkedin.com/company/90989/ (130 employees on LinkedIn®) **Who Uses This Product?** - **Top Industries:** Chemicals - **Company Size:** 76% Enterprise, 15% Mid-Market #### What Are HYPE Innovation Management's Pros and Cons? **Pros:** - Customer Support (7 reviews) - Innovation Management (6 reviews) - Ease of Use (5 reviews) - Idea Management (5 reviews) - Collaboration (4 reviews) **Cons:** - Learning Curve (2 reviews) - Complex Setup (1 reviews) - Dashboard Issues (1 reviews) - Data Management (1 reviews) - Expensive (1 reviews) ### 4. [Ideawake](https://www.g2.com/products/ideawake/reviews) Ideawake is an end-to-end idea management platform designed to increase ROI from employee, customer, and partner ideas while cutting the time it takes to manage ideas in half. We provide an easy to use, AI enabled idea management platform that makes it simple to capture, evaluate, and take action on ideas from those who know your organization best. Ideawake is a one-stop platform for innovation management, enabling organizations to run innovation challenges, hackathons, kaizen events, continuous improvement programs, and open innovation initiatives from initial idea sourcing through implementation and ROI measurement. Ideawake is trusted by organizations ranging from 100-employee startups to Fortune 500 enterprises to drive financial results, increase employee engagement, and build a culture of innovation at scale. The platform powers innovation programs in 39 countries across 17 industries, including manufacturing, technology, healthcare, financial services, retail, hospitality, and pharmaceuticals. Notable customers include US Bank, Sirius XM, Jason’s Deli, HP, Mercury Marine, and Nerolac Paints. The Ideawake platform features fully customizable workflows that guide ideas from intake through implementation and impact measurement, enabling organizations to manage the entire idea lifecycle while maintaining accountability at scale. Advanced reporting and analytics dashboards provide real-time visibility into ROI, cost savings, and portfolio performance. Enterprise-grade governance, including role-based permissions, approval workflows, and audit trails, ensures secure and compliant program management. Ideawake leverages automation and AI assistants to streamline innovation and continuous improvement processes, including AI-powered categorization, summarization, duplicate detection, and idea merging to reduce redundancy and accelerate decision-making. Robust collaboration tools including challenges, commenting, and multiple types of crowd voting drive engagement, while gamification features such as prizes and leaderboards motivate participation and foster a culture of innovation. Beyond idea submission, Ideawake provides powerful prioritization tools such as custom scorecards, along with built-in action tracking and seamless handoff to execution systems to ensure ideas translate into measurable outcomes. Designed for enterprise scalability, organizations can run multiple programs across departments while maintaining centralized visibility and control. With integrations across 50+ enterprise tools including Microsoft Teams, project management systems, and single sign-on platforms, Ideawake reduces data duplication and minimizes application fatigue. The platform is supported by an open API and built with enterprise security in mind, including SOC 2 compliant infrastructure and robust data protection standards. See how leading organizations capture, prioritize, and implement high-impact ideas. Book a demo today to experience Ideawake in action. **Average Rating:** 4.6/5.0 **Total Reviews:** 58 **How Do G2 Users Rate Ideawake?** - **Ease of Use:** 9.1/10 (Category avg: 9.0/10) - **External Idea Generation:** 8.2/10 (Category avg: 8.4/10) - **Ranking:** 8.7/10 (Category avg: 8.7/10) - **Forums:** 7.0/10 (Category avg: 7.9/10) **Who Is the Company Behind Ideawake?** - **Seller:** [Ideawake](https://www.g2.com/sellers/ideawake) - **Company Website:** https://ideawake.com - **Year Founded:** 2013 - **HQ Location:** Milwaukee, US - **Twitter:** @IdeawakeHQ (1,425 Twitter followers) - **LinkedIn® Page:** https://www.linkedin.com/company/10513429 (9 employees on LinkedIn®) **Who Uses This Product?** - **Top Industries:** Hospital & Health Care - **Company Size:** 49% Enterprise, 31% Mid-Market #### What Are Ideawake's Pros and Cons? **Pros:** - Ease of Use (9 reviews) - Idea Management (9 reviews) - Customer Support (5 reviews) - Customization (5 reviews) - User Interface (5 reviews) **Cons:** - Inadequate Filtering (3 reviews) - Limited Reporting (3 reviews) - Poor UI Design (2 reviews) - Poor Usability (2 reviews) - Difficult Navigation (1 reviews) ### 5. [UserVoice](https://www.g2.com/products/uservoice/reviews) UserVoice is a customer feedback management solution designed to help teams effectively gather, analyze, and act on user insights. This platform streamlines the process of collecting feedback from customers, making it easier for product teams to prioritize features and improvements based on real user needs. By centralizing feedback, UserVoice enables organizations to transform scattered input into actionable data, ensuring that product development aligns closely with customer expectations. Targeted primarily at product managers, UX designers, and customer success teams, UserVoice caters to organizations of various sizes that are looking to enhance their product offerings. The platform is particularly beneficial for teams that struggle with limited resources and face challenges in managing customer feedback across multiple channels. By providing a structured approach to feedback collection, UserVoice empowers teams to identify pain points and prioritize solutions that resonate with their user base. Key features of UserVoice include customizable feedback forms, robust analytics tools, and seamless integration with existing workflows. The customizable feedback forms allow users to solicit specific input from customers, ensuring that the feedback collected is relevant and targeted. The analytics tools provide insights into trends and common pain points, enabling teams to make data-driven decisions about product enhancements. Additionally, UserVoice's integration capabilities allow organizations to connect the platform with other tools they use, creating a cohesive feedback ecosystem. The benefits of using UserVoice extend beyond just gathering feedback. By implementing a low-effort feedback program, teams can foster a culture of collaboration and transparency, earning the trust of their customers. This trust is crucial for building long-term relationships and ensuring that product releases meet user expectations. Furthermore, by placing users at the center of the product development process, organizations can avoid the pitfalls of developing features that do not resonate with their audience, ultimately leading to more successful product outcomes. UserVoice stands out in its category by not only simplifying the feedback collection process but also by providing actionable insights that drive product strategy. By focusing on the voice of the customer, UserVoice helps teams prioritize their roadmaps with confidence, ensuring that every product decision is informed by real user data. This approach not only enhances product relevance but also cultivates a loyal customer base that feels heard and valued. **Average Rating:** 4.5/5.0 **Total Reviews:** 232 **How Do G2 Users Rate UserVoice?** - **Ease of Use:** 8.8/10 (Category avg: 9.0/10) - **External Idea Generation:** 9.4/10 (Category avg: 8.4/10) - **Ranking:** 9.5/10 (Category avg: 8.7/10) - **Forums:** 9.0/10 (Category avg: 7.9/10) **Who Is the Company Behind UserVoice?** - **Seller:** [UserVoice](https://www.g2.com/sellers/uservoice) - **Company Website:** https://uservoice.com/validation - **Year Founded:** 2008 - **HQ Location:** San Francisco, CA - **LinkedIn® Page:** https://www.linkedin.com/company/356606/ (30 employees on LinkedIn®) **Who Uses This Product?** - **Who Uses This:** Customer Success Manager, Product Manager - **Top Industries:** Computer Software, Information Technology and Services - **Company Size:** 63% Mid-Market, 28% Enterprise #### What Are UserVoice's Pros and Cons? **Pros:** - Feedback Management (10 reviews) - Ease of Use (8 reviews) - Feedback (7 reviews) - Customer Support (6 reviews) - Helpful (6 reviews) **Cons:** - Lack of Features (3 reviews) - Complex Usability (2 reviews) - Expensive (2 reviews) - Idea Duplication (2 reviews) - Learning Curve (2 reviews) ### 6. [Wazoku](https://www.g2.com/products/wazoku/reviews) Wazoku is a type of innovation software-as-a-service (SaaS) solution designed to help large organizations drive scalable innovation. By utilizing its Total Innovation framework, Wazoku integrates fragmented data and promotes collaboration among employees, partners, and external networks. This innovative approach combines advanced AI-driven methodologies, such as Challenge Driven Innovation™ (CDI), with Systems Thinking, ensuring that innovation efforts are cohesive, data-driven, and aligned with strategic goals, ultimately facilitating sustainable growth. The target audience for Wazoku primarily includes enterprises that seek to embed innovation into their organizational culture. It serves innovation managers, HR professionals, and corporate strategists by providing them with tools to effectively leverage collective intelligence. Organizations can capture, evaluate, and implement ideas from both their workforce and external partners, utilizing Wazoku’s connected ecosystem to streamline the entire innovation process from ideation to execution. This capability is essential for organizations looking to foster a culture of continuous improvement and adaptability. Wazoku's platform features a centralized Innovation Ecosystem that supports intuitive idea management, collaboration tools, and robust analytics. The idea management capabilities allow users to submit, review, and prioritize ideas, ensuring that high-potential concepts receive the attention they deserve. Collaboration tools enhance interaction across internal teams and external partners, fostering a sense of community and shared purpose. Meanwhile, the analytics component provides actionable insights into the impact and return on investment (ROI) of innovation initiatives, enabling organizations to make informed decisions about their innovation strategies. Beyond merely collecting ideas, Wazoku cultivates a structured environment for ongoing innovation, encouraging participation across the organization and aligning innovation efforts with business objectives. This holistic approach not only enhances employee engagement but also supports effective problem-solving, allowing organizations to tackle complex challenges with innovative solutions. By creating a culture of innovation, Wazoku helps organizations remain competitive in a rapidly changing business landscape. In the innovation SaaS market, Wazoku’s Total Innovation framework distinguishes itself by addressing the entire lifecycle of innovation. Its integrated capabilities and emphasis on Systems Thinking equip organizations with a sustainable, data-driven approach to innovation. This empowers them to adapt and thrive in an ever-evolving business environment, making Wazoku a valuable asset for any organization committed to fostering innovation. **Average Rating:** 4.4/5.0 **Total Reviews:** 117 **How Do G2 Users Rate Wazoku?** - **Ease of Use:** 8.3/10 (Category avg: 9.0/10) - **External Idea Generation:** 7.0/10 (Category avg: 8.4/10) - **Ranking:** 8.4/10 (Category avg: 8.7/10) - **Forums:** 7.8/10 (Category avg: 7.9/10) **Who Is the Company Behind Wazoku?** - **Seller:** [Wazoku](https://www.g2.com/sellers/wazoku) - **Year Founded:** 2011 - **HQ Location:** London, United Kingdom - **Twitter:** @WazokuHq (2,951 Twitter followers) - **LinkedIn® Page:** https://www.linkedin.com/company/2252284/ (66 employees on LinkedIn®) **Who Uses This Product?** - **Top Industries:** Financial Services, Retail - **Company Size:** 62% Enterprise, 31% Mid-Market #### What Are Wazoku's Pros and Cons? **Pros:** - Customer Support (11 reviews) - Ease of Use (9 reviews) - Collaboration (4 reviews) - Collaboration Ease (4 reviews) - Customization (4 reviews) **Cons:** - Dashboard Issues (2 reviews) - Learning Curve (2 reviews) - Limited Customization (2 reviews) - Poor UI Design (2 reviews) - Poor Usability (2 reviews) ### 7. [Brightidea Innovation Management](https://www.g2.com/products/brightidea-innovation-management/reviews) With over 2 million users world wide and $15+ billion in recorded business impact, Brightidea is ranked as the #1 Idea Management Platform globally and is the market leader in innovation management and Hackathon software and services. Here at Brightidea, we believe that innovation is too important to be left to chance, and that every individual deserves an opportunity to have their voice heard. Our focus is not only giving organizations the ability to readily crowdsource ideas and build on strategic plans, but also back every idea with complex data points to help you track, manage, and prioritize ideas to ensure the best ideas always win. We are designed to fit any size, scale, or level of maturity when it comes to idea or innovation management. Brightidea helps you harness the power of ideas to help you foster a culture of innovation within the company. Most recently, we've added the Whiteboard. Brightidea Whiteboard gives your team a place to brainstorm in your own infinite space via a browser. Create stickies for new ideas, upload images, draw with dynamic pen and marker tools, emote with rich reactions, leverage smart tools like timers to keep your meetings on track, and utilize all of your favorite idea and innovation management templates. Wherever you're at in your innovation journey, our platform & people will help you get to the next level. **Average Rating:** 4.3/5.0 **Total Reviews:** 211 **How Do G2 Users Rate Brightidea Innovation Management?** - **Ease of Use:** 8.2/10 (Category avg: 9.0/10) - **External Idea Generation:** 6.9/10 (Category avg: 8.4/10) - **Ranking:** 8.3/10 (Category avg: 8.7/10) - **Forums:** 7.2/10 (Category avg: 7.9/10) **Who Is the Company Behind Brightidea Innovation Management?** - **Seller:** [Brightidea](https://www.g2.com/sellers/brightidea) - **Year Founded:** 1999 - **HQ Location:** San Francisco, CA - **Twitter:** @Brightidea (7,662 Twitter followers) - **LinkedIn® Page:** https://www.linkedin.com/company/224910 (59 employees on LinkedIn®) **Who Uses This Product?** - **Top Industries:** Non-Profit Organization Management, Financial Services - **Company Size:** 72% Enterprise, 24% Mid-Market #### What Are Brightidea Innovation Management's Pros and Cons? **Pros:** - Ease of Use (6 reviews) - Customer Support (5 reviews) - Customization (3 reviews) - Features (3 reviews) - Helpful (3 reviews) **Cons:** - Limited Features (3 reviews) - Difficult Setup (2 reviews) - Intuitiveness (2 reviews) - Learning Curve (2 reviews) - Limited Customization (2 reviews) ### 8. [Planview IdeaPlace](https://www.g2.com/products/planview-ideaplace/reviews) Planview Spigit is the leader in crowdsourced innovation management software, with more than 6 million users across 170 countries. From idea to impact, Planview Spigit enables sustained innovation by driving employee engagement, creating a culture of innovation and providing analytics-driven insights. Planview Spigit powers innovation programs across all major industries including financial services, manufacturing, healthcare, consumer products, and energy. To learn more, please visit: https://www.spigit.com/innovation-management-software/ **Average Rating:** 4.0/5.0 **Total Reviews:** 60 **How Do G2 Users Rate Planview IdeaPlace?** - **Ease of Use:** 8.1/10 (Category avg: 9.0/10) - **External Idea Generation:** 10.0/10 (Category avg: 8.4/10) - **Ranking:** 10.0/10 (Category avg: 8.7/10) - **Forums:** 10.0/10 (Category avg: 7.9/10) **Who Is the Company Behind Planview IdeaPlace?** - **Seller:** [Planview](https://www.g2.com/sellers/planview) - **Year Founded:** 1989 - **HQ Location:** Austin, TX - **Twitter:** @Planview (3,051 Twitter followers) - **LinkedIn® Page:** https://www.linkedin.com/company/7268/ (1,868 employees on LinkedIn®) **Who Uses This Product?** - **Top Industries:** Telecommunications, Financial Services - **Company Size:** 70% Enterprise, 23% Mid-Market ### 9. [IdeaScale](https://www.g2.com/products/ideascale/reviews) IdeaScale is an award-winning idea management software solution that helps businesses, governments, and social change-makers empower their workforce. With IdeaScale, these diverse entities can capture the ideas of their employees and streamline their development in order to maximize the impact of each idea. **Average Rating:** 4.5/5.0 **Total Reviews:** 28 **How Do G2 Users Rate IdeaScale?** - **Ease of Use:** 8.6/10 (Category avg: 9.0/10) - **External Idea Generation:** 6.3/10 (Category avg: 8.4/10) - **Ranking:** 8.0/10 (Category avg: 8.7/10) - **Forums:** 3.3/10 (Category avg: 7.9/10) **Who Is the Company Behind IdeaScale?** - **Seller:** [IdeaScale](https://www.g2.com/sellers/ideascale) - **Year Founded:** 2009 - **HQ Location:** San Francisco, CA - **Twitter:** @ideascale (4,227 Twitter followers) - **LinkedIn® Page:** https://www.linkedin.com/company/995919 (82 employees on LinkedIn®) **Who Uses This Product?** - **Top Industries:** Higher Education - **Company Size:** 46% Mid-Market, 39% Enterprise ### 10. [Sideways 6](https://www.g2.com/products/sideways-6/reviews) "A no-brainer for employee idea crowdsourcing platform." Jan 2023 Engage your people, improve your organisation and build a culture of Innovation quickly and simply, on Microsoft Teams, your Interact Intranet and more At Sideways 6, we understand the importance of engaging your employees to achieve business goals through ideas. But running ideas programs at scale can easily become unwieldy and difficult to execute with impact. That's why we've developed a solution that revolutionizes the way companies share, manage, and review employee ideas to drive business goals through a culture that puts employees at its core. Our software makes it easy for companies to share and organize employee ideas in the tools your employees use every day, ensuring that no great idea goes unnoticed. With automated and customizable tools, communications, tracking, voting, and reviewing, our platform allows companies to quickly and easily assess the potential of each idea and make informed decisions for maximum impact whilst engaging employees. Companies that use Sideways 6 manage ideas 3 times quicker, spend 4 times less time updating employees, see 78% more engagement and ideas and implement ideas that make a tangible different to the bottom line. By using Sideways 6, businesses experience a significant increase in resource efficiency (\>$60M saved by Balfour Beatty), productivity (Nestlé ideated 155 new products to take to market), and engagement (16% increase employee engagement at DXC Technology). By leveraging the power employees' ideas, Sideways 6 can help your company reach new heights of success. Find out why the likes of Rio Tinto, Nestlé, Vodafone and Marks and Spencer trust the Sideways 6 approach at www.sideways6.com. **Average Rating:** 4.4/5.0 **Total Reviews:** 41 **How Do G2 Users Rate Sideways 6?** - **Ease of Use:** 8.8/10 (Category avg: 9.0/10) - **External Idea Generation:** 8.0/10 (Category avg: 8.4/10) - **Ranking:** 8.5/10 (Category avg: 8.7/10) - **Forums:** 7.0/10 (Category avg: 7.9/10) **Who Is the Company Behind Sideways 6?** - **Seller:** [Interact](https://www.g2.com/sellers/interact-3a697118-7e31-465b-aae1-a3e00778f9f2) - **HQ Location:** Manchester, United Kingdom - **Twitter:** @IntranetExperts (5,056 Twitter followers) - **LinkedIn® Page:** https://www.linkedin.com/company/1473063/ (233 employees on LinkedIn®) **Who Uses This Product?** - **Top Industries:** Construction - **Company Size:** 78% Enterprise, 22% Mid-Market #### What Are Sideways 6's Pros and Cons? **Pros:** - Collaboration (1 reviews) - Customer Support (1 reviews) - Customization (1 reviews) - Ease of Use (1 reviews) - Engagement (1 reviews) **Cons:** - Difficult Navigation (1 reviews) - Idea Duplication (1 reviews) - Login Issues (1 reviews) - Poor Search Functionality (1 reviews) - UX Issues (1 reviews) ### 11. [Agorize INNOVATION](https://www.g2.com/products/agorize-innovation/reviews) The most comprehensive innovation management platform fueled by 10M innovators and startups. Launch your corporate innovation Challenges to reveal ideas and turn them into valuable impact, fast. Agorize joined Bloomflow. Together, with our complementary offerings and teams, we will empower large companies and institutions to make innovation a real driver of growth. **Average Rating:** 4.4/5.0 **Total Reviews:** 33 **How Do G2 Users Rate Agorize INNOVATION?** - **Ease of Use:** 8.7/10 (Category avg: 9.0/10) - **External Idea Generation:** 7.7/10 (Category avg: 8.4/10) - **Ranking:** 7.3/10 (Category avg: 8.7/10) - **Forums:** 6.3/10 (Category avg: 7.9/10) **Who Is the Company Behind Agorize INNOVATION?** - **Seller:** [Agorize](https://www.g2.com/sellers/agorize) - **Year Founded:** 2020 - **HQ Location:** Mogi das Cruzes, BR - **Twitter:** @agorize (2,567 Twitter followers) - **LinkedIn® Page:** https://www.linkedin.com/company/1477703 (59 employees on LinkedIn®) **Who Uses This Product?** - **Company Size:** 52% Small-Business, 45% Enterprise ### 12. [Qmarkets Impact-Driven Innovation Software](https://www.g2.com/products/qmarkets-impact-driven-innovation-software/reviews) Managing innovation at a large company is never easy. With endless stakeholders to align, data to process, and pressure to deliver results, it’s easy to fall into the trap of innovation theatre - initiatives that look good but fail to deliver real value. At Qmarkets, we help you break that cycle. We give you the tools, methodology, and expert support to build a next-gen innovation funnel that delivers continuous scalable impact. Whether you’re unlocking strategic challenges, scouting startups, enhancing ideas, or tracking impact, our platform helps you manage every stage of the journey - and prove ROI all along the way. This is what we call Impact-Driven Innovation - and it’s how we help leading enterprises make every innovation count. With clients like Ford, Starbucks, Coca-Cola, and Nestle, we bring decades of experience building innovation programs that thrive on disruption, embrace efficiency, and strengthen resilience at every turn. **Average Rating:** 4.5/5.0 **Total Reviews:** 41 **How Do G2 Users Rate Qmarkets Impact-Driven Innovation Software?** - **Ease of Use:** 8.9/10 (Category avg: 9.0/10) - **Ranking:** 10.0/10 (Category avg: 8.7/10) - **Forums:** 10.0/10 (Category avg: 7.9/10) **Who Is the Company Behind Qmarkets Impact-Driven Innovation Software?** - **Seller:** [Qmarkets](https://www.g2.com/sellers/qmarkets) - **Year Founded:** 2006 - **HQ Location:** Rosh HaAyin, Israel - **Twitter:** @QmarketsGlobal (908 Twitter followers) - **LinkedIn® Page:** https://www.linkedin.com/company/930816/ (54 employees on LinkedIn®) **Who Uses This Product?** - **Top Industries:** Automotive, Machinery - **Company Size:** 70% Enterprise, 23% Mid-Market ### 13. [KICKBOX](https://www.g2.com/products/rready-kickbox/reviews) KICKBOX is an employee-driven innovation program trusted by more than 1,000 companies, including Tetra Pak, Adobe, and Implenia. It equips your employees with the tools, funding, and coaching they need to turn raw ideas into validated solutions The program consists of: - Online Platform - Physical Toolbox - Expert Network - Strategic Support **Average Rating:** 4.8/5.0 **Total Reviews:** 31 **How Do G2 Users Rate KICKBOX?** - **Ease of Use:** 9.0/10 (Category avg: 9.0/10) - **External Idea Generation:** 8.5/10 (Category avg: 8.4/10) - **Ranking:** 8.3/10 (Category avg: 8.7/10) - **Forums:** 8.1/10 (Category avg: 7.9/10) **Who Is the Company Behind KICKBOX?** - **Seller:** [rready](https://www.g2.com/sellers/rready) - **HQ Location:** Zurich, CH - **LinkedIn® Page:** https://www.linkedin.com/company/rready/ (41 employees on LinkedIn®) **Who Uses This Product?** - **Top Industries:** Telecommunications - **Company Size:** 76% Enterprise, 12% Mid-Market ### 14. [Ideanote](https://www.g2.com/products/ideanote/reviews) With over 500 five-star reviews and a growing list of trusted organizations worldwide, Ideanote is positioned as a leading idea management platform. Get your business the all-in-one idea management platform designed to help businesses collect, develop, prioritize, and implement their best ideas more efficiently. Ideanote's intuitive software solution facilitates the innovation process by enabling organizations to crowdsource ideas from employees, customers, and stakeholders, making it simple, measurable, and engaging. Targeted primarily at enterprises and organizations looking to enhance their innovation capabilities, Ideanote allows users to launch fully customized innovation programs in a matter of days instead of months. It empowers your teams to crowdsource creativity and drive meaningful change. The platform’s built-in AI and automated workflows significantly reduce the time and effort involved in managing ideas. Additionally, its seamless integrations with tools like Microsoft Teams and Zapier ensure that teams can connect their existing workflows, making the transition to Ideanote smooth and efficient. Ideanote provides a centralized workspace for enhanced collaboration, accelerates decision-making, and effective tracking of your innovation impact. It's flexible design makes it easy tailor the platform to the specific needs of each business - from stage-gate flows, rating criteria, and idea development forms. This level of customization allows organizations to align the idea management process with their unique goals and objectives, ensuring that the innovation initiatives resonate with their overall strategy. AI Leverage built-in AI to generate ideas, detect duplicates, and surface valuable insights from large sets of ideas automatically. Ideanote’s AI accelerates idea processing, ensures data quality, and reduces manual work, allowing teams to focus on high-value tasks. Collect Easily create goal-driven idea collections using customizable templates or build your own from scratch. Forms, submission flows, and access controls help you collect the right ideas from the right people—fast. Engage Grow collaboration with threaded comments, @mentions, leaderboards, and targeted notifications. Create a branded workspace, support anonymous submissions, and invite internal or external stakeholders to join the conversation. Manage Use flexible stage-gate workflows, Kanban-style boards, and custom evaluation criteria to progress, prioritize, and refine ideas. Automate manual steps to ensure ideas never get stuck. Measure Track KPIs, idea status, engagement levels, and innovation ROI with real-time dashboards and customizable reports. Ideanote helps you link innovation efforts directly to business outcomes. Automate Save time with powerful automation. Trigger actions when ideas are submitted, move through phases, or meet criteria. Let the platform handle reminders, assignments, and updates—without coding. Integrate Seamlessly connect Ideanote to over 2,000 tools via Zapier, Microsoft Power Automate, or the GraphQL API. Native integrations with Microsoft Teams and Power BI support collaboration and reporting across departments. Ideanote supports initiatives ranging from continuous improvement projects and employee-driven innovation to large-scale digital transformation efforts. By centralizing and structuring innovation, Ideanote helps organizations move quickly from ideas to measurable results. Start your free trial or schedule a personalized demo today and discover how Ideanote can supercharge innovation in your organization. **Average Rating:** 4.7/5.0 **Total Reviews:** 283 **How Do G2 Users Rate Ideanote?** - **Ease of Use:** 9.2/10 (Category avg: 9.0/10) - **External Idea Generation:** 9.1/10 (Category avg: 8.4/10) - **Ranking:** 9.2/10 (Category avg: 8.7/10) - **Forums:** 8.1/10 (Category avg: 7.9/10) **Who Is the Company Behind Ideanote?** - **Seller:** [Ideanote](https://www.g2.com/sellers/ideanote) - **Company Website:** https://ideanote.io/ - **Year Founded:** 2015 - **HQ Location:** Copenhagen, DK - **Twitter:** @WeAreIdeanote (780 Twitter followers) - **LinkedIn® Page:** https://www.linkedin.com/company/6380585/ (9 employees on LinkedIn®) **Who Uses This Product?** - **Who Uses This:** Founder, CEO - **Top Industries:** Marketing and Advertising, Education Management - **Company Size:** 88% Small-Business, 6% Mid-Market #### What Are Ideanote's Pros and Cons? **Pros:** - Idea Management (1 reviews) - Voting System (1 reviews) **Cons:** - Limited Reporting (1 reviews) ### 15. [ProdPad](https://www.g2.com/products/prodpad/reviews) ProdPad is the original end-to-end product management software that supports the entire product journey to empower product managers worldwide. It integrates with product development processes at every stage and fully supports collaboration for the entire business. It’s a tool that will help you build products that solve problems and drive outcomes. ProdPad has been in continual development since 2012, it’s a SaaS that has been designed by a team of experts to make best-practice product management actionable for fellow PMs. **Average Rating:** 4.2/5.0 **Total Reviews:** 94 **How Do G2 Users Rate ProdPad?** - **Ease of Use:** 8.2/10 (Category avg: 9.0/10) - **External Idea Generation:** 7.1/10 (Category avg: 8.4/10) - **Ranking:** 7.6/10 (Category avg: 8.7/10) - **Forums:** 4.1/10 (Category avg: 7.9/10) **Who Is the Company Behind ProdPad?** - **Seller:** [ProdPad](https://www.g2.com/sellers/prodpad) - **Year Founded:** 2012 - **HQ Location:** London, United Kingdom - **Twitter:** @ProdPad (10,587 Twitter followers) - **LinkedIn® Page:** https://www.linkedin.com/company/2605962/ (12 employees on LinkedIn®) **Who Uses This Product?** - **Who Uses This:** Manager - **Top Industries:** Computer Software, Information Technology and Services - **Company Size:** 51% Mid-Market, 27% Small-Business #### What Are ProdPad's Pros and Cons? **Pros:** - Ease of Use (3 reviews) - Team Collaboration (3 reviews) - Customer Support (2 reviews) - Easy Setup (2 reviews) - Idea Management (2 reviews) **Cons:** - Learning Curve (3 reviews) - Poor Layout Design (2 reviews) - UX Issues (2 reviews) - Difficulty (1 reviews) - Expensive (1 reviews) ### 16. [COMPASS Quality Management System](https://www.g2.com/products/compass-quality-management-system/reviews) For a 5-minute demonstration of COMPASS, go to www.creato.com/compass COMPASS is a project portfolio management system that collects and ranks ideas, allows management to engage in feedback with employees to improve ideas, rescore ideas, and approve ideas. Once ideas become projects, COMPASS will guide the end user with just-in-time tools and training. Tools are extensive and include descriptive and inferential statistics in addition to simple brainstorming tools. Training is derived from the ASQ Lean Body of Knowledge. COMPASS will always recommend the best tools and best training based on the status of the project. Reporting is extensive and includes the ability to send alerts to staff based on projects approaching milestones, running behind, or missing data. COMPASS also includes full integration with SharePoint including single sign on, for purposes of indexing work and accommodating a variety of file formats. Finally, COMPASS promotes collaboration by sending project updates automatically to all stakeholders. Finish more projects, finish more projects faster and finish projects with greater returns with the COMPASS Quality Management System. COMPASS was recognized by CIO Magazine as one of the "Top Quality Management Systems" of 2017 and 2018. **Average Rating:** 4.2/5.0 **Total Reviews:** 48 **How Do G2 Users Rate COMPASS Quality Management System?** - **Ease of Use:** 7.9/10 (Category avg: 9.0/10) - **External Idea Generation:** 10.0/10 (Category avg: 8.4/10) - **Ranking:** 10.0/10 (Category avg: 8.7/10) - **Forums:** 10.0/10 (Category avg: 7.9/10) **Who Is the Company Behind COMPASS Quality Management System?** - **Seller:** [Creato Performance Solutions](https://www.g2.com/sellers/creato-performance-solutions) - **Year Founded:** 1998 - **HQ Location:** Del Mar, CA - **Twitter:** @Cre8tvOutcomes (373 Twitter followers) - **LinkedIn® Page:** https://www.linkedin.com/company/18002565/ (6 employees on LinkedIn®) **Who Uses This Product?** - **Top Industries:** Hospital & Health Care - **Company Size:** 44% Enterprise, 40% Mid-Market ## What Is Idea Management Software? [Collaboration & Productivity Software](https://www.g2.com/categories/collaboration-productivity) ## What Software Categories Are Similar to Idea Management Software? - [Enterprise Feedback Management Software](https://www.g2.com/categories/enterprise-feedback-management) - [Product Management Software](https://www.g2.com/categories/product-management-software) - [Strategy And Innovation Roadmapping Tools](https://www.g2.com/categories/strategy-and-innovation-roadmapping-tools) - [Hackathon Software](https://www.g2.com/categories/hackathon-software) --- ## How Do You Choose the Right Idea Management Software? ### What You Should Know About Idea Management Software ### What is Idea Management Software? Idea management software, also called innovation management software, structures the process of gathering insights on products and then organizing and managing those ideas for improvement or development. Feedback can be solicited from employees, stakeholders, customers, or multiple groups with the aim of improving a product or brainstorming.  Idea management software is a step up from the traditional office suggestion box. It enables companies of all sizes to continuously innovate and grow by deliberately leading the ideation process. Idea management software facilitates the full transparency of a company, as anyone who has access to the database can track ideas from inception to implementation. Ideas are collected from all areas of the organization, beyond specialized departments such as R&D, product management, and marketing. These products can integrate with enterprise feedback management software to allow users to manage both internally and externally sourced recommendations. ### What are the Common Features of Idea Management Software? Innovation management software can vary widely in how much structure it provides to the idea generation and collection process. Some products provide rigid scaffolding to every step of the innovation process. Others offer more open-ended methods and tools for users to develop ideas more organically. Below are some examples of features commonly found in idea management software from across the spectrum. **Ranking:** Most idea management software allow users to vote on the ideas they like best, either within a given idea campaign or of those presented from a suggestion box. This will then rank the ideas, letting the strongest or most popular float to the top for consideration. **Commenting:** Some solutions offer commenting capability, which allows users to provide feedback on ideas in real time. Comments can lead to more in-depth discussions about ideas, refining and polishing them into viable options. **Idea campaigns:** Idea campaigns are often a staple feature in idea management tools. Users can create a dedicated campaign to rally ideas for a particular goal or challenge, and others can respond with their ideas within a given campaign. This consolidates ideas for a given topic in one centralized space where they can be evaluated and weighed against one another. **Suggestion box:** While some idea management tools are essentially dedicated suggestion boxes, some will offer a suggestion box as an additional feature. These suggestion boxes can be internal, external, or both. **Gamification:** Gamification features are sometimes utilized in idea management software to increase employee engagement and incentivize employees to get involved in the brainstorming process. **Templates:** Some products will offer a variety of templates, sometimes customizable, to help launch a brainstorming or whiteboard session. Templates can help to provide structure to the idea management process, which is particularly useful for large enterprises. **Project planning:** Some products will allow users to build out project plans and tasks natively inside the software based on generated ideas. Other software will provide the same functionality by integrating with an outside project management software. **Surveys:** Surveys are a great method to take the pulse of an organization, and many innovation management solutions employ a survey feature so users can quickly gauge how their employees feel about recent changes. **Forums:** Forum discussions can serve as an excellent space for the discussion and deliberation of ideas. Some idea management tools provide features akin to an online forum where ideas can be discussed more in depth internally. **Mind mapping:** Mind mapping tools enable individuals or groups to diagram their thought process, allowing them to track and visualize their brainstorming sessions from start to finish. ### What are the Benefits of Idea Management Software? Innovation management software can benefit nearly any company with employees or external stakeholders. By allowing more individuals to contribute to an ideation session, a company can crowdsource ideas and recommendations for ways to improve processes, solve business issues, and enhance a company’s performance. Below are some of the key benefits of idea management software: **Promote efficiency and transparency:** Idea management software allows users to track the progress of an idea from inception to its final form. This software assists with managing ideas and preventing information from getting lost amongst clutter. It can also help reduce the duplication of already-suggested ideas. **Prioritize innovation:** Innovation management software assists an organization with achieving its strategic goals by identifying new products and services, discovering new markets for existing products, and acting on consumer feedback. Overall, these benefits will assist an organization in achieving a competitive advantage. **Empower stakeholders:** Innovation management software supplies organizations with the ability to empower their customers and employees alike. By prioritizing internal and external communication, organizations can promote the application of "wisdom of the crowd" expertise to business operations. Additionally, by encouraging innovation and transparency within an organization, employees are empowered to proactively improve their work processes. Organizations can also utilize idea management software to validate and reward employee engagement, creativity, and inspire the cultivation of innovative ideas. **Reduce costs:** Idea management software can be used to reduce costs by finding ways to eliminate waste or improve existing processes. Additionally, utilizing stakeholder perspectives is a great way to avoid the costs of outsourcing. ### Who Uses Idea Management Software? From a startup to a large corporation, the appeal of innovation management software is that it can be implemented in any type or size of business. Whether it be an externally or internally facing product, rigid or freeform, companies benefit from having a space where insiders can make recommendations. Employees and external stakeholders, such as customers or investors, will have a unique perspective on the products and services they contribute to or purchase, and businesses would be wise to harness their input to improve their offerings. **Employees:** There is an advantage to considering employee perspectives when it comes to decision making. Employees contribute knowledge, skills, and experience—all of which are invaluable to a company. Allowing employees to partake in brainstorming and decision making processes can save a company time and money. By leveraging internal insight, a company may reduce outsourcing previously needed for assisting with business concerns. Additionally, inviting employees to participate in collaborative decision-making processes can lead to feelings of empowerment, boosted morale, and overall higher employee satisfaction.  **External stakeholders:** Whether an individual is a customer or an investor, they are affected by a company’s decisions. Allowing external stakeholders to provide feedback and ideas directly is a great way to get an outside perspective as well as ensure stakeholders feel valued. Outside perspectives can shed light on overlooked concerns and offer a novel problem-solving approach.  #### Software Related to Idea Management Software Related solutions that can be used together with idea management software include: [Knowledge management software](https://www.g2.com/categories/knowledge-management) **:** Knowledge management software and idea management systems have some overlap in functionality, in that both facilitate the collection and organization of internally and externally sourced information. However, innovation management tools handle feedback to bolster company transparency and innovation, while knowledge management offers a knowledge base for teams to reference and retrieve documentation regarding company information or answers to common questions. [Note-taking management software](https://www.g2.com/categories/note-taking-management) **:** Note-taking management software often offers some of the same features found in idea management solutions. Some note-taking tools will provide mind mapping functionality or more structured workflows for penning down ideas. However, note-taking management tools are more freeform in their offering and are much less structured. Additionally, note-taking software usually cannot support the same number of collaborators that idea management software can. ### Challenges with Idea Management Software Software can come with their own set of challenges. Below are some examples of issues a buyer may face when utilizing idea management software: **Identifying relevant ideas:** With a large influx of submissions, it’s always possible that some relevant and useful information may be overlooked. Some idea management software products may not allow the user to limit the number of submissions or may not provide filtering and searching features. If this is a potential concern, it’s important to look into products that offer advanced searching functionality. **Assessing feedback:** When idea management software is utilized to gather feedback, some systems may have an idea ranking feature to arrange comments based on popularity. Popularity could be calculated by the level of engagement the user’s idea gets among collaborators and their historical participation. Typically, the higher their engagement and participation, the more popular their submission may be. This can misrepresent the value or relevancy of the feedback. The best way to avoid this is to choose a product that features an intuitive voting or ranking system. **Customization:** Some idea management platforms don’t offer extensive customization options. This can make it difficult for users to tailor the tool to suit their industry, simplify ideation sessions, or personalize privacy settings.  **Integration:** Limited integration capability within other software platforms has been a pain point for some buyers of innovation management software. Buyers looking to incorporate this type of software into their existing systems should thoroughly explore the integration functionality of a product before purchasing. ### How to Buy Idea Management Software #### Requirements Gathering (RFI/RFP) for Idea Management Software Regardless of where a company is at in the purchasing process, G2.com can help inform buyers of the market and assist them in selecting the best software for their needs. The first step in deciding which kind of innovation management software to consider is to assess the needs of the business as a whole. Does the organization already use this kind of software? If so, what works and what doesn’t? Is this the first time the organization will be using idea management software? If that’s the case, buyers will need to determine how they plan to implement this software and what features the organization will need. Some points to consider are given below: **External vs. internal idea generation:** Does the organization plan on using this tool internally, externally, or both?  **Company size:** Buyers will need to ensure that the products they are looking at will suit the size and need of the organization. When purchasing software, it’s important to ensure the product has the appropriate scalability to adapt to changing needs. #### Compare Idea Management Software Products **Create a long list** The first step to finding the perfect software is to create a preliminary list of products that fit the buyer’s general needs. The next step is to narrow down the list by selecting specific features that are must-haves or requirements for the buyer. G2.com provides information about the best idea management software, allowing buyers to filter options as well as user reviews to help narrow down the product list to a more relevant selection. **Create a short list** Creating a short list of software products is an important step in the buying process. While it may be daunting to filter through various products, users can get help by utilizing G2’s “Compare” feature. This feature will take products of choice and display them side by side so the buyer can easily determine which software ticks the important boxes on the list.  **Conduct demos** Once the buyer has narrowed down the product list, the next step is to conduct a demo. Demos allow buyers to see a product and its features in more detail. To ensure a buyer gets the most out of a demo, it’s important to go in prepared. Buyers should have a business scenario ready that will fully test each product in consideration. Additionally, buyers should inquire about cost, vendor support, and any concerns they have about the product. Adequate preparation will make it easier for a buyer to compare products after demos have been completed. #### Selection of Idea Management Software **Choose a selection team** Idea management software can be utilized by employees, management, and external stakeholders. Therefore, it’s important to choose a selection team that will be able to assess a product from each standpoint. A good starting point would be to select three to five team members with different roles to participate in this process. The more varied a selection team is, the better a company can assess how well a product will meet their needs. **Negotiation** Once the selection team has narrowed down their software picks, it’s time to discuss customization options, pricing, and the type of support needed from the vendor. It’s always important to address pricing options, even when they are listed on a vendor’s website. Many software vendors will provide discounts and custom pricing options based on what the buyer is looking to purchase. **Final decision** Once a buyer has made the final decision on a product and is ready to move forward with a purchase, it is recommended to conduct a final demo, inquire about a trial run, and determine what the next steps are if the product doesn’t ultimately fit their needs. These steps can provide a buyer with an additional sense of security and confidence when making a final decision. ### Idea Management Software Trends **Remote workforce** Digital collaboration software has been increasing in popularity over the past year due to the COVID-19 pandemic. With many teams working remotely, companies are looking at ways to innovate and enhance their remote workspace. Utilizing idea management software is a great way for a company to drive employee engagement, enhance visibility, and ensure that employees are feeling connected and valued while working virtually. **Consumer expectations** As outlined above, idea management software is an excellent tool for maintaining employee engagement and satisfaction. Moreso, it’s a resourceful way for a business to stay connected with its customer base. Since the start of the pandemic, consumers have become more aware of their purchasing decisions. For example, many consumers are now invested in the way a business is handling safety measures and treating their employees during COVID-19.  Aside from ethics, consumers have changed their purchasing habits to prioritize the health and safety of themselves and their families. Companies can utilize idea management software to crowdsource ideas from their customers to ensure they are meeting their expectations. Additionally, crowdsourcing ideas and suggestions from customers can help a business with its continuous improvement strategy and fuel a culture of innovation.