Leveraging technology innovations for online engagement can be enticing. Exciting new apps and social media platforms can feel like you’ve hit on the “next big thing” – “must-haves” to reach an increasingly connected audience and cause your message to go viral.  

But like most things, jumping on the latest technology bandwagon isn’t wise without a well-considered plan that first weighs initiatives and tests the process. 

To that end, we offer the following helpful excerpt on harnessing innovation from Alan George, who spent almost a decade as the Church Online Pastor at Life.Church:  

“I have learned so much from David Farmer, VP Restaurant Experience at Chick-fil-A, and his formula for the Chick-fil-A innovation process. Here’s how it goes:

Understand > Imagine > Prototype > Validate > Launch

Understand: Even before imagining, understanding your audience by doing the necessary research for the target audience is essential.

Imagine: Now that you have spent some time understanding your audience, you can consider different ideas to solve a specific problem. Don’t just come up with ideas for the sake of ideas. Ask yourself this question, “What problem am I trying to solve?”

Prototype: Next, pick a prototype. You create a quick, cheaper version of this idea that you are not emotionally tied to. Not every prototype will lead to a launch but this gives you a safe place to test out your ideas.

Validate: Do the customers love it – do they reorder, do they like it, does it taste well? Do the operators support it – are they bought in, do they see sales? Does it financially make sense?

Launch: This is when your team goes all out! Everyone is aligned and ready to move forward with the best, and most proven ideas.

Leveraging a process like the one mentioned above does not require a lot of time. The more you employ this strategy, the more your team will become increasingly agile and mobile as you create a safe place for collaboration.”

The above excerpt is from The Top Three Digital Engagement Mistakes to Avoid by Alan George.