In her role as Innovation Manager at KSB, Elke Dörr is responsible for ensuring that flashes of inspiration become tangible innovation projects and that the right people come together to make them happen. In an interview with Stream of Stories, she explains why innovation cannot be confined to a single department and why an open culture is key to encouraging employees to contribute their ideas.
Stream of Stories:Ms. Dörr, you have been working as an Innovation Manager at KSB for four years. Could you walk us through what your day-to-day work looks like in practice?
Elke Dörr: As an Innovation Manager, my job is to encourage innovation among the entire KSB workforce. I do not develop innovations myself. Rather, I enable my colleagues across KSB worldwide to become more innovative. For example, I teach creativity techniques, support workshops and simply connect people with the right contacts.
To help develop innovative ideas, we have a comprehensive toolkit of methods, including workshops and innovation programmes. One format that is particularly popular at KSB is the World Café approach. In this format, groups discuss a specific topic at several tables, rotate from one table to the next, and leave behind their insights for the following group.
There is no standard solution. When someone from one of the specialist departments approaches us with an idea or a challenge, or when we identify potential ourselves, we assess what that specific topic requires. How should it be developed further? Where does it belong within KSB? Which people need to be connected? Our job is to put the right elements in place to support the process.
Another central aspect of our work is close networking with our specialist departments. Through continuous dialogue about current topics and challenges, we share knowledge, provide updates on new developments and ongoing projects, and work together with our colleagues to ensure that all activities are consistently aligned with specific customer benefits and the KSB corporate strategy.
In short, we provide direction for the future, identify relevant challenges and opportunities, bring together people and expertise, validate ideas, and support promising concepts through to implementation. At the same time, we foster a culture in which people can try new things, learn early and shape innovation collaboratively.
The facilitator: Elke Dörr
Elke Dörr has been a member of KSB's Innovation Management and Quality Culture department since 2022. For the five years prior to that, she was at Bayern Innovativ. Her journey into innovation management began during her materials science studies, when laboratory testing made her realise that the question of 'why?' was often overlooked. This drove her to pursue a Master's degree in Innovation and Technology Management. Today, she moderates workshops, teaches creativity techniques, gives presentations and connects the right experts so that initial ideas can become concrete innovation projects.
A big part of your job is bringing people together for discussions. What factors determine whether these workshops actually produce good results?
A great deal depends on the design of the workshop. Drawing on experience and intuition, I put groups together in a way that maximises the chances of a successful outcome. I make sure that the group is diverse enough for participants to view the topic from different angles, while still being a good fit for one another.
Which departments should sit at the same table? How large should the group be? Which hierarchical levels should be represented? Which language would be best for the participants? How should the questions be phrased?
The atmosphere is just as important. People need to feel comfortable and willing to contribute, even if this is the first time they are encountering the topic. To achieve this, we carefully design the environment, brief the hosts who facilitate the discussions and offer training on how to manage both very quiet and very outspoken participants.
You help ideas develop and mature. But how are these ideas born, and through what channels do they reach you?
Innovation comes from many different sources. We do not passively wait for someone to share an idea. We monitor trends and technologies, conduct studies, examine customer requirements and patents, and observe developments among start-ups and competitors.
One example is the 'Pump 2040' trend study, in which we were a contributing partner. We developed future scenarios and then brought those insights back to the specialist departments, asking: What does this development mean for your area specifically, and what opportunities does it create for KSB? From these discussions, we work with the departments to develop fields of innovation for KSB.
Many ideas also emerge through conversations. KSB futuretalk, for example, is a format in which external experts and an internal KSB expert present and discuss topics to focus on future developments. Many innovative ideas arise from the discussions that follow these sessions.
From the initial spark of inspiration through to implementation: the KSB innovation funnel shows how Innovation Management supports the journey from idea to execution.
What's the next step in the project?
An important part of our work is ensuring close alignment with the Market Areas, Segments and the KSB corporate strategy. Through this collaboration, fields of innovation are identified, prioritised and continuously developed. All the activities and initiatives within our department are guided by these strategic principles and aligned with the defined corporate objectives.
If an idea fits within these priorities but is still at a very early stage, we refer it to a programme called KSB upstarter, which gives employees some time to dedicate their energies to developing the project. Once the programme is complete, we decide what happens next.
Is it a process improvement that should be advanced with the relevant department? Could it become a product that can be transferred directly to the specialist department? Should we work with a start-up because developing it internally would not make sense? Or does it have the potential to become a completely new business model? In that case, it might be transferred to the Business Innovation Lab. We always look for the best place for the project to develop and find its home within KSB.
Could you give an example of a specific project to illustrate your role?
A good example is a new surface coating developed and patented by colleagues at our Pegnitz site. The technology itself already existed. The next question was: where could it be applied most effectively? After all, a technology only becomes a successful innovation when it leads to commercially successful applications.
We first identified potential users within KSB, including products where the coating could create customer value and internal applications, such as tools that might last longer because of the coating.
At the same time, we take a number of approaches. We present the technology in a 'futuretalk' and launch a challenge. We also plan workshops involving colleagues from different areas to give them an opportunity to identify possible applications while also highlighting questions and challenges they still see in relation to the technology.
How do you connect people at KSB who are interested in innovation or are already working on innovative topics?
Our Innovation Community is particularly relevant in this regard. This open global community is intended for anyone who either works or has an interest in innovation. It is organised through Teams and SharePoint.
We regularly share inspiration with the Community through short learning nuggets, podcasts and how-to papers as part of themed months focused on topics such as business model development, additive manufacturing or knowledge management. What matters to us is always the connection to people's own work: what does a trend or method specifically mean for me? Does an idea or similar project already exist somewhere in the company? Not only does this allow us to share best-practice solutions, but it also helps us to leverage synergies and avoid duplicate work.
The idea behind it is that innovation happens everywhere at KSB. Our role is to link these ideas together, make them visible and drive their adoption throughout the company.
"People need to feel that their ideas are being heard and taken seriously."
Elke Dörr
There is currently a lot of discussion about innovation driven by artificial intelligence. What role does AI play within this Community?
The Community has a specific area devoted to AI given the major role the topic now plays in innovation and, of course, across KSB in general. AI can help in the development of innovations, while also being a springboard for many innovative ideas. In this area of the Community too, however, the focus is primarily on making existing AI topics and projects within KSB visible, sharing knowledge and leveraging synergies. Ultimately, the aim is to generate value through the company's various AI initiatives.
Every two weeks, for instance, we host an open English language call for presenting projects, platforms or tools from across the company. Colleagues can approach us and say, “We're using an interesting AI tool and would like to present it.” We then provide the framework and give them a platform.
Who can KSB employees contact if they have an idea?
One channel is Ideas Management. On the portal, which can be accessed via SharePoint, employees can enter a title for their idea, provide a brief description and add any relevant sources. Idea managers then review submissions and forward potential innovation projects to us.
Employees can also share their innovative ideas with us in person. We listen to the idea or question, ask the key follow-up questions needed to assess it, and explain the available options.
Presenting an unfinished idea to others can take courage. How do you create a culture in which people are not afraid to do exactly that?
'Culture' is the operative word. You need to create a safe environment where people understand that every opinion and idea has value and is worth considering. That does not mean every idea will be implemented. Innovation is a process with different decision gates. Sometimes, the answer is no. Sometimes, the decision is that we need to go back and make changes. Transparency and communication are key.
Most importantly, it is about listening. People need to feel that their ideas are being heard and taken seriously. Of course, we do also ask critical questions. But instead of immediately saying, “That won't work”, we should first ask whether it truly is a deal-breaker or whether another perspective might reveal a different possibility.
Which aspects of your work do you enjoy the most?
I particularly like it when someone tells me that I have, in some small way, helped them move forward. This may be because I connected them with someone, introduced them to a concept, or simply that I listened to what they had to say. Whatever it is, I have helped someone take a step they might not otherwise have taken. I gain an immense sense of pride from this.
I learn something new every day, and that is what I love about my job. I am constantly presented with new challenges, regularly have to immerse myself in unfamiliar topics, and get to work with a wide variety of people. And I really love that.
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