Idea Submission Document Template – Free Word Download
Introduction
In many organizations, innovation is stifled not by a lack of creativity, but by the lack of a structured pathway to bring that creativity to light. While the Project Intake Form (Template 77) is designed for formal business requests that have already been vetted by a department head, the Idea Submission Document is a “bottom-up” tool. It is designed for employees at any level of the organization to submit a concept, a process improvement, or a product innovation without needing a full project team or budget in place.
This document serves as the formal entry point for the “Ideation” phase of the innovation lifecycle. Its primary goal is to capture the essence of an idea while it is still fresh, ensuring that high-potential concepts are not lost in the daily grind of business operations. It encourages a culture of “Intrapreneurship,” where every staff member feels empowered to contribute to the future direction of the company.
The Idea Submission Document is intentionally less rigorous than a Business Case. It focuses on the “What” and the “Value” rather than the “How” and the “Cost.” It asks the submitter to define the problem they have observed and the creative solution they propose. This document is typically reviewed by an Innovation Committee or a dedicated Research and Development (R&D) team. If the idea shows promise, it is then moved into a “Proof of Concept” (POC) or “Pilot” phase where more detailed project management templates would then be applied.
Section 1: Submitter Profile
1.1 Originator Details
Instructions:
Recognition is a key driver of innovation. We need to know who the “Ideator” is so they can be credited and involved if the idea moves forward.
- Idea Title: [Give your idea a catchy, descriptive name.]
- Submitter Name: [Name]
- Job Title: [Role]
- Department: [e.g., Warehouse, Customer Support, Sales]
- Date of Submission: [Date]
1.2 Collaboration
Instructions:
Did you develop this alone, or with a team?
- Co-Contributors: [List any colleagues who helped develop this concept.]
Section 2: The Core Concept
2.1 The “Pain Point” (The Problem)
Instructions:
Every great idea starts with a problem. What is frustrating you, your team, or your customers?
Example:
“Our field technicians currently spend 30 minutes at the end of every job manually handwriting service reports on carbon-copy paper. These papers often get lost, are hard to read, and take a week to reach the billing department.”
2.2 The “Aha!” Moment (The Solution)
Instructions:
What is your proposed fix? Describe how it works in simple terms.
Example:
“I propose we create a simple ‘Voice-to-Text’ mobile interface for the technicians. They can dictate their notes into their phone while driving to the next job. The system would automatically format the report and email it to the customer and the billing team instantly.”
2.3 The “Target Audience”
Instructions:
Who specifically benefits from this?
- Primary Users: [e.g., Field Technicians.]
- Secondary Beneficiaries: [e.g., Billing Department, Customers.]
Section 3: Value and Impact
Instructions:
Ideas are evaluated based on their impact. Use this section to sell the benefits.
3.1 Impact Categories
Check all that apply:
- [ ] Time Saver: Does it make a task faster?
- [ ] Money Maker: Does it create new revenue?
- [ ] Cost Cutter: Does it reduce waste or expenses?
- [ ] Safety Improver: Does it make the workplace safer?
- [ ] Happiness Booster: Does it make customers or employees happier?
3.2 Estimated Benefit
Instructions:
You do not need an exact dollar figure, but try to quantify the scale.
- Scale of Benefit: [e.g., “If we save 30 minutes per job for 100 technicians, that is 50 hours of recovered labor every single day.”]
Section 4: Feasibility and Requirements
4.1 What do we need to start?
Instructions:
What is the very first step to see if this works? (e.g., A 1-week trial, a prototype, a survey).
- The “Small Win” Step: [e.g., “Give 5 technicians a trial app for one week to see if the voice recognition is accurate enough.”]
4.2 Potential Hurdles
Instructions:
What might stop this from working? (e.g., Cost, technology, “we’ve always done it this way” attitude).
- Hurdle: [e.g., “Background noise in the technician’s van might interfere with the voice-to-text accuracy.”]
Section 5: Evaluation and Feedback (For Committee Use)
Instructions:
This section is for the reviewers.
5.1 Innovation Score
Table 5.1: Review Matrix
| Criteria | Score (1-5) | Comments |
| Novelty | [ ] | Is this a new way of thinking? |
| Feasibility | [ ] | Can we actually do this? |
| Impact | [ ] | Is the reward worth the effort? |
5.2 Decision
- [ ] Move to Pilot: Assign a mentor and a small “seed” budget.
- [ ] Hold for Future: Great idea, but not the right time.
- [ ] Archive: Already being done or not aligned with strategy.
Conclusion – Idea Submission Document Template – Free Word Download
The Idea Submission Document is the lifeblood of a forward-thinking company. It ensures that the best ideas regardless of where they come from in the hierarchy have a fair chance to be heard and evaluated. By standardizing this process, you remove the “favoritism” from innovation and replace it with a merit-based system.
Encourage your team to be bold. Not every idea will become a project, but every idea contributes to a culture of continuous improvement. Once an idea is submitted, the committee should provide feedback within a set timeframe (e.g., 14 days). Even a “No” with an explanation is better for morale than a “Black Hole” where ideas go to die. Use this template to unlock the hidden potential of your workforce.
Meta Description:
An Idea Submission Document template designed to capture bottom-up innovation, process improvements, and new product concepts from employees at all levels.
Discover More great insights at www.pmresourcehub.com