Whom do modern businesses depend on to come up with the next breakthrough discovery or innovative idea? Since businesses in general are becoming software businesses, many would say it’s their developers. But what if, with the right technologies, a much wider swath of employees could be innovators and creators?

One of the best uses for the advanced software available today is to unlock the potential of “regular” employees.

“If you empower only 4.3 percent of them — for instance, the developers in your group — you’re leaving so much opportunity on the table,” said Mark Mader (pictured), president and chief executive officer of Smartsheet Inc., maker of workforce collaboration software, debuting its initial public offering last April.

If companies could enable the midpoint of the company to generate innovative ideas the way developers do, the product could be huge, Mader added. To do so, these employees need a firm grip on the enabling software. “You have to live with it; you have to work with it; you have to wrestle with it,” he said.

Mader spoke with Jeff Frick (@JeffFrick) and Lisa Martin (@LuccaZara), co-hosts of theCUBE, SiliconANGLE Media’s mobile livestreaming studio, during the Smartsheet Engage event in Bellevue, Washington. They discussed how cutting-edge work applications and software can democratize and speed up innovation. (* Disclosure below.)

Worker bees fail fast on shortcut to wins

Despite its goal of mass appeal (or in service to it), Smartsheet has a broad set of capabilities for all levels of tech literacy.

“It’s tempting to say, ‘Well, they can’t handle much; let’s go lowest common denominator,” Mader said. So the company balances relevance, comfort, understanding and capability. Smartsheet has changed a lot from a simple grid; now there are dashboards, forms, etc.

One way to democratize innovation across an organization is to use software and methods that allow for rapid experimentation. “So we go into an initiative and say, ‘We have this amazing idea; we’re going to have all these returns — we think.’ Well, not every one of the bets you place actually makes it.”

Smartsheet also believes in cutting to the chase with its purpose-built accelerators that address specific domains. “We announced a few new accelerators today in the sales realm in terms of being able to better manage engagement plans with prospects and clients and on sophisticated deals,” Mader concluded.

Watch the complete video interview below, and be sure to check out more of SiliconANGLE’s and theCUBE’s coverage of the Smartsheet Engage event. (* Disclosure: TheCUBE is a paid media partner for Smartsheet Engage. Neither Smartsheet Inc., the event sponsor, nor other sponsors have editorial control over content on theCUBE or SiliconANGLE.)

Photo: SiliconANGLE