Service Revolutions FAQ

What are the different Vision Award categories?

There are four distinct categories in which companies can compete for the TSIA Vision Award:

Services Practitioner: Your company or organization is in the business of delivering technology services to end customers.

Start-up Companies: Your company is less than two years old, has fewer than 25 employees, and either (a) is developing a product or service that will enable the delivery of technology services by other companies, or (b) is developing technology services that you will deliver directly to end customers.

Academic: You are employed by an academic or research institution. The focus of your research/teaching is services science.

Commercial: Your company is an established provider of capabilities—products or services—that enable the delivery of technology services by services practitioners.

PLEASE NOTE: A $3, 500 fee is required with your submission in the Commercial category.

What Do Vision Award Winners Receive?

In addition to bragging rights, winners receive a TSIA Vision Award trophy presented at a gala awards luncheon immediately following the Service Revolutions event. One winner is identified for each Vision Award category.

Additionally, marketing support is provided by TSIA in the form of a winner's logo, and TSIA will issue a press release announcing the winners. A cash prize is awarded to the winners in the Start-up and Academic categories to help support innovation in our industry.

What is Service Revolutions?

Service Revolutions is a unique feature of the Technology Services World Spring conference. It serves as the venue for the TSIA Vision Award competition and was designed to provide an industry forum in which to showcase the most revolutionary thinking in technology services.

The 2012 Service Revolutions event will take place on Wednesday, May 9th where up to ten finalist companies will have an opportunity to make their pitch on the general session stage in front of a live audience consisting of hundreds of services industry practitioners and a panel of industry experts.

Some have described Service Revolutions as American Idol TM meets DEMO TM. What's certain is that it's inspirational and a whole lot of fun!

What Kinds of Ideas Are Candidates for the Vision Award?

Virtually every aspect of a services business is ripe for innovation and creative new thinking. Whether you're innovating in services marketing, engineering, technology, operations, sales, or some other aspect of your business, if you're doing something truly revolutionary, then your idea is a great Vision Award candidate and will be considered.

Additionally, ideas can be at any stage of maturity — from the pre-concept phase, to in the lab or in full production.*

Some examples of areas where you might be doing breakthrough work include:

  • Defining a new cutting-edge service business model
  • Developing innovate new service technologies
  • Developing innovative new service offerings

If you're excited about your work, then chances are, we will be, too!

*Some restrictions on the phase of maturity apply to Commercial category applicants. Contact Lydia Zaffini for more details.

Is there a fee to apply for a TSIA Vision Award?

There is no fee to apply or compete for the TSIA Vision Award for the following categories:

  • Services Practitioner
  • Start-up
  • Academic

There is a $3, 500 application fee for the Commercial category.

If I apply for a Vision Award, will I automatically be given the opportunity to demonstrate my idea at Service Revolutions?

No. All Vision Award applications are reviewed by TSIA executive staff members who select up to 3 finalists per category. Finalists are selected based on the review committee's assessment of how innovative the idea is.

When will I know if I'm a finalist?

All Vision Award applicants will be notified of the status of their application no later than March 31, 2012.

How are Vision Award winners determined?

Winners are determined through live-audience voting that takes place at the Service Revolutions event. Upon completion of your demonstration, the audience will rate your demonstration or your idea on the TSIA Five-Point "Cool Scale". The company with the highest Cool Score wins. One winner is identified per category.

What are the criteria for determining the winners?

The Vision Award is not a criteria-based recognition program. Winners are determined solely on the basis of the live audience voting results. It is, in essence, a peer recognition program of the truest form. Only one vote per audience member is allowed and counted for each demonstration.

What is the role of the Industry Expert Panel?

Each year, we hand select three experts with unique areas of expertise to serve on the Service Revolutions panel. Following each demonstration, the expert panel offers comments and feedback on the idea they've just seen. They may also ask clarifying questions to help draw out important details that the audience may need to consider when voting. While panelists are at liberty to share their opinions of each concept, they do not cast votes.

How is the Vision Award different from the STAR Award program for TSIA members?

This TSIA STAR Award program is criteria based and requires a rigorous application process, including providing evidence of quantifiable business impact. Additionally, each application is reviewed and scored by a panel of judges.

In contrast, the Vision Award is non-criteria based, there is no requirement to provide evidence of business results (in many cases, the ideas are in an early concept phase) and judging happens through live audience voting immediately following the live demonstration.

Additionally, the Vision Award is open to multiple categories of participants and is not restricted to TSIA members.

How is the Vision Award different from the Recognized Innovator Award program for TSIA partners?

This TSIA Recognized Innovator Awards program is criteria based and requires a rigorous application process. Additionally, each application is reviewed and scored by a panel of judges.

In contrast, the Vision Award is non-criteria based, and judging happens through live audience voting immediately following the live demonstration.

Additionally, the Vision Award program is open to multiple categories of participants and is not restricted to TSIA partners.

How does the live demo work?

Each finalist will have 6 minutes to demonstrate their big idea to the expert panel and audience members. Depending on your subject matter, finalists may want to present some slides, show a live product demo, perform a skit, or some unique combination of all of these. It is up to each finalist to put together the most compelling and succinct presentation of their big idea — one that will wow the panelists and audience members. We strongly encourage that finalists make their presentations fun and entertaining.

Each finalist is responsible for bringing their own demo equipment, props and other materials required to make their pitch.

If my application is selected as a finalist, what happens next?

All applicants will be notified of the status of their application no later than March 31, 2012. If you're selected as a finalist, you'll be contacted with further instructions about your demo and other important program deadlines.