Gather inspiration
Find and experience new things
Once the most relevant area of potential has been identified, we systematically investigate what others have already implemented successfully on this key topic. To this end, we also look at other service sectors or industries outside our specialist field. In this way, we avoid reinventing the wheel and are able to identify concepts that can be adapted to our context. What successful approaches are there in other sectors? What have public institutions already developed in other countries (or in other federal states in Germany)?
Public innovations are often imitations
We gather inspiration at our desks and in contact with our networks. Here, we definitely focus on quantity and on describing specific aspects that seem interesting to us. We structure these brief descriptions in an Inspiration Database which can be further expanded during the process and shared with the extended team and relevant people as a valuable source of knowledge.
In the course of our investigations we will collect lots of fascinating inspirations. A joint assessment of the examples will indicate which project or organization we should take a closer look at.
When it comes to discovering something completely new, competitive comparisons and judgments are out of place: what counts here is the collaborative sharing and advancement of knowledge and practices so as to generate systemic answers to complex questions.
Look behind the scenes
By visiting selected innovation projects or sites, we can expand our imagination and understanding of how others have arrived at their solution. We don’t necessarily need to take a trip to Silicon Valley for this to happen. A successful Innovation Journey (LINK) can take place around the corner or digitally. This experience can be fed into the development of our ideas without having to be a one-to-one copy of what already exists.
Bear values in mind
By experiencing a new field of action, it is possible to familiarize ourselves with the impact of a particular solution at first hand. Why do we like something? What functions or benefits does it offer? Using the Value Tower, we can reflect on what we have experienced and work out together which values are linked to the inspirational examples we have seen. Through team discussion we learn to exchange ideas about the crucial core of an example and integrate these insights in our own ideas: after all, it is these insights that are valuable in the truest sense of the word.
Inspiration Database
Method
Inspiration Database
What is it and what purpose does it serve?
The Inspiration Database is a systematic approach to organizing, archiving and retrieving inspirational examples relating to a specific area of potential. By assigning different categories such as focus, format, scope and target group, we can compare the concepts or practical examples that have been collected.
Added value
The greater the interest in systemic innovation, the more it is possible to find. Even though the set-up can appear fairly labor-intensive, the database is a valuable contribution not only in terms of the present but also for future ventures. This also gives decision- makers an easy way to quickly look up something new.
Inspiration Database
Work sheet
Procedure
Set inquiry focus. Selected area of potential or related HCW question.
Define columns for the relevant categories for keywording so as to make information findable and create comparability between entries. What is of particular interest? What are possible limitations? One column per category.
Set up database. Use accessible and user-friendly software such as a cloud-based spreadsheet with a search function.
Find practical examples. Incorporate existing material from the Knowledge Atlas. Browse international websites such as oecd-opsi.org and follow the links. Subscribe to newsletters, join networks, e.g. PersDiv, 9to9000, Next e.V.
Enter selected information in the database.
Identify touch points (relevance) with the venture and describe these.
Invite the extended team to enter their inspirations, too. Schedule initial short deadline or organize online session.
Compare and prioritize inspirations. What is there a lot of in the collection? Are there a handful of practical examples that are particularly fascinating? What should we look at on site?
Sort the inspirations by prioritizing them accordingly.
Innovation Journey
Method
Innovation Journey
What is it and what purpose does it serve?
Visiting innovative projects is the most direct way to find out about new things. The Innovation Journey promotes strategic exploration of tomorrow’s trends – whether in other countries or cities or just around the corner.
Added value
By experiencing innovative and unfamiliar things on site and by entering into dialog with the people who have enabled them, we gain first-hand experience and a deeper understanding. In this way, we can reflect on what we have experienced and develop it further in our own organization.
Innovation Journey
Work sheet
Procedure
Transfer the outer lines of the fields into a large format. Have material ready.
Read through notes on success factors so as to be able to work through all fields in succession.
Start with the first field. Read stimulus questions out loud. Each person answers the questions for themselves in silence and jots down the most important aspects on sticky notes. One aspect per slip of paper (approx. 2 min per field).
One after the other, each person briefly presents the aspects they have written down and sticks the slips of paper in the relevant field. Identical or similar aspects can be placed directly alongside each other (approx. 1 min per person).
Repeat procedure from 3 and 4 for the other five fields.
Finally, discuss the points in all fields as a team and make decisions for each field as to what to consider for the journey. Write these down and derive assignments from this. Distribute assignments with schedule and make a note of who is to organize what by when. Look forward to the journey!
Note: In order to document the journey, use the templates for Document Interview or the matrix under Myself and the Process. Involve all those traveling in the documentation and allow time for analysis and knowledge transfer after the journey.
Value Tower
Method
Value Tower
What is it and what purpose does it serve?
The Value Tower helps prioritize values associated with attitudes and positions underlying current action. The method creates clarity in terms of the development or analysis of ideas. It can be used in a variety of ways to reflect on experience, highlight value propositions, or engage in strategic planning.
Added value
Personal assessment allows aspects that we take for granted to be discussed openly and objectively within the group. Jointly defined core values serve as a point of reference as the process moves forward. They facilitate development and communication of the innovative solution.
Value Tower
Work sheet
Procedure
Copy template. Have material ready. Cut out the eight values from the copied template. Alternatively, each person writes down the eight values on small pieces of paper.
Tune in together. By spreading out information and inspirations collected from the Innovation Journey and the Inspiration Database, for example. Each person chooses something particularly appealing. Taking turns, everyone briefly introduces what is interesting about it: “This appealed to me or surprised me because ...”, “I found out that ...”, etc.
Based on this impression, place the relevant aspects in the first column of the table and the values base. Next, each person considers for themselves which values are particularly important to the venture and the solution. Work silently to build a tower with the eight pieces of paper. The most relevant value forms the base of the tower.
Once everyone has individually ranked the values, share the results with the group. Place the towers next to each other and connect equal values with a line across all towers.
Discuss the resulting image. What is essential for further development? Agree on a maximum of three core values. Document the outcomes.