We’ve just launched a new innovation framework – FROST. Yeah, ok, it has an acronym,… but we’re committed to making it accessible 🙂
Don’t fly-in fancy consultants* – Give your staff a chance!
The thinking behind the FROST framework arises from the question “How might an organisation design an innovation programme that gets the best from their staff?”.
Too often have we seen senior managers hopping with excitement about some new consultant they’re bringing in, over everyone’s head, to “shake the place up”; nothing annoys the troops more!
Your best innovation programme is one that leverages your own, experienced, knowledgable, close-to-home staff; if you ask them the right questions, and give them some space, they will make it happen!
With this thinking in mind, we’ve started on a plain English approach for large and well-established organisations to use.
The approach will be applicable to emergent R&D programmes, innovation programmes, Hack Event programmes, funding programmes, Innovation Sprints, and more.
Here’s the first bit:
The Five Characteristics of a Successful Innovation Programme – FROST
- Focused – You articulate the challenge using the “How might we … ?” question template.
- Regular – You ensure that the innovation sessions are regular, recurring, and are protected against “emergencies”.
- Open – You ensure that the challenge is open, unrestricted, and importantly has no implementation details stipulated.
- Safe – Your staff and all participants, really do honestly feel safe to take risks, and to try anything they want to.
- Tangible – The outputs must be working prototypes of some form (NOT just pictures or people waving their arms).
We will dig into each of the five areas, and build on this in time.
Watch this tag for updates on our FROST Innovation Framework.
* like me, or GAS Collective,… well unless you want some help from some down-to-earth veterans.