BUS604: Innovation and Sustainability

Description

Idea generation methods are useful for the initial phases when it is necessary to explore concrete possibilities through lateral thinking: typical formats include BarCamps, Hackathons, and other more business-oriented methods. These processes base their effectiveness on placing a multi-disciplinary group in a focused and supported co-design environment for a defined number of hours, with the goal of producing and communicating concrete results. Often there is also a competitive element, with juries and prizes.

Use

One of the purposes of idea generation methods is to deliver tangible results in a very short time. In addition, the intense multi-disciplinary experience is in itself a useful way to promote 'innovation literacy' and build a local innovation community. For city governments, such events offer a good first step for opening up to citizen engagement.

Typologies

Idea generation methods can be applied in a range of situations: where there is already a need for innovation identified with the desire to look for new approaches; to seize on a given 'innovation opportunity' such as the launching of a new Open Data strategy; or from a totally open starting point, with proposals freely brought in by participants.

Issues

Many idea generation techniques are part of a global network that gives excellent visibility and often technical support, but at the cost of having to follow a very strict format. In addition, these formats often convey cultural models that may not be appropriate, such as a highly competitive approach where instead the goal is to build a collaborative innovation community.

Implementation

The setting should ideally be in a stimulating and creative environment with open Wi-Fi coverage. It is necessary to have both a plenary room plus properly equipped working spaces for each team of 5-10. For the staff, clearly defined roles are required such as project coordinator, technical manager, team coaches or mentors, and experts in specific areas. The key to success, however, is getting the right mix of participants, balancing teams with people who have experience in the problem domain (including civil servants), ICT experts and programmers, creative professions such as design and communication, those with experience in business planning, and so forth

Methodology - Idea Generation

Cases

Many ENoLL Living Labs experiment variations on different idea generation methods. The Ghent Hackathon builds mobile applications using Open Data published by the municipal government. It was initiated by the city together with the Urban Living Lab innovation ecosystem, with the goal of civic engagement for public and economic value creation.
The Startup Weekend of SUST Living Lab Tunisia instead follows a global 48-hour format (sponsored by Google) with the specific goal of generating business start-ups.
Finally, Haaga-Helia University has developed its own formula – the InnoCamp – focusing solutions towards expressed needs of a commissioning entity. This has been successfully applied for instance in the development of mobile service concepts for the tourism industry.

Impact

The impact of idea generation methods often goes beyond the two or three days of the event. Statistics from the international Startup Weekend network show that roughly 80% of participants plan a longer term collaboration with their groups, and over a third of the startups generated are still active after three months. The main factors to attain impact are: a clear and tested structure for the event, engagement of local stakeholders, and adequate preparation previous to the event and follow-up afterwards.