Innovation FridayWelcome to

in/davidtailee@heydavidly

David Lee

Innovation FridayA one-day collaborative design session which invites people to explore a difficult problem.

Innovation FridayThe program produces real, tangible improvements in ten weeks at nearly $0 cost. Seriously.

It Works.Not only is it

educational and fun, but

The next few slides will explain.

We Believe:› Everyone is an expert at the work they personally touch every day.

› No one understands every aspect of a problem.

› Knowing who can help you is 50% of any challenge.

› Innovation wants to happen everywhere.

So, we structured Innovation Friday to

Apply the thinking and talent that is already in the

company.

Give people a structure to

solve problems

quickly and collaborativel

y.

Innovation FridayThis is what we call…

Hooray!

Here’s How it Works:

Step 1 :Choose a problem. Not an easy one, but not an unrealistic one.We have tried to solve things like, “We spend millions of dollars on technology, but it doesn’t feel like we get our money’s worth...” or “How can we make this place more appealing to younger workers? Or “Why don’t people collaborate across geographic locations very well?”

Step 2 :Find a sponsor, then find 30 people who will be willing to have an honest conversation.An executive sponsor’s role is important. We need a champion to support the ideas that come out of the design session. Finding the right participants is also critical. We need people who can see past the barriers that stand in the way of innovation. It’s also important to bring in different perspectives on the problem. Be sure to bring in people from every side of the issue.

Step 3 :Get Room. Set a Date!We like Fridays because it’s easier for people to dress down and loosen up.

Because we are asking for a full day (9am-4pm) you may need to schedule this 6-9 weeks out. We also like to choose a musical play list. Innovation should be something you can dance to!

Explore

Imagine

Attempt

› Reach a common understanding of the situation.

› Openly discuss challenges and issues› Identify the most interesting opportunities.› Consider multiple ways to solve the

issues.› Design a pragmatic solution.› Discuss possible roadblocks and

unknowns.

› Gather the team and hunt down answers.

› Determine the feasibility of a pilot or POC.

› Come to a resolution quickly (10 weeks)

› Use the time to get smarter.

Innovation Friday

10 weeks following

Act

Innovation Friday is 3 Acts

Act 3

Act 2

Act 1

Act 1

Act 1: Friday Morning

Let’s Learn About The Problem› Start with a panel or “TED-like” speakers to help everyone get to a common understanding.

› Usually, we have one numbers-oriented speaker and one human-oriented speaker.

Explore

Get Tough Truths Out Into The Room.

› What is said in Innovation Friday…Stays.

The facilitator needs to set the tone early. Say something controversial (and true) early on. Let people know it’s okay to be real. Show that this it a different kind of get together.

Act 1: Friday Morning

Explore

› Say a dangerous thing.

No recordings, no remote participation. This is a safe place.

Give Them Permission to Think Differently.

“Imagine that a miracle happens over the weekend. On Monday, this company is the greatest company in America to work for. What are the first clues you see?” (Have everyone write down an answer before anyone speaks)

› Bring in wild ideas from other places.

Act 1: Friday Morning

Explore

› Use interesting stimulus questions.

Act 1: Friday Morning

Find The Important Themes› Listen to what keeps coming up over and over.

› Facilitators quietly take notes to identify the issues that keep coming up.

Explore

Act 1: Friday Morning

Break Into Teams for Act 2› Write the 5-8 most common themes on big paper and hang them around the room.

› Ask people to stand under the problem they are most interested in solving.

Explore

These teams will work together for the rest of the day.

Time for Act 2!

Act 2: Friday Afternoon

Design Some Solutions!› teams get lunch together, get to know each other, and spend two hours trying to design something that might make a positive impact.

Imagine

The solution must be doable in 10 weeks and should cost (basically) nothing. There is a template which asks them to step though the possibilities and barriers. Having people with diverse backgrounds on each team provides a better understanding of the possibilities and impacts. This leads to better designs and better outcomes.

Act 2: Friday Afternoon

Time To Pitch!› Everyone returns. Each team has 6 minutes to present their solution.

Imagine

As people listen, they write down advice on sticky notes. Who will want to help this idea? Who will not like it? There is a Q&A after each pitch. After all teams go, use multi-dot voting to determine which ideas the room likes the most. Only 3 or 4 should move to the “Attempt” stage.

Act 2: Friday Afternoon

Let’s Try and Do this Crazy thing!› The day ends with people signing up for Act 3.

Imagine

Once the room has picked its favorite concepts, it’s time for people to volunteer to spend some time working on it over the next 10 weeks. People can be on any team, it doesn’t have to be the same team they worked on in Act 2. The commitment is simply an hour or two for each week, to explore the possibilities of implementing the solution. Not every team will land their solution. That’s okay. Failing in 10 weeks (at no cost) is a good kind of failure. The best kind of failure.

Go home. Have a great

weekend!

Act 3: The 10 weeks after Innovation Friday

Ask Around! Get Details. See if it’s possible. › There is no formula for “Attempt.”

› meet once a week and see how far you can get. You may be surprised.

Attempt

We provide a project manager who helps the team stay focused on what is feasible in such a short period of time. People from the Innovation Program participate in the weekly calls to provide coaching and assistance.

We Have Learned:› providing structure and connecting people who want to fix things makes a big difference.

› Empowering people to work on the problems they are personally interested in solving means a lot.

› You will be surprised at how far you can get just by saying “yes, go try!”

People seem to like it.Very

Strongly

Agree

Very Strong

ly Disagr

ee

Step 4 :Regroup at Week 10. Share.Just get folks on the phone for a wrap up conversation at the end of Act 3!

It’s likely that some teams will have discovered that their solution is simply not going to happen. That’s okay. Some teams will have started their effort, but might not be done yet. That’s also okay. The truth is nearly every outcome is okay.

Innovation Friday is structured to be useful, even if the Act 3 efforts don’t work. But it’s really great when they do. Really great.

Good Luck.Have fun! Make change happen!