Four Simple Layers to Frame Government Innovation - From Ideas and Plans to Action and Results - Feb2017

Four Simple Layers to Frame Government InnovationFrom Ideas and Plans to Action and Results

February

2017

Troy Barker

Senior Vice President

ICF

ICF proprietary and confidential. Do not copy, distribute, or disclose.ICF proprietary and confidential. Do not copy, distribute, or disclose. 2

I can’t understand why

people are frightened of

new ideas. I’m frightened

of the old ones.

John Cage


Government Innovation

4 Simple Layers to Frame Government Innovation

• The Government Innovation “Journey”

• Government Innovation Is Picking Up Speed!

1

2• Government Innovation Leaders

• From Ideas to Action

• Government Innovation: Four-Layer Framework

• Layer 1 – Innovation Ecosystem

• Layer 2 – Innovation Policy and Structure

• Layer 3 – Innovation Strategy and Leadership

• Layer 4 – Innovation Management

Four Simple Layers to Frame Government Innovation

From Ideas and Plans to Action and Results3• Building A Path Forward

• What Does Success Look Like?


The Government Innovation “Journey”

• Government Is And Has Been Innovating For Years

• Innovation In Government Is All About Getting Better

• Institutionalizing Innovation In Government Is A Worthwhile Endeavor

• Progress Is Being Made But There Is So Much More To Do


Government Innovation Is Picking Up Speed!

• Government As Player, Not Observer In The Innovation Ecosystem

• Research and Formal Innovation Policy Accelerating Over The Past 20 Years

• Dawning of the Chief Innovation Officer In Government

• Silicon Valley Creeping Into Government

• Innovation Labs/Centers of Excellence Popping Up All Over Government

• C-Level Government Executives Building “Innovation Arms” In Their Organizations

• Informal Innovation Collaboration Networks Becoming More Popular


Learning and innovation

go hand in hand. The

arrogance of success is to

think that what you did

yesterday will be sufficient

for tomorrow.

William Pollard


Are You A Government Innovation Leader?

• All Levels Of Government - Federal, State, Local, International

• “Innovation Pockets” Within Government (OSTP, OMB, OCIOs)

• Cabinet-Level Secretary or Head of an Agency

• Agency Chief Innovation Officer

• Leader/Director of an Innovation Lab/Center of Excellence

• C-Level Government Executive (CIO, CFO)

• Leader of a Government Council (CIO Council, CFO Council)

• Leader of an Industry Organization That Supports Government


Do You Want To Move Innovation From Ideas to Action?

• Build A Common Language

• Break Up Government Innovation Into Layers

• Plan and Act To Make Progress In Each Layer

• Measure Key Learnings and Success

• Evolve Efforts Iteratively As You Go

ICF proprietary and confidential. Do not copy, distribute, or disclose.ICF proprietary and confidential. Do not copy, distribute, or disclose.

9

Four Simple Layers To Frame Government Innovation

Layer 1: Innovation Ecosystem

Layer 2: Innovation

Policy/Structure

Layer 3: Innovation

Strategy/Leadership

Layer 4: Innovation

Management

...Layer 1: Innovation Ecosystem: identify and engage the universe of direct/indirect

innovation partners that can help you be successful and you can help them

be successful.

…Layer 2: Innovation Policy/Structure: lay the groundwork with innovation policies/

procedures and design the right organizational structure to get the right people

in the right place at the right time to advance innovation.

…Layer 3: Innovation Strategy/Leadership: develop a practical innovation

strategy to get you started and guide you and focus on building the proper

innovation leadership posture within the organization to encourage and promote

innovation across the enterprise.

…Layer 4: Innovation Management: build your “innovation machine” including an

innovation lifecycle to turn ideas into value by delivering, diffusing, measuring, and

reporting value and benefits back to the organization and the larger ecosystem.

Four-Layer Government Innovation

Framework


Layer 1 – Innovation Ecosystem

Key Issues/Objectives

• Defining Your “Universe” of Ecosystem Partners To Interact With Is Key (Macro/Micro Ecosystems)

• Building an “Agglomeration” – a mass or collection of groups, an assemblage

• Determining Your Posture In the Ecosystem Helps You Figure Out How You Will Consume/Contribute

• Continuously Monitoring The Overall Ecosystem and Your Direct Partners As It Evolves

Initial/Ongoing Work And Calls To Action

• Monitor/Track The Macro-Innovation Ecosystem to See What Value Is Being Produced Elsewhere

• Define Your Ecosystem and Monitor How It Changes and Evolves

• Identify Who Your Direct Ecosystem Partners Are and Why?

• Determine The Value You Bring and The Value You Want to Get From All Ecosystem Partners

• Diffuse Innovations Across the Ecosystem – How Are You Leveraging Great Ideas From Elsewhere?

Overall Benefits To Your Organization

• Firmly Identify, Target, and Interact with Your Direct Partners

• A Solid Understanding of the Value Being Exchanged From “Win/Win” Partnerships

• Understanding How Your Organization Fits Into the “Bigger Picture”


Layer 2: Innovation

Policy/Structure

Layer 3: Innovation

Strategy/Leadership

Layer 4: Innovation

Management


Framework

Layer 1: Knowledge Assets

• Ecosystem Research (Govt, Industry)

• List of Ecosystem Universe & Partners

• Tracking Innovation Diffusions Between

Partners


Layer 2 – Innovation Policy & Structure


Layer 2: Innovation

Policy/Structure

Layer 3: Innovation

Strategy/Leadership

Layer 4: Innovation

Management


Framework

11

Key Issues/Objectives

• The Importance of Policy – It Announces Intent, Gives Permission, A License to Explore

• Innovation As a Bi-Partisan Issue – Advancing Government and Making It Better

• Assessing the Overall State of Innovation Policy Within Government At All Levels

• What Type of Organization Do You Lead and How Should You Organize for the Best Innovation Results?


• What Does Current Innovation Policy Look Like? At All Levels Within Government

• Assessing Current State of Innovation Policy Within Your Organization. What’s In Place? What’s Not In Place?

• How Is Government Structuring Itself to Promote Innovation? How Should You Organize?

• Determine Your “Sweet Spot” Between Formal Structures and Informal Collaboration Networks

• Marrying Perfectly “Top Down” Policies/Structures With “Bottoms Up” Organic “Innovation Movements”


• Advance Formal Innovation Policy At All Levels To Increase “Institutionalization” of Innovation in Government

• Your Team/Organization Structured in a Way That Delivers Innovation As Optimally As Possible

• Leveraging Both Formal and Informal Structures For Optimal Results

• Acknowledging the Power of Informal Collaboration Networks for Innovation Diffusion


• Policies At All Levels of Gov’t

• Research on Innovation Policy

• Organizational Design Research


Layer 3 – Innovation Strategy & Leadership


Layer 2: Innovation

Policy/Structure

Layer 3: Innovation

Strategy/Leadership

Layer 4: Innovation

Management


FrameworkKey Issues/Objectives

• Does the Overall Agency Mission and Strategy Include Innovation?

• Is There An Overall Strategy For Innovation – Strategic Pillars, Objectives, Desired Outcomes?

• Do Leaders of the Organization Believe In and Champion Innovation?

• Does the Organization Invest In Training Executives on Innovation? The Rest of the Organization?


• Convene Innovation Leaders In The Organization To Develop An Innovation Strategy

• Innovation Strategy Addresses Ecosystem, Policy, Leadership, Management, and Diffusion of Innovation.

• Determine Overall “Innovation Message” To The Organization To Maximize Participation

• Train Leaders to Champion Innovation and Build a Sustainable Culture of Innovation

• Monitor Innovation Participation Throughout the Organization and Implement Recognition Programs


• Leverage A Simple, Well Thought-Out Innovation Strategy to “Announce Intent” To the Organization

• Enlist Participation From The Organization Through A Sustained Innovation Leadership Program

• Move Toward Integrating Innovation Into the Fabric of the Organization

• An Innovation Strategy and Leadership Program That Can Evolve Over Time and Build Momentum


• Innovation Strategy Research

• Sample Innovation Strategic Plans

• Innovation Leadership Research and

Programs


Layer 4 – Innovation Management


Layer 2: Innovation

Policy/Structure

Layer 3: Innovation

Strategy/Leadership

Layer 4: Innovation

Management


FrameworkKey Issues/Objectives

• What Innovation Lifecycle Management Process Will You Put In Place? From Ideas To Innovations

• How Will Enterprise Risk Management Be Dealt With? How Will Innovation Be De-Risked?

• What Does the Portfolio of Innovation Projects Look Like? How Will They Be Managed?

• Does the Organization Have a Solid Benefits Management Program In Place To Measure Innovation Impact?


• Develop and Adopt An Innovation Lifecycle Management Framework and Process

• Design an Enterprise Risk Management Process Or Adopt the Agency-Level Process

• Institute a Benefits Management Process and Program to Measure and Promote New Innovations

• Build a Suite of Innovation Tools To Drive Ideas Through To Implementation and Diffusion

• Institute Sound Portfolio, Program, Project Management Processes To Drive Progress


• A True Innovation Management Capability Produces Innovations From Idea To Reality

• Address The Notion of Risk To Ensure That Staff Members “Receive License” To Pursue Innovation

• A Strong Benefits Management Program Makes Innovations Known and Recognizes Their Authors

• Leveraging Multiple Management Disciplines (Portfolio, Program, Project Mgt) Ensures Effectiveness


• Innovation Management Research

• “Management Disciplines” Toolkit

• Innovations Dashboard


If you’re not failing every

now and again, it’s a sign

you’re not doing anything

very innovative.

Woody Allen

ICF proprietary and confidential. Do not copy, distribute, or disclose.ICF proprietary and confidential. Do not copy, distribute, or disclose.

15

Building A Path Forward

Innovation Vision, Strategy, Charter

Benefits Management

Layer 1

Innovation

Ecosystem

Layer 2

Innovation Policy/

Structure

Layer 3

Innovation Strategy/

Leadership

Layer 4

Innovation

Management

• Initiative 1

• Initiative 2

• Initiative 3

• Initiative 4

• Initiative 1

• Initiative 2

• Initiative 3

• Initiative 4

• Initiative 1

• Initiative 2

• Initiative 3

• Initiative 4

• Innovation 1

• Innovation 2

• Innovation 3

• Innovation 4

Innovation Portfolio

Innovation Policy


What Does Success Look Like?

• Recognition of the Government Innovation “Journey”

• Organizing An Abstract Term Like Innovation

• An Ounce of Planning Is Worth A Pound of Successful Execution

• Marathon Not A Sprint – Delivering Results Steadily Over Time

• Have Fun And Feel Good That You Are Doing Something Worthwhile


About The Author

Troy Barker

As a Senior Vice President of the Information Planning and Management line of business at ICF, Troy Barker leads a consulting practice focused on bringing a myriad of technology and management solutions to government clients. Prior to joining ICF, Mr. Barker provided commercial and public sector consulting services for management consulting firm Arthur D. Little (ADL). He also worked in ADL's strategy and organization practice and public sector program management practice. His business development and consulting experience includes working with commercial and public sector clients in the United States, Canada, Mexico, England, Scotland, Portugal, Argentina, and Japan.

Mr. Barker holds a Master of Policy Management from Georgetown University and a BA in Social Sciences from St. Ambrose University. He is a member of the Project Management Institute (PMI) where he is a certified Project Management Professional (PMP) and speaker and PMI events. He is also a member of the American Council for Technology – Industry Advisory Council Institute for Innovation (ACT-IAC Institute for Innovation).

[email protected]

https://www.actiac.org/participation/institute-innovation

mailto:[email protected]

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Four Simple Layers to Frame Government Innovation - From Ideas and Plans to Action and Results - Feb2017