latest findings on accelerating innovation in local government

©Accelerating Innovation in Local Government Research Project

Accelerating Innovation in Local

Government: Latest Findings

Joan MunroOctober 2014

©Accelerating Innovation in Local Government Research Project

Innovation = New + Relevant

New ways of saving

money

New ways of

delivering

New organisational arrangements

New ways of improving democracy

©Accelerating Innovation in Local Government Research Project

A simplified innovation process

Investigate issues to fullyunderstand problems & opportunities

Generate & consider many potential creative solutions

Select, prototype, test & develop most promising potential solutions

Execute

Innovation is not just about having bright

ideas!

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How can local government leaders achieve more major innovations, more quickly?

©Accelerating Innovation in Local Government Research Project

What’s shared?What’s different?What’s missing?

Chief Executives’ Perspectives

Leading Councillors’

Perspectives

Middle Managers’

Perspectives

Frontline Employees’ Perspectives

Research undertaken

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FIVE KEY ACTIONS

UNIVERSALLY AGREED

Agreeing a clear strategic

direction & innovation priorities

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Leading for innovation

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Fostering an organisational culture that encourages innovation

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Devoting sufficient time & resources to priority innovations

FutureGov photo

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Building effective cross-council working on major innovations

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DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVES

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Turning rhetoric into reality

Many middle managers & frontline employees said

that their leaders needed to put the 5 key actions into practice more effectively

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Communicating, face to face

Many middle managers & frontline employees said it

was vital that leaders communicate in person

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Involving & listening to managers & employees

Many middle managers & employees felt that consultations on proposed

innovations were tokenistic & too late

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Ensuring corporate services help to deliver innovations

In some councils, middle managers felt that their corporate services block

innovation

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Providing technology

expertise

In some councils, middle managers felt that the

necessary digital expertise was not

available

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Using effective, disciplined,

delivery mechanisms

Many chief executives felt programme &

project management helped to ensure

delivery

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Persisting until innovations are achieved

Many middle managers & employees felt that their

leaders did not maintain their interest for long enough

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Areas needing attention?

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Involving residents more?

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Looking more widely for inspiration?Look abroad, as well as other sectors

Focusing more on partnerships & on commissioning for innovation?

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Developing more

innovation expertise?

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THE LOCAL COUNCILS’ INNOVATION FRAMEWORK

Distils the findings from the research

Can be used by leaders individually or in groups to review what they might do

to achieve more major innovations

©Accelerating Innovation in Local Government Research Project

Citizen & Service user

Focus

Culture promotes

innovation

Effective delivery

mechanisms for innovation

Cross boundary

innovations

Strategic approach to innovation

Leaders & managers lead for

innovation

Clear political vision & priorities

Employees skilled &

motivated for innovation

©Accelerating Innovation in Local Government Research Project

Resources & contact details Local Councils’ Innovation Framework:http://tinyurl.com/IFMarch2014

Framework Self-Assessment tool:http://tinyurl.com/LGInnSA

Summary of latest findings: http://tinyurl.com/LGinnLF814 Presentations on innovation:http://www.slideshare.net/joanmunro

joan.munro@btopenworld.com Tel: 0779 2952 498@JoanMICL