local councils' innovation framework review tool (pdf)

©Accelera(ng Innova(on in Local Government Research Project

Innova&on = New + Relevant

New ways of saving

money

New ways of

delivering

New organisa&onal arrangements

New ways of improving democracy ©Accelera(ng Innova(on in Local

Government Research Project

Local government examples

Ver(cal pier

Contact centres

Annual magic fes(val

Residents’ personal

computer links

New ways of avoiding potholes

Tele-‐care

Council-‐ owned private company

Report rubbish on mobile

Inter-‐agency

integra(on

Shared services

Pay on mobile Community run

libraries

Community volunteers mentoring unemployed

Publish data for open use

Elected Youth Council Older peoples’

mutual support ‘circles’

‘Tell Us Once’

Portable traffic lights

Social enterprises

Private sector partnerships

Demen(a friendly city

App for tourists Local

forums

Becoming a bank

Giving users control of their

care

Co-‐opera(ve Council

Parking App

Simplified innova(on process

Inves&gate issues to fully understand problems & opportuni&es

Generate & consider many poten&al crea&ve solu&ons

Select, prototype, test & develop most promising poten&al solu&ons

Execute


How can local government leaders achieve more major innova(ons, more quickly?


Research Findings

Chief Execu(ves’ perspec(ves

Leading Councillors’ perspec(ves

Middle Managers’ perspec(ves

Frontline Employees’ perspec(ves

Learning from other sectors

Learning from other research


THE LOCAL COUNCILS’ INNOVATION FRAMEWORK SUMMARISES THE FINDINGS


Leaders can use the Framework’s eight factors to review what more they might do

to achieve more successful major innova(ons, more quickly

Ci&zen & service user

Focus

Culture promotes innova&on

Effec&ve delivery

mechanisms for innova&on

Cross boundary innova&ons

Strategic approach to innova&on

Leaders & managers lead for

innova&on

Clear poli&cal vision & priori&es

Employees skilled &

mo&vated for innova&on


1. Are ci&zens’ and service users’ priori&es and aspira&ons central to

the council’s approach to innova&on?


“It is only by examining the fundamentals of service purpose from the ci(zens’ perspec(ve can we begin to uproot service costs and rese\le them in new ways.” Barry Quirk, Chief Execu&ve,

Lewisham


“We need to restore trust and build a more sustainable rela(onship between the local state in all its many forms and our ci(zens.” Mar&n Reeves, Chief Execu&ve,

Coventry

E.g. could more be done to: •  Understand residents’ aspira(ons, needs & priori(es more deeply?

•  Develop innova(ons with service users? •  Unlock & develop more capacity for innova(on with local communi(es?


2. Is the council’s poli&cal vision, & its priority areas for innova&on clear?


“There is no point in trying to innovate if you have no idea what your

vision is.” David Hodge, Leader, Surrey County Council

“You can’t do everything at once. You have to understand

the capability of your organisa(on for change.” Mar&n TeU, Leader,

Buckinghamshire County Council


“Build innova(on into strategic objec(ves”

“Set a clear strategic direc(on – wider than own directorate & the

council”

“Iden(fy areas where there may be opportuni(es”

“Iden(fy things to stop doing”

“Be honest & clear about desired

outcomes & s(ck to them”

“Recognise that some(mes

innova(ons are not quick wins”

“Priori(se”

“Face

reali(es”

“What will council look like in 5 years

(me?”

“Don’t be overambi(ous” “Members are too

geared to the next elec(on”

“Accept what the financial situa(on

means”

“Start the hard conversa(ons now”

“Put effort into the right

places”


Middle managers’ comments

E.g. •  Is poli(cians’ vision inspiring, but a\ainable?

•  Have poli(cians agreed the innova(on priority areas?

•  Are poli(cians prepared for experimenta(on, & considered risk taking? ©Accelera(ng Innova(on in Local

Government Research Project

3. Are leaders and managers leading for innova&on?


“Communicate with & engage

staff”

“Take concrete ac(on to implement decisions”

“Empower & trust staff”

“Go for it – leap forward when you know you have got to do something”

“Passion needs to be passed on”

“Senior managers need to be visible, get out of their ivory tower”

“We need less control, more support”

“We want listening, straight talking, trust building; more open,

honest communica(on” “Sell the corporate vision”

“Be brave & courageous”

“Provide clarity to the vision & expecta(ons”

“Be united”

“Put members’ ambi(ons into a realis(c plan ”



E.g. Are leaders & managers: •  Focusing enough (me & effort on innova(on? •  Bold, united, convincing communicators? •  Involving, & listening to others? •  Persis(ng un(l innova(ons are delivered?


4. Is the council taking a strategic

approach to innova&on?


“Make (me for crea(ve thinking”

“Invest to save”

“Ensure there are adequate resources to deliver the agreed priority schemes”

“Do less, but do it properly”

“Need to allow (me to think, reflect & engage”

“Create more (me to think &

(me to implement priori(es”

“Free up (me, we are the squeezed middle”

“Stop trying to do change on a shoestring”

“Give us enough resources to get head above the parapet -‐-‐

(me away from the day job to look upwards &

outwards”



E.g. Does the council have: •  Enough resources & (me devoted to innova(ons?

•  Sufficient digital exper(se? •  Clear plans & accountability for innova(ons?


5. Does the council’s organisa&onal culture promote innova&on?


“Innova(on is ofen understood as a mysterious fringe prac(ce by geeks.

What we are about is trying to create an eco-‐system, and the DNA of innova(on, as a daily part of the way the

organisa(on organises itself to deliver.”

Kersten England, City of York Chief Execu&ve



E.g. Is innova(on promoted through: •  Leaders’ & managers’ everyday behaviours?

•  Safeguarding (me for reflec(on & crea(ve thinking?

•  Healthy debates? •  Looking elsewhere for fresh ideas?


Is innova(on promoted through: * Leaders’ and managers’ everyday behaviours, prac(ces and stories? * Values, norms and working prac(ces? * Safeguarding (me for reflec(on and crea(ve thinking? * Healthy debates, that challenge and test accepted assump(ons? * Pro-‐ac(vely looking elsewhere for fresh ideas, from other councils, other organisa(ons (including those in other countries)? * Celebra(ng innova(ons?

6. Are cross-‐boundary approaches genera&ng significant innova&ons?

E.g. Is the council innova(ng through: •  Cross-‐council working? •  Partnerships with external organisa(ons? •  Its commissioning and contract management arrangements?


7. Are the council’s employees mo&vated and skilled for innova&on?


E.g. Does the council: •  Have enough employees with the ajtudes & skills needed to deliver innova(ons?

•  Encourage employees to develop be\er ways of doing things?

•  Involve frontline employees in innova(on processes?


8. Does the council have effec&ve, disciplined, delivery mechanisms for

innova&ons?


E.g. Does the council have: •  Effec(ve ways of tracking innova(ons to ensure they are delivered?

•  Sufficient innova(on exper(se? •  A straighkorward approach to learning from successful & unsuccessful innova(ons?


Ci&zen & service user

Focus

Culture promotes innova&on

Effec&ve delivery

mechanisms for innova&on

Cross boundary innova&ons

Strategic approach to innova&on

Leaders & managers lead for

innova&on

Clear poli&cal vision & priori&es

Employees skilled &

mo&vated for innova&on


Your overall reflec(ons In rela(on to innova(on: •  What is the council doing well? •  How can you build on these strengths? •  Where do you need to do things differently? •  What significant opportuni(es do you have? •  What should you stop doing? •  Which ac(ons are most important? •  What do you need to do in the next year? •  What will you personally do?


Resources & contact details Local Councils’ Innova(on Framework: hUp://&nyurl.com/LGIF2014 Framework Self-‐Assessment tool: hUp://&nyurl.com/LGISA2014 Summary of latest findings: hUp://&nyurl.com/LGILF2014 Presenta(ons on innova(on: h\p://www.slideshare.net/joanmunro [email protected] Tel: 0779 2952 498 @JoanMICL


local councils' innovation framework review tool (pdf)

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