Innovation Labs: More than just walls, whiteboards, and post-its

Tradeline Space Strategies Conference 2019
Innovation Labs:
Elliot Felix
elliot@brightspotstrategy.com
www.brightspotstrategy.com
More than just walls, whiteboards, and post-its.

brightspot Tradeline Space Strategies 2019© 2019 brightspot. All Rights Reserved.
about brightspot
We create smart strategy that
connects people, programs, and
places to transform the student
experience.
Together we increase student
success, improve research
support, and enable staff
productivity while making
institutions more efficient and
effective.

about our clients
We partner with leading colleges
and universities to get results.
We’ve worked on 140+
projects for 85+ institutions to
enable active learning, support
student projects, integrate
student services, and foster a
more connected community.

today’s objective and agenda
Why Create
Innovation Labs?
Our objective: Interactively explore how to design and
operate successful innovation labs considering their
spaces, services, and staffing holistically.
Innovation Lab
Case Studies
6 Steps to Get
You Started

what’s an innovation lab?
An innovation lab is an entity (and often a place)
to develop new ideas for products, services,
business models, programs, and companies.

why are universities
creating innovation labs?

to change the organization…
Facing shifts in demographics, economics, and technology, Universities are creating
innovation labs for new business models, programs, partnerships, and more.
Southern New Hampshire University Sandbox
Source: The College Board
Design: Perry Dean Rogers

to forge industry connections…
Universities are seeking to connect with industry through sponsored research, executive
education, recruiting, technology transfer / licensing, and more.
Something
IIT ID Kaplan Institute
Source: Association of University Technology Managers (AUTM) Design: John Ronan Architects

to enable new ways of teaching and learning…
To address crises of student engagement (~40%) and graduation (~60% in 6 years) as
well as hybrid and enable online (growing at ~10% per year).
Something
UC Berkeley Academic Innovation Studio
Design: Studio BlitzSource: Quality Matters “The Changing Landscape of Online Education” 2017

to support more entrepreneurial students…
Millennials and Gen Z students are considered more entrepreneurial than previous
generations; for instance, 41% of Gen Z plan to be entrepreneurs.
Something
Carnegie Mellon Swartz Center
Design: MRY Architects
Source: The Kauffman Foundation and The Economist

to enable students to make a social impact…
Gen Z students are very social impact oriented yet; 60% of Gen Z want their jobs to make
an impact in the world, & 51% won’t work for a company without strong social commitment.
Something
Source: Deloitte Human Capital Trends 2019
Center for Social Innovation
Design: MCDC

to co-locate and showcase activities…
Universities are bringing together disparate innovation and entrepreneurship activities in
order to create critical mass, share resources and ideas, and showcase their impact.
Something
NYU Leslie Entrepreneurship Lab

discussion question (7mins):
What is your most pressing
need for innovation?

The Hatchery at
University of Michigan

create the approach
Through workshops and interviews with students, faculty, and staff, we developed the
“North Star” vision to guide the project.
Use service design as an
organizational change and
innovation tool.

what is service design?
Service design is the activity of planning, organizing, and optimizing the people,
processes, places, and programs – frontstage and backstage – for a service to be usable,
useful, and desirable over time, at every touchpoint.

define the visitor experience
Taking a user-centered approach, we created an experience model that combined the foundational
roles of the library and key activities of the user.

create service principles
We created service delivery principles to align all service departments on the type of interactions to
create with users.
DESIGN THINKUNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN | BRIGHTSPOT STRATEGY
service philosophy
collect and curate
In order to provide the desired experience, a service philosophy provides a
foundation for library staff to share and deliver services:
We provide our community of scholars
with a platform for exploration and
serve as their valued partner through
knowledge creation, application, and
communication.
The philosophy is supplemented by four principles for good service:
1. Make the experience seamless
2. Create community
3. Aim to delight
4. Empower staff
entice
discover
expl
ore c
reate
share

apply the toolkits to pilot new services
A dynamic toolkit was created to walk teams through each phase with a handbook, cheat
sheet, activity templates, and instructional slide decks.
University of Michigan / brightspot | North Campus Libraries Services Bootcamp 21
Pathway to Piloting
User
Research
Prototyping
Pilot
Visioning
Pilot
Development
Pilot
Assessment

create the innovation lab – The Hatchery

live the principles for the service and space

create a home base for innovation pilot teams
Digital
Scholarship
Citation
Management
Library
Lifecycle
Consultation
Service

iZone at
University of Rochester

University of Rochester iZone
Holt Architects

positioning iZone
We audited all the different groups and services to understand how iZone would fit in and found
opportunities in terms of supporting ideas, build skills, and fostering community.

conduct user research
We conducted user research by interviewing students, faculty, and other providers within the
ecosystem to understand their motivations, behaviors, and needs.
Students biggest
challenges are
finding or forming a
team as well as
teamwork skills
Entrepreneurial
mindset is not just
about starting a
business; it’s about
ideas with impact
There’s an
opportunity to
bring together
experts that build
students’ skills and
hone their ideas
Provide the
openness for
inspiration and the
safety and privacy
to create ideas

creating a use case for building community
From our research, we identified the needs and envisioned future activities in the space and how
services, technology, and tools might be used to inspire and inform design.

creating a use case for finding inspiration

creating a use case for developing skills

creating a use case for working on projects

defining the spaces
Based on interviews, workshops, and benchmarking, we quantified, qualified, and related the iZone
space needs in a space program.
Key Space Needs:
• A variety of open, semi-enclosed, and
enclosed workspace
• A flexible forum to support events and
informal work
• A flexible workshop space for skills
sessions and meetings
• Shared spaces for full-time staff and
fellows
• Layered organization to go from public
(inspiration) to private spaces (safety)

defining the services
Based on interviews, workshops, and benchmarking, we identified the services iZone offers to build
skills, support community, and offer ideas and inspiration.
Community Skills Ideas
Startup Roadmap
Host Student Groups
Meetings and Events
Fellowships
Match-Making
Database Training
Internships
Pitching and Sales
Teamwork Skills
Leadership Training
Business Modeling
Student Showcase
Research Consultation
Entrepreneur Fellows
Personal Diagnostics
Alumni Relations
Tech Support
High-Tech Rochester
Company Info Sessions

working and meeting in the forum…

booths that separate front from back…

working alone together in back…

meeting and brainstorming in back…

Swartz Center at
Carnegie Mellon
University

An “Interconnected” Business School
Carnegie Mellon’s Tepper School anchors the new Tepper Quad – CMU’s third great iconic
outdoor space – with the vision to create an “interconnected” business school.
MRY Architects
Tepper Quad and Tepper School of Business

create the vision
Through workshops and interviews with students, faculty, staff, and alumni, we developed
the “North Star” vision to guide the project.
Create a signature facility in a new
quad to enable interaction, provide
flexibility, and enhance the Tepper
community’s quality of life.

understand the users
We conducted external and internal research to understand the different types of users
for the building – within the Tepper School, the university, and industry partners.
Visitors:
• “The Corporate Recruiter”
• “The Guest Speaker”
• “The Prospective Student”
• “The Visiting Alum”
Staff:
• “The Business
Operator,”
Advancement staff
• “The Student
Wrangler,” Advisor
• “The Supporter,”
Administrative staff
Faculty:
• “The Writer,” Junior
Faculty member
• “The Builder,” Tenured
full professor
• “The Teacher,”
Teaching faculty
Student:
• “The Explorer,” MBA
Student
• “The Apprentice,” 3rd
year PhD student
• “The High Performer,”
Senior UG student
• “The Leader,” Exec. Ed.

envision their experiences
With the users identified, we created journey maps with their future experiences and
identified the spaces, services, and technology needed.

create the program
Based on the research and journey maps, we created a new space program to achieve the
vision of interconnectedness. Programs in RED below are shared by the campus.
Shell Space: unfinished space, use TBD
Campus Centers: Entrepreneurship Center, Technology-Enhanced
Learning Center
Quality of Life Amenities: Fitness Center & Dining / catering areas
Staff offices & Meeting Space: Offices, workstations, meeting spaces
& support
Faculty/PhD Offices & Mtg Space: Offices, PhD workspaces,
meeting spaces, support, Behavioral Lab
Instruction & Breakout: Classrooms, open & enclosed study,
program lounges, student orgs
Public & Event: Lobby, hub & event spaces

identify programs and services
The Swartz Center offers programs and resources to help with all phases of
entrepreneurship as students and faculty develop ideas for products and services.
Center for
Entrepreneurial Studies
Makerspaces
Project Olympus
Incubator
Experiential Learning
Entrepreneurship
Clubs
Startup Teams
CONNECTS Events
Mentoring and
Funding
Startup Job
Opportunities
Extracurricular &
Networking
Venture Bridge
Mentoring
Corporate Startup Lab

develop the space program
Based on the vision, goals, and entrepreneurship programs, we developed the program
to include a mix of flexible spaces that are open and enclosed, shared and assigned.

classes and workshops…

product demos and events…

meeting, mentoring, and working…

incubating companies…
Something
Something

What might your
innovation lab produce?

how can you get started
with an innovation lab?

define your lab’s purpose
Start by defining your lab’s purpose – what will it produce? These could be new internal
programs, external ideas, companies, partnerships, business models, and more.
Design: Perry Dean Rogers
SNHU Sandbox

position it within the context
Next, define how it sits within the ecosystem of place and programs, based on its purpose.
The best way to think about this is to define its users; for instance, student only?
Marquette Innovation Alley
Strategic Plan: brightspot

design and deliver its programs
Next, before you jump to space needs, think about the programs it will offer? These might
include, hack-a-thons, competitions, fellowships, workshops, classes, mentoring and more.
Design: Holt Architects, Strategy: brightspot
University of Rochester iZone

create a magnetic place
Now, create the place to support the programs – and assume you’ll get it wrong, that the
programming will change. Decide what is fixed vs. flexible, what is shared vs. assigned.
Design: MRY Architecture, Strategy: brightspot
Swartz Center for Entrepreneurship

operate it with the right people
Then, determine the people you need to run the programs. This can be a combination of
full- and part-time staff, fellows, interns, student staff, volunteer mentors, advisors, etc…
Design: Studio Blitz, Strategy: brightspot
UC Berkeley Academic Innovation Studio

provide the props to support it
Finally, think about the props the place and people need to work. These might include
prototyping supplies and equipment, brainstorming supplies, and a variety of technology.
design: Perkins&Will, program: brightspot
Clemson Watt Family Innovation Center

What might be the biggest
planning or operational
challenge for you?

questions? (10mins)
Something
Something
Why Innovation Labs? Case Studies How to Get Started?
Change the Organization The Hatchery at the
University of Michigan
Define The Purpose
Connect to Industry Position It In Context
Transform Teaching iZone at the University of
Rochester
Design and Deliver Programs
Support Entrepreneurs Create a Magnetic Place
Enable Social Impact Swartz Center for
Entrepreneurship at
Carnegie Mellon University
Operate It w/ the Right People
Co-locate and Showcase Provide The Right Props

Tradeline three
Something
Something
1. Innovation labs
are more than
space. They need
events, programs,
support services,
and people to be
successful.
2. Think hard
about the purpose
and positioning of
your lab to get
alignment
internally and
collaboration
externally.
3. Apply
innovation tools
and processes to
planning your lab
to walk the talk,
especially by
prototyping and
piloting the lab.

want more
insights?
sign up here:
http://bit.ly/bspot_signup

thank you!
Elliot Felix
elliot@brightspotstrategy.com
www.brightspotstrategy.com

Innovation Labs: More than just walls, whiteboards, and post-its

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