This document presents an innovation architecture framework that integrates people, structure, and services to support and facilitate innovation. It discusses the importance of engaging knowledge workers and promoting a culture of sharing and collaboration. It also outlines elements of an organizational structure and models for knowledge work, transfer, commercialization, and implementation of innovations. The goal is to design an architecture that facilitates knowledge flow and promotes behaviors that support innovation through user-centric tools and systems.

1. An Innovation Architecture:
Integrating People,
Structure, and Services
Albert Simard
Defence R&D Canada
Presented to
IEEE – ICC 2012
Ottawa, ON, June 10-15, 2012

2. Organizational Knowledge Flow
Creation Validation
2 Authorization Organization

3. Why Engage Knowledge
Workers?
• Knowledge is a human construct; it can only be
created and used by people.
• Knowledge cannot be conscripted; it must be
volunteered.
• Knowledge workers need to commit to and
become truly involved in their work.
• Ideally, people work:
– Not because they are told to (compliance),
– Not because they’ll be rewarded (motivation),
– Because they want to (engagement).
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4. Culture and Sharing
• Trust and safety
• Incentives and motivation
• Difficulty of explaining
• Different expertise
• Security and privacy
• Control and hoarding
• Large distances
• Different languages
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5. Collaboration
• Dialogue, conversations in groups
• Sharing, exchanges among peers
• Candor, freedom of expression
• Trust, safety, honesty
• Transparency, openness
• Agreed rules of conduct
• Diversity, flexibility, outliers
• Equality, meritocracy of ideas
• Balanced accessibility and security
• Collective, not individual benefit
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6. User-Centric Architecture
System architecture plays a key roll in individual
behavior, group dynamics, and cultural norms.
• Tools that are easy and intuitive use.
• System interfaces that can be customized.
• Systems that help people do their work.
• Content that is easy to find and access.
• Work processes that facilitate knowledge flow.
• Knowledge flow that is primarily horizontal.
• Diversity and flexibility are encouraged.
• Architecture that promotes desired behavior.
User-centric design can double employee participation
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7. DRDC Organizational Structure
Governance
direction
Social
Research Manage
Work Common
Content Interface
support
Technology
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8. DRDC Knowledge Work
Inputs Transformation Output
Governance Programs Report DND
(management) Services
Acquire
Monitoring Integration
(R & D) Create
Intelligence Innovation
Develop
Clients
Needs Mitigation
Mobilize
Priorities Advice
Learn
Establishment Adaptation
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9. Core Model
Who Need
(Why)
Schedule
No schedule
When
Work Service
(What) (How)
Real space
Cyberspace
Where
Input Output
Zachman (1987)
Rudyard Kipling (1902)
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10. Innovation Meta-View
Development
Transfer
no
Produce?
yes
Commercialize
Implement
Operations
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11. Transfer View
Work Development Service
physical access
Give *Web portal
Lend request processing
License Transact transaction mgt.
Provide Trade *Communication
Advertise Sell
*Collaboration
Explain Interact *Expertise
Promote
Support
FAQ
*Repository teaching
Intervene Publish
Proclaim warehouse
Disseminate Distribute *Communication
Hand out *Library
Rights Send *Web access
Inventor IP Repository
y Intent Manage IP IP Management
Protect Legal
Enforce
yes Produce no
Commercialize Implement
?
* Other views
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12. Service Framework for Transfer
Work Person / Input / Services
Group Output
Transact provider, broker, prototype product *Web access,
administrator or service store front
request processing,
transaction mgt.
Interact expert, developer, ability, readiness, *Communications,
trainer, facilitator willingness to use *Collaboration,
F.A.Qs., training,
technical specs.
Distribute communicator, distributed product *Repository, *Library
webmaster, or service *Web access,
spokesperson, *Communications
distributor, librarian warehouse,
Manage IP manager, lawyer IP rights IP repository,
IP mgt. system,
legal advice
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13. Commercialization View
Work Transfer Service
*Mobilize
Analyze Market *Integrate
Robustness
Scalability out *Office apps.
Reliability
Business Model analysis repository
Authorize *Decision
Usability out
Maintainability Operational *Mgt. Info. System
Adaptation *Development
Materials
Components Produce User testing
Assembly Operational testing
QA/QC
Timing Launch product repository
Announcement *Web portal
Awareness Market *Communications
Value
Readiness *Monitor
Positioning Compete *Intelligence
Monitoring *Office apps.
Response
Product / Implementation
*Other views Service
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14. Implementation View
Transfer Commercialize
Work Service
Robustness Authorize *Decision
Scalability
Reliability
Organizational planning app.
Maintainability Adaptation project app.
Usability focus group,
Utility User testing survey
Governance test environment
Processes Integration project app.
Interoperability
user Guides
Staff F.A.Qs.
Users Training formal courses
Operators on-Line courses
*Communication
Launch help desk
Awareness engagement
Engagement service standards
Operate
Standards *IT infrastructure *Other views
Attributes Maintain maintenance
Prevent upgrades Management
Upgrade
Redundant Operations Information
Repair System
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15. An Innovation Architecture:
Integrates People
Structure and Services
To Support and
Facilitate Innovation
albert.simard@drdc-rddc.gc.ca
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