1. Innovation
April 2008
Tony Bourke – vecnpf
tonyb@raising-performance.com

2. Agenda
 12-1 Briefing
 1-2 Lunch
 2-2.05 Innovation Survey
 2.05 – 2.25 Briefing (contd.)
 2.25 – 2.40 Local Strategic Innovation Forum
 2.40 -3.30 Simple innovation projects
 3.30 – 3.55 Present Projects
 3.55 – 4 Gwen actions
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3. Innovation

4. Enterprise Ireland
 Lead
 Innovate
 Grow
 Multinationals innovated
 Irish innovate
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5. Exercise
 Invention v Innovation?
 Inventing – new thing, idea, way
– creating (iPod, iPhone)
 Innovating – simplifying / changing the old
– improving (S/quinn, Amazon)
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6. Exercise
 Inventing (creating) - hard
 Innovating (improving) - easy
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7. Michael Hammer
 Re-engineering the Corporation
 Don’t automate – obliterate
 Workplace innovation – improving the
processes and systems for organising and
managing work
New Models of High Performance Work Systems Jan 2008
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8. Examples of Innovation
 Eliminate forms
 Simplify forms e.g. dob
 2 types of parking tickets
 Increase shampoo sales
 Bills < €5 (TV License)
 Cheque signatures
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9. Exercise
 How have VECs innovated?
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10. Note
 Innovation = Complexity
 Simplify
 Ryanair?
 Wheeled stands Leather seats
 Free meals / drinks Baskets
 Check-in agents Expensive airports
 Safety leaflets Recline
 Booking number No pens …
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11. Exercise
 Main source of innovation?
 DAILY ACTIVITIES
– Customer complaints (bad or good)
– Errors
– Other VECs (creative imitation)
– Frustration (Irish Continental)
– Suppliers
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12. Key Innovation Skill
 Awareness
 Seeing with fresh eyes
 Asking visitors
 New staff
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13. More Examples
 Motor tax online
 VEC - web sites
 Suppliers - accounts in morning
 Invoices - email
 Car wing mirrors - close
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14. Exercise
 What could be simplified in your VEC?
 Key innovation skill?
 Get new things done
Schumpeter 1934
 Complainers v changers
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15. Exercise
 What prevents innovation?
 Middle management
 Culture / habits – NY cabs
 Time - Money - Resources
 Fear
 Resistance to change (loss)
 Why can’t we? V Why we can’t
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16. Exercise
 Driver of innovation?
 Competition (Aer Lingus, universities)
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17. Business Innovation
 Products - new / simpler (mobiles)
 Customers - opening hours (vets)
 Processes - PMDS
 Channels - on-line, podcasts
 VECs?
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18. Warning
 Most innovations do not succeed
 Most organisations that do not innovate die
 Innovate or stagnate
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19. More Examples
 eircom – Smart
 VHI – return forms
 Plain English campaign
 GPs – open in evening
 Government – you keep receipts
 Dell – just-in-time delivery
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20. Essentials for Innovation
 Key elements of workplace innovation –
Employee involvement and participation
 VEC Partnership model
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21. Problem Solving - Dewey
 Write problem down (be specific)
– Principle of Description
 Ask individuals - causes (group)
 Develop multiple solutions (rigour)
 Choose simplest - Occam’s Razor
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22. Exercise
 What problems faces VECs?
 Budgets
 Competitors – FAS, SIFs, commercial…
 Keeping good people
…
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23. Exercise
 Are VECs sufficiently innovative?
 How much more innovative do VECs need
to be?
 Describe how VEC would operate if thrives
on innovation?
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24. Exercise
 How to encourage innovation in VECs?
 Incentives
– Reward
– Recognition
 Safe to fail
 VECNPF awards - Gwen
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25. Project Management
 Planned effort to achieve objective
 Plan (planning)
 Accomplish (doing)
 50:50
 KISS
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26. Closure

27. Local Strategic Innovation Forum
 Local Strategic Innovation Forum
– Role
– Composition
– Responsibilities
– Behaviours
– Reporting arrangements
– Tasks and Timeframes
– Outputs - published by VECNPF end 2008
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28. Agenda
 12-1 Briefing
 1-2 Lunch
 2-2.05 Innovation Survey
 2.05 – 2.30 Briefing (contd.)
 2.30-3.30 Simple innovation projects
 3.30 – 4 Present Projects
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