Comments on: Seeing the light http://opinion.publicfinance.co.uk/2009/07/seeing-the-light/ Instant analysis from expert bloggers and highlights from Public Finance Thu, 09 Feb 2012 17:18:49 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Noel Kay http://opinion.publicfinance.co.uk/2009/07/seeing-the-light/comment-page-1/#comment-78 Noel Kay Tue, 21 Jul 2009 12:18:34 +0000 http://opinion.publicfinance.co.uk/?p=1841#comment-78 I couldn't agree more with Chris Davies' comment on a structured approach and moving beyond ideas to actually putting them into practice. An evaluation of the risks involved and the benefits to be gained would prevent resources being spent on small returns, even where these have a faster turnaround (i.e. the easier changes). In addition, there needs to be an acceptance that not all innovations will be successes. Counting your expected benefits before they are 'hatched' will in all likelihood lead back to old-fashioned budget cuts rather than forward-looking efficiency drives. The final comment I wanted to highlight was John Thornton's discussion about bringing in the right people at the right time to move projects forward. When this is done well, projects can be seen to work. This includes bringing in expert help at the right time and making best use of internal resources, rather than relying on one or the other to deliver the full implementation. I couldn’t agree more with Chris Davies’ comment on a structured approach and moving beyond ideas to actually putting them into practice.
An evaluation of the risks involved and the benefits to be gained would prevent resources being spent on small returns, even where these have a faster turnaround (i.e. the easier changes).
In addition, there needs to be an acceptance that not all innovations will be successes. Counting your expected benefits before they are ‘hatched’ will in all likelihood lead back to old-fashioned budget cuts rather than forward-looking efficiency drives.
The final comment I wanted to highlight was John Thornton’s discussion about bringing in the right people at the right time to move projects forward. When this is done well, projects can be seen to work. This includes bringing in expert help at the right time and making best use of internal resources, rather than relying on one or the other to deliver the full implementation.

]]> By: Chris Davies http://opinion.publicfinance.co.uk/2009/07/seeing-the-light/comment-page-1/#comment-46 Chris Davies Fri, 17 Jul 2009 16:28:07 +0000 http://opinion.publicfinance.co.uk/?p=1841#comment-46 If the public sector is to innovate successfully, it will need not only to get better at developing new ideas in the ways that John outlines here but also at putting those ideas into practice. As Sergey Brin at Google puts it: “coming up with an idea is the least important part of creating something great…the execution and delivery are what’s key.” This will mean the public sector getting better at marshalling its portfolio of innovative projects, particularly through the use of streamlined approvals processes that require innovators to take a structured approach to developing their innovations. By making innovations pass through a series of “gates” the public sector can achieve two things: it can steadily reduce the risk that is inherent in all innovation, by ensuring that new ideas are properly thought through and those that aren’t practical are rejected; and it can encourage senior leaders to provide resources in support of innovators, with the scale of support steadily increasing as the level of risk reduces. This quid pro quo – you manage your innovation properly, we’ll give you the support you need to get it to work – is the kind of organisational commitment that the public sector needs to start making now if it is to start transforming itself through innovation. Chris Davies Avail Consulting If the public sector is to innovate successfully, it will need not only to get better at developing new ideas in the ways that John outlines here but also at putting those ideas into practice. As Sergey Brin at Google puts it: “coming up with an idea is the least important part of creating something great…the execution and delivery are what’s key.”

This will mean the public sector getting better at marshalling its portfolio of innovative projects, particularly through the use of streamlined approvals processes that require innovators to take a structured approach to developing their innovations. By making innovations pass through a series of “gates” the public sector can achieve two things: it can steadily reduce the risk that is inherent in all innovation, by ensuring that new ideas are properly thought through and those that aren’t practical are rejected; and it can encourage senior leaders to provide resources in support of innovators, with the scale of support steadily increasing as the level of risk reduces. This quid pro quo – you manage your innovation properly, we’ll give you the support you need to get it to work – is the kind of organisational commitment that the public sector needs to start making now if it is to start transforming itself through innovation.

Chris Davies
Avail Consulting

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