DataPalooza 2022

Staffing for Innovation

The following tools address how you provide staffing to perform innovation work. An organization may use a combination of these to meet their innovation goals. Tool Good For Investment Dedicated innovation time Developing innovation in all employees % of employee time

Building organization’s innovation capacity, bringing in innovation skills You would like to implement formal innovation tools or programs

Full/part time role for a few people Full time role for a few people

Ambassadors

Center of excellence

90-day or 120 day temporary assignments

Temporary assignments

Intentional focus on a project for a temporary period

Give employees dedicated time for innovation – Employees allocate a certain amount of time specifically to learn innovation skills or participate in innovation projects. This can be accomplished by having one day a week that is devoted to innovation or professional development, such as “Friday is innovation day”. Alternatively, employees can have performance plan goals which include a specific number of hours per pay period focused on innovation projects or activities. The advantage of formalizing these in a development plan is that employees can more effectively “fence off” time for these activities as their “day job” that they are being evaluated on. Otherwise, they may be viewed as a low priority item that is easily interrupted by other tasks that are viewed as more important. Good when: You want all employees to include innovation in their activities or developing innovation skills. You have formal performance plans and goals Choose ambassadors or evangelists – Employees are appointed to promote innovative ideas or coach other employees on innovation. They typically have experience or training in innovation methods, and they can assist others in trying out new ideas. This may be a part time or full-time role. Good when you want to: Build innovation competencies in your organization. Bring in ideas from outside the organization and try them out. Promote innovation throughout the organization.

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