Employee Innovation System

EMPLOYEEINNOVATIONSYSTEM

B. AYESTARAN / M. CERVANTES / J. LEE / R. NECHAS / A.ROBERTSON INSTITUTE OF DESIGN / DESIGN PLANNING / SPRING 2009

❝❞The people in this department, they’re here

because they love the city. They’re here

the way that they interact with their city or

their city interacts with them.

Table of Contents

Problem 2 Problem as stated: Employee Innovation System 3 Problem reframed: Widening the scope of system

Research 5 Secondary research: Learning from best practices 8 Primary research: Learning from current practices

Solution Generation 12 Solutions generated: A catalogue of solution concepts 68 Solution systems: Three-phase rollout

The city wants to capture the ideas of frontline

substantial cost savings, service improvements, and/or new revenue.

CITY ’S PROPOSED SOLUTION Emphasis on web-portal

Success criteria: The One Big Idea

Individual submissions

Centralized

Closed access

Need to design implementation track

RESEARCH FINDINGSMany employees do not use computers at work

City already has a number of functional analog innovation systems

Existing systems meet some departments' needs

Employees are interested in incremental ideas that

improve their work

Collaboration leads to winning ideas

Idea selection takes place at the department level

Some employees think system should be open to the public

Current systems take ideas to implementation

PROBLEM STATED

Create an idea submission system to generate ideas, substantial cost savings, service improvements, and/or new revenue and foster an innovation culture in the city.

THE SYSTEM WILL:

PROBLEM REFRAME

❝❞It’s a process change, but it’s also a culture change. You can change any process, but if you don’t change the culture, that’s where it stops.

❝❞There is really a can-do spirit in the city. I don’t care what the perceptions are. People work hard. They have a lot of respect for what they’re doing. And they want to make the city better.

❝❞[Frontliners] know what they need to do their job - what would improve their ability to do their job. What would make it easier. They know. It’s just really no one asks.

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Communication and cultureThe city has a chain-of-command culture. Its primary communication channels are, for the most part, top down.

Complex InfrastructureOver 35,000 employees spread out over 44 departments have very

Public ScrutinyBecause the city is a government organization, all their programs are subject to issues of public scrutiny.

CHALLENGES

Additional complexity for consideration:

The city is dealing with a budget crisis. Recent layo�s have left the city workforce feeling understa�ed and hesitant to o�er new ideas that may lead to more work.

DESIGN CRITERIA

The Employee Innovation System must facilitate a culture of bidirectional communication.

The System must include multiple methods of communication, both digital and analog.

The System must protect the privacy and security of sensitive government information.

The Employee Innovation System must be budget conscious.

The System must build the trust of employees.

POPULAR APPROACHES TO EMPLOYEE INNOVATION Software systemsBright Idea, for example, is the company who built the idea management software system for the popular website Innocentive. Like Bright Idea,

that is largely without computer access.

Analog systemsThe GE Workout is a series of two-day, structured meetings meant to identify,

work in the private sector, the expense and loss of work is just not feasible for a government organization. Furthermore, city problems often involve ordinance, and these are not issues that can be solved on the spot at meetings.

Suggestion boxes This tool is simply not strong enough to carry ideas from frontline employees through several layers of bureaucracy to implementing powers.

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Best Practices Elements Corporate Examples

Create Social Contact • Have frequent contact among employees.• Encourage informal contact.• Establish ties across departments.• Set up mentors across departments.• Bring together interdisciplinary teams.

Google has "all-hands" meetings every Friday with beer.Toyota employees sit in open spaces to avoid communication barriers.Toyota employees are encouraged to cultivate informal ties by joining clubs. Toyota uses professional mentoring to encourages ties across department structures.The GE Workout brings together people from all disciplines to tackle a problem.

Make Innovation a Responsibility

• Make it part of job description.• Expect innovation, dedication, and hard

work

Google budgets innovation into employee time.Toyota evaluates managers on their ideas more than successes, and encourages them to be open about failures.

Articulate a Clear Vision • Clearly articulated values• Culture aligns with innovation culture

At Toyota, old and new values come togetherGE Work Out groups tackle archaic bureaucratic process

Create a Stimulating Environment

• Create a thinking environment• Disseminate knowledge• Be a contrarian.• Cultivate all your skills

Google regularly brings in well-known speakers.Toyota wants "everybody to know everything" by transmitting knowledge horizontally as well as vertically.At GE, employees are encouraged to question antiquated company practices.

divisions on topic that interests them.

Believe in Employees • Have managers talk with employees.• Take managers to the frontline.• Value employees as the most important

asset.

GE creates an energizing dialogue, instead of having everyone

Toyota founders emphasized the importance of management

Google managers say that employees know more than they do: "Nor are we smarter that thousands of our bright, motivated employees."

Foster Experimentation • Encourage experimentation, tolerate failure.

• Reward learning and ideas over immediate successes

The Toyota Prius was the result of several experiments that initially failed.Toyota uses this criteria in performance evaluations.

INNOVATION CULTURE

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Feature Principles Corporate Examples

Purpose • Set scope of ideas•

Toyota encourages incremental change. Employees are encouraged to tackle large goals by breaking them into little pieces. The logo is "think deeply but take small steps." At GE Workouts employees identify issues together.

Perspective change • way.

Foster participation • Selectively involve wide audiences.• Get all kinds of ideas. ideas come to fruition.

Personal Touch • Identify innovation mentors• Train mentors to guide participants

Google

Collaboration • Encourage employees to work together to develop ideas before submission.

At Google, employees contact colleagues in other departments when they need help working out an idea.

Peer review • Have brainstorming sessions.• Use a chat or wiki feature to spark

discussion.• Allow peers to vote on and rate ideas to

test market value.

At GE, solutions are found in an open forum and employees are empowered to carry them outAT IBM, Thinkplace is a wiki/chat where individual users post ideas to generate momentum behind them.Google uses a web tool to let employees rate ideas and post comments.

Recognize Contribution • Provide regular feedback • Provide rewards (not necessarily

monetary)

Clear Structure • Follow a structured review process.

Implementation • Link ideas to improvements to help build motivation.

IDEA MANAGEMENT

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INTERVIEWS

13 interviews were conducted over 6 weeks

Interviewees were selected with input from the Project Sponsors. A mix of

departments were selected according to 3 primary factors:

Diversity of department functions and capabilities

Diversity of innovation practices

Department availability for interviews

Project Sponsors (4 interviews)

Department of Innovation and Technology

Department Commissioners and Deputy Commissioners (3 interviews)

Department of Revenue

Department of Human Resources

Department of Transportation

Middle Management and Frontline Employees (6 interviews)

Department of Family and Support Services

Department of Transportation

Department of Revenue

Department of Human Resources

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CITY BEST PRACTICES

On a department by department basis, there are solutions in place to improve communication and encourage idea submission to varying degrees of success.

Collecting and Documenting New Ideas

• Mayor

•

• Director’s Council in the Department of Revenue

• Department-level idea competitions in the Department of

Innovation and Technology

Leveraging Employee Expertise

• Long-term employees leverage their breadth and/or depth

of expertise to improve work processes

• Employees in middle management may have a unique

position that keeps them regularly engaged with frontline

employees while also having some access to leadership

Engaging Leadership

• leaders interested in employee input and feedback make

it a priority

• leaders receptive to employee input ask for that feedback

• leaders spend time working directly with frontline

employees

Looking to External Resources

• Consultants

• Experts and partners in the private sector

• Other cities

• Sister agencies

• Conferences

• Self-initiated peer networks

• Seasonal employees and contractors

Utilizing Communication Tools

• Nextel radios

• Mobile devices

• GPS enabled tracking

• Email

• Web portal

• E-newletters

• Paycheck distribution

•

• Special Projects in the Department of Human Resources

• Self-formed peer groups in the Department of Innovation

and Technology

• Long-term employees build cross-departmental

relationships and contacts over time

• Concrete crews in the Department of Transportation work

together on a daily basis

• Quarterly recognition

• City perks

• Photos with Mayor

• Presentation opportunities

• Humor and appreciation in the Department of Innovation

and Technology

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WHERE DOES INNOVATION FIT INTO THE CURRENT CITY SYSTEM ?An analysis of the interviews combined with previous secondary research resulted in nearly 300 insights.

BREAKDOWNSLack of Bottom-Up CommunicationLack of Leadership Buy-InInternal MistrustExternal MistrustCoping with ScaleLack of Respecting Workload

Lack of TransparencyLack of Lateral CommunicationLack of Incentives

OBJECTIVESWork Process ImprovementCollaborationClaritySecurityFeedbackRecognition

NEEDS

CustomizationClarityAlignmentRespect of WorkloadTrainingAcknowledgementBoth incremental and “big” ideas

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RESEARCH INSIGHTS TO DESIGN PRINCIPLES

Communication Infrastructure• Provide communication channel for employees to

give ideas.• Provide appropriate modes of communication.• Communicate with all (35,000+) employees.• Facilitate communication across various

departments.• Facilitate communication across various areas of

expertise.

Employee Value• Respect employee workload.• Leverage employee expertise.• Improve work experience

Department Buy-In• Ensure leadership buy-in.• Allow for department customization.• Accommodate big and little ideas

Clarity• Provide procedural feedback throughout the process.• Provide clear objectives for employees.• Make process clear for employees.• Provide clear timelines

Trust• Protect employees from internal politics or retribution• Protect the city from media, public scrutiny/

misinterpretation, and politics.• Provide clear selection criteria• Provide clear path of authorship.

Employee Motivation• Provide employees with incentives to participate.

Employee Support• Provide training for system.• Provide means for personal contact.

Collaboration• Encourage external collaboration.• Facilitate employee collaboration.

Tangibility• Direct ideas to implementation.• Provide a way for system evaluation of success.• Provide employees communication channels to

give feedback before implementation.

Longevity• Not rely on individual owner.• Improve the image of the city.• Provide a way to archive processed ideas.• Be continual over time.

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SOLUTION CATALOGUE

1. Common Employee Touchpoints

2. Message/Announcement Distribution

3. Newsletter

4. Mid-Level Empowerment

5. March Idea Madness

6. Innovation Chair

7. Open Access

8. Incremental Build

9.

10. Contact/Communication Area

11. Shift Overlap

12. Open Floor Plan

13.

14. Director’s Council

15. Wiki: Best of…

16. Year Book

17.

18. Employee Posters/PR

19. Empower Employees

20. System Training Incorporated into Pre-Existing Training Sessions

21. Idea Life Cycle Map

22. Innovation Mentor

23. The Academy

24. Rotating “Idea Council”

25. Publicize

26. Launch Party Idea Exchange

27. Idea Matchmaker

28. Inter-Departmental Open House & Shadowing Events

29. Online Collaboration & Idea Sharing Forum

30. Middle Management Conference Series

31. GE Workout

32. Special Teams Initiatives

33. Inter-Departmental Contact Directory

34. Quarterly Idea Reviews

35. Voluntary Participation

36. Voicemail

37. Tracking Number

38. Citizen Contribution

39. 311 Innovation Line

40. Cell Phone Submission

41. Automatic Feedback for Every Idea

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43. Private Sector Board

44. Popular Vote

45. Award Ceremony

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47. Presenting Idea

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49. Career Builder

50. Collectible Badges & Redeemable Perk Points

51. Competition Between Departments

52. Employee/Manager Incentive

53. Impact Visualization by Ward

54. Implementation Team Lead

55. Cross-Disciplinary Implementation Teams

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chronos

bulletin board

computer station

Relevant Design Principles• Provide communication channel for

employees to give ideas

• Provide appropriate modes of communication

• Communicate with all employees

• Facilitate communication across various departments

• Facilitate communication across various areas of expertise

SOLUTION CONCEPT 1Common Employee TouchpointsThere are touchpoints, such as the Chronos clock and paycheck stubs, that all employees interact with on a regular basis. Identifying these indicates where to put important communication material and the most appropriate medium for it.

Concept Features• Uses existing touchpoints

Con• Communicates with all employees

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NEWSLETTER

NEWS

Cells/Blackberrys

Newsletter

Nextel E-mail/Blog

Fixed Screens

Relevant Design Principles• Communicate with all employees



SOLUTION CONCEPT 2Message/Announcement DistributionCity extends and maximizes its communication reach with current and available tools and technology. Announcements are customized

Concept Features• Uses existing touchpoints

Con• Communicates with all employees

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NEWSLETTER

Employee idea of the month!




• Leverage employee expertise

• Improve work experience

• Provide employees with incentives to participate

• Facilitate employee collaboration

• Provide a way to archive processed ideas

• Be continual over time

SOLUTION CONCEPT 3NewsletterA newsletter is distributed that publicly recognizes employees for their idea contributions. It let’s people know what ideas are currently be considered and shares some of the best practices discovered from all the departments.

Concept Features• information on new ideas in the works

• ideas to people who can build or implement them

Con• recognition

• participation and collaboration

• accessible to everyone

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Relevant Design Principles• Accommodate big and little ideas

• the process

• Direct ideas to implementation

SOLUTION CONCEPT 4Mid-level EmpowermentEmpower managers to implement ideas. Not all ideas need to go to senior management. Let ideas be implemented at the level where it is possible and makes sense.

Concept Features• information on new ideas in the works

• ideas to people who can build or implement them

Con• recognition

• participation and collaboration

• accessible to everyone

This idea is a quick win! Let’s implement now!

This idea requirespolicy change.

This idea requires funding.

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Relevant Design Principles• Facilitate communication across various

departments

• Accommodate big and little ideas

• Provide clear time lines

• Provide clear selection criteria

• the process



SOLUTION CONCEPT 5March Idea MadnessA seasonal period when the whole city, or group of departments, gets involved in an intense brainstorming/submission session.

of voting, until the most prominent ideas remain.

Idea Madness!!!

MA

RC

H 2

010

!!!

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• Make process clear for employees

• Provide training for system

• Provide means for personal contact


• Not rely on individual owner



SOLUTION CONCEPT 6Innovation ChairAn innovation chair is a leadership position that would own the EIS. They would be in charge of issuing challenges, organizing event and time lines, providing training, keeping archives, and directing ideas to implementation. Beneath the Innovation Chair would be facilitators and mentors, and beneath them would be liaisons between the program and departments.

Concept Features• leadership fro ongoing program

• system of mentors and facilitators

• liaisons between departments and program leadership

Con• provides program ownership and

longevity

• provides human contact for employees

• provides training

Innovation Chair

facilitators, mentors

department liaisons

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Relevant Design Principles• Protect the city from media, public

scrutiny/misinterpretation, and politics

• Improve the image of the city

• Encourage external collaboration

SOLUTION CONCEPT 7Open AccessEverything the city does is subject to public scrutiny. While the city wants all the idea from employees, including those that identify some current problems, perhaps especially those, the city does not want that information on the front page of the newspaper. The city needs to confront this head on, and consider this project a cultural change, a time of openness and transparency. It should be celebrated instead of feared.

Concept Features• open, public system

• involve media, public in process

Con• encourages media and public buy-in

• improves image of city

• encourages collaboration by not limiting access

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Relevant Design Principles• Allow for department customization



SOLUTION CONCEPT 8Incremental BuildStart small and build to decrease chance of system failure.

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Relevant Design Principles• Allow for department customization


• Should respect employee workload



• Provide a way for system evaluation of success


SOLUTION CONCEPT 9

An Innovation mentor, or computer program, provides general guidelines for department heads and leads them through a series of customized idea generating models.

Concept Features• Logging idea time hours

• Collects monthly idea list

I think that for your size department I would suggest first implementing “X” and “Z”, followed by “A”.

Starters Entrees

Starters Entrees

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SOLUTION CONCEPT 10Contact/Communication AreaA scheduled time and place for communication.Employees may submit ideas, schedule brainstorm sessions, catch up on city announcements.

NEWS

Fixed Content ScreenSubmission Station

Digital Calendar

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Relevant Design Principles• Provide appropriate modes of

communication



SOLUTION CONCEPT 11Shift OverlapShift change meetings that allow personal interaction and communication between employees. They share best practices on a day-to-day basis.

10 am 3 pm

2:45 pm 9 pm

Great!

Thanks!

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Relevant Design Principles• Improve work experience


SOLUTION CONCEPT 12Open Floor PlanCollaboration is an important tool for innovation. Workspace can be designed to encourage and optimize the sharing of ideas.

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SOLUTION CONCEPT 13

department. It is particularly useful for brainstorming and disseminating information to all employees in a department at the same time..

Concept Features• Brainstorming sessions

• Collaboration between employees

Con• Connects employees

• Quick dissemination of information

look at these ideas

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SOLUTION CONCEPT 14Director’s CouncilThe Director’s Council is a monthly meeting lead by a department’s

by their peers. The representatives are elected to serve as conduits of frontline employee issues that require resolution from above. This format allows for timely problem resolution as well as fosters communication and connection across divisions.

Concept Features• Conduit for issues from frontline

Con• More face-time with director

• Problem-solving across divisions

Director

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SOLUTION CONCEPT 15Best of...A Wiki in which employees may share best practices. It would allow Performance Managers to start building historical data for measuring success (metrics). The Wiki also archives all submitted ideas, which, together with the metrics, can be printed in manual format.

CityWikiManual

CityWiki for best-practice and idea archive.

CityWiki used to create performance manuals.

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• Employee Value: Leverage employee expertise




SOLUTION CONCEPT 16YearbookThis can be a year book or annual magazine of the best ideas. It is a way of recognizing employees as well as sharing and archiving ideas.

Concept Features• annual collection of all submitted ideas

• featured employees

• lists of best practices discovered

Con• recognition

• archive

• accessible

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SOLUTION CONCEPT 17

Instead of living in fear of the media, the city could openly celebrate theideas of their employees on the official web site of the city. This will demonstrate transparency, change the image of the city, and celebrate the city’s employees.

Concept Features• page on city’s official web site• features employees and ideas

Con• recognition

• inexpensive to maintain

• good image for the city

• demonstrates employee value

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Relevant Design Principles• Provide employees with incentives to

participate



SOLUTION CONCEPT 18Employee Posters/PREmployees are featured in launch/appreciation campaigns throughout the city. They could be “idea of the moth” employees.

GOOD IDEA WORKING HARD32nd Ward CDoT

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Relevant Design Principles• Leverage employee expertise



SOLUTION CONCEPT 19Empower EmployeesEmpowered employees can make small changes in their environment that improve their work experience. Requires clear communication and understanding about why things work the way they do and the steps one takes toward making changes.

Concept Features• Clear communication

• Protocols

Con• Solving problems fast


• Increase pride in work

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• Should respect employee workload

• Provide clear objectives for employees




SOLUTION CONCEPT 20System Training Incorporated into Pre-Existing TrainingTraining sessions for the idea submission system are incorporated into

managers. This is an opportunity to disseminate information and system

Concept Features• training sessions include both analog

and digital options to take back to home departments

Con• builds interest at mid-level that

can both support leadership and encourage front-line employees

• taps into potential pool of system mentors

Citywide Project Management Training Today’s Agenda •......... •.........

• EIS Idea Capture & Brainstorming

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communication

• Provide procedural feedback throughout the process




• Provide clear path of authorship



SOLUTION CONCEPT 21Idea Life Cycle MapVisualizations of the idea submission process are laid out both online and as hard copies to clarify process of idea life cycle to employees. These visuals are introduced during system training and are included as part of a tutorial. Employees can see where their idea is in the process. they can see when their idea is moved forward or if it has been rejected. These visual system maps can help establish a common understanding of expectations.

Concept Features• maps also available on mobile devices

• same visualization can be used to show what stage a submitted idea is in the process as a tracking and documentation

Con• supports common understanding and

clarity of process

• provides ongoing feedback visually

• can be extended to become a tool for documentation

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• Provide communication channel for employees to give ideas



• Provide procedural feedback throughout the process





SOLUTION CONCEPT 22Innovation MentorSystem Mentors are a committee of city employees with deep knowledge

Mentors facilitate the idea submission process and serve as a personal point of reference for other employees. Employees with successful idea may become a mentor for other employees. This helps spread techniques and give people with trouble a starting point and a human contact.

Concept Features• Mayor’s Fellows could be mentors

• mentors may be selected by peer election or as volunteers

• committee of mentors could be permanent or rotating

Con• Mentors with time dedicated

shows city priority on employee ideas

• Mentors provide personal contact

It’s not too clear yet, but I can help.

Is this a good idea?

=Innovation Mentor

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Relevant Design Principles• Leverage employee expertise




• the process



SOLUTION CONCEPT 23The AcademyWhen someone wins an Oscar they become part a member of the Academy which means they gain special access to further involvement,

future submissions. This could be a way to build a group of mentors and

Concept Features• employees with winning ideas become part of the evaluating board that chooses the next winning ideas

Con• resume building incentive

• recognition

• system infrastructure is self-building

=

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• Ensure leadership buy-in



SOLUTION CONCEPT 24Rotating “Idea Council”Department representatives rotate from “term” to term. Representatives work for their departments part-time and the rest of the time is spent working on running/implementing Idea System and Council.

CDoT

CDoT

CDoT

HR

HR

HR

Revenue

Revenue

Revenue

Jan. - Apr.

May - Aug.

Sept.- Dec.

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communication




• Protect the city from media, public scrutiny/misinterpretation, and politics


SOLUTION CONCEPT 25PublicizeUtilizes media to publicize and promote EIS launch and EIS Submission Cycle

NEWS

NEWS

Television YouTube/City Web Printed Media

You Tube

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SOLUTION CONCEPT 26Launch Party Idea ExchangeThe Launch Party is a cross-departmental social event used to mark the beginning of an idea submission cycle and encourage both idea exchange and excitement among employees. These interdepartmental social events can be extended beyond launch time to maintain momentum and foster continued idea exchange outside of regular work parameters.

Concept Features• Idea Exchange Cards with contact

information and space to include notes about ideas exchanged can be shared between employees

Con• builds culture of idea exchange

• encourages interaction and professional relationship building outside scope of normal work routines and environments

Employee Innovation is Here!

That’s a great idea! Let’s work on

that together...

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departments



• Allow for department customization




SOLUTION CONCEPT 27Idea MatchmakerMode 1: A performance manager sets up people (e.g. based on resumes) who should meet for a brainstorming session or collaborate in a project.

Mode 2: An online system matches idea collaborators based on interests, backgrounds, assessment surveys.

Mode 1: Mode 2:

CDoT HRRevenue HR

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departments







SOLUTION CONCEPT 28Inter-Departmental Open House & Shadowing EventsPeriodic open house events are hosted by each department and open to employees across the city. These open house visits help employees understand potential connections, and common problems or solutions

Concept Features• possible activities within the day could

include job shadowing, lunchtime “lecturette” presentations, informal observations, a breakfast “social

Con• allows opportunity for idea exchange

and cross-departmental learning

• provides potential for “accidental discovery” of common functions, problems, and/or solutions

Open House Lunch Lecturette

And for this one project,

our team...

Is that something you deal with every day?

Me too...

Yeah. Any suggestions to make

it work better?

CDoTWater

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Relevant Design Principles• Encourage external collaboration



SOLUTION CONCEPT 29Online Collaboration & Idea Sharing ForumThe collaboration and idea sharing forum is accessible on the city’s web portal for employees to view ideas from other employees. Employees post ideas they are working on, and can view, comment with feedback, build on, or add to other ideas posted.

Concept Features• ideas are sorted and tagged by topic,

related departments, and other information to make ideas searchable

Con• fosters development of ideas in

greater detail

• reduces idea redundancy

• can serve as a documentation and archiving tool

Technology IdeasTime Saving Ideas

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departments







SOLUTION CONCEPT 30Middle Management Conference SeriesMiddle management has a unique position of bridging the gap between front-line realities and upper-level objectives. An inter-departmental conference for middle management employees provides the opportunity to share best practices and problem-solve across domains of expertise. One possible way of organizing workshops could be through scenarios, which all possible parties involved can meet to discuss problems and solutions.

Concept Features• external partners, advisors, and/or

experts may also participate

• conference results and ideas are shared with leadership

Con• problems may be solved and

implemented at a pragmatic level

• common problems may be shared

Heatwave Scenario Workshop

CDoT CPD FSS DOIT CPL

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departments








SOLUTION CONCEPT 31GE WorkoutFacilitated day-long meetings. Employees break into small groups, work on problems, and present their solutions.

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SOLUTION CONCEPT 32Special Teams InitiativesSpecial Teams consist of small volunteer groups of employees who conduct

problem area.

Concept Features• small rotating employee teams

• selection based on volunteering or peer nominations

• teams present to department and leadership

Con• employees are motivated by topic

interest and opportunity to present

• small groups foster focused and collaborative problem-solving

Special Teams Report

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departments




SOLUTION CONCEPT 33Inter-Departmental Contact DirectoryThe Inter-Departmental Contact Directory is a book (which could be digital and/or analog) of contacts in various departments. Each contact listing would provide a brief description of the person’s role to help clarify who to best contact directly about exploring various ideas which might be relevant to a

Concept Features• book includes tags by expertise that

are indexed in back to help highlight and search relevant contacts that may be in unexpected departments

Con• new or special employee expertise

that are not highlighted by a job description may be shared

CDoT ContactsDept o

f Water

CDoT ContactsDept o

f Water

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Relevant Design Principles• Ensure leadership buy-in




SOLUTION CONCEPT 34Quarterly Idea ReviewsIdea submission is an expected part of the quarterly department performance reviews.

Concept Features• idea submission is on the agenda at

quarterly performance reviews

Con• ensures leadership buy in

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Relevant Design Principles• Should respect employee workload



SOLUTION CONCEPT 35Voluntary ParticipationParticipation in the program should be entirely voluntary. Those who feel they have something to contribute should be encouraged to do so, and those that do not should not be castigated.

Concept Features• Employee chooses to participate

Con• Empowers employees

i have an idea

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Relevant Design Principles• Communication Infrastructure: Provide

communication channel for employees to give ideas

SOLUTION CONCEPT 36VoicemailA voicemail box is a low-cost, automated way to collect ideas. Participants call a number and leave a message with their idea.

please leave a message with your idea

*BEEP*

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Relevant Design Principles• Make process clear for employees

• Protect employees from internal politics or retribution


SOLUTION CONCEPT 37Tracking NumberEmployees receive a tracking number when they enter an idea. This allows them to keep their names as anonymous as they choose, while making sure their authorship is on record so they can receive any rewards that deserve. Like a FedEx tracking number, this will also allow them to see where there idea is in the process.

Concept Features• tracking number for each idea

submitted

Con• allows trackable anonymous entries

• helps employees get feedback

Thank you! Your idea tracking number is

94750457130498120

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Relevant Design Principles• Encourage external collaboration


SOLUTION CONCEPT 38Citizen ContributionCitizen contribution allows residents to communicate their suggestions for city improvement. This method requires open communication and engagement of the public.

i have an idea!

more crosswalks....

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SOLUTION CONCEPT 39311 Innovation LineThe 311 Innovation Line is open to anyone with a suggestion for improvements in the city. The system provides a tracking number for the caller’s idea which allows him/her to watch the progress of his/her idea as it progresses. The operator may also direct an idea to the area that is best equipped to implement it.

thank you for calling

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SOLUTION CONCEPT 40Cell Phone SubmissionEmployee uses a cell phone’s text and camera functions to submit ideas to a central number. The cell phone is a tool nearly everyone already has and knows how to use, thus making it easy to adopt for this system.

idea

53


departments


SOLUTION CONCEPT 41Automatic Feedback for Every IdeaEvery time an employee submits an idea they receive a personal thank you.

Concept Features• a response of gratitude for every idea

submitted

Con• employees feel appreciated

Thank you!

54

Relevant Design Principles• Provide clear objectives for employees



• the process

SOLUTION CONCEPT 42

employees.

Concept Features• quick tool for early idea evaluation

Con• provides easy guidelines for

employees

• rid of some and immediately implementing some

Easy to Implement

Tough to Implement

SmallPay-off

BigPay-off

Quick Win

BonusOpportunities

TimeWasters

SpecialEfforts

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• the process

SOLUTION CONCEPT 43Private Sector Board

Concept Features

Con• encourages external collaboration

• ideas

• spreads out accountability

Chase Bank IIT McKinseyUniversity of Chicago Doblin

56


communication

• Protect the city from media, public scrutiny/misinterpretation, and politics



• the process

SOLUTION CONCEPT 44Popular VoteEmployees vote and comment on each other’s ideas. Providing collaboration,

submitter. As an extension, city residents could also be invited to vote on ideas submitted by employees. This will ensure public buy-in. It will provide

Concept Features• employees can vote and on

collaborate on each other’s ideas

• residents can vote

• ideas posted on public city web site

Con• gives employees clear feedback

• ensures employee & public buy-in on new initiatives

• encourages external collaboration

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participate

SOLUTION CONCEPT 45Award CeremonyA ceremony where employees who have submitted successful ideas can be recognized publicly. This may have a tie-in withe Kathy Osterman Awards.

Concept Features• annual award ceremony

• adding an “innovation award” to

Kathy Osterman awards

Con• substantial recognition

• demonstrates value of ideas to the city

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participate


SOLUTION CONCEPT 46

and get a personalized “thank you.” This can also include presentation of a

Concept Features

• photo shoot

Con• inexpensive reward and recognition

• demonstrates leadership valuing employees

Thank you!

photo with Chief of Staff

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Relevant Design Principles• Employee Motivation: Provide employees

with incentives to participate

SOLUTION CONCEPT 47Presenting IdeaThis is an opportunity for employees to present their ideas. This may be to an audience from the private sector or to senior management of the city. It shows appreciate for the individual behind the contribution.

Concept Features• external partners, advisors, and/or

experts may also participate

• conference results and ideas are shared with leadership

Con• recognition

• develops new skills

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participate

SOLUTION CONCEPT 48

Concept Features

Con• inexpensive incentive

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SOLUTION CONCEPT 49Career BuilderWhen an employee contributes a successful idea, a letter will be placed in

Working on innovation teams and submitting successful ideas may be worthy of a line on one’s resume. These actions allow employees to stretch their abilities and let the program be integral in personal career growth.

Concept Features• put employees on challenging projects for job growth

• category in performance review

Con• projects become opportunities

• meaningful for employees careers

• cash incentive in long run

• will remain even if program ends

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participate


SOLUTION CONCEPT 50Collectible Badges & Redeemable Perk PointsThis is an opportunity for employees to present their ideas. This may be to an audience from the private sector or to senior management of the city. It shows appreciate for the individual behind the contribution.

Concept Features• individual pieces for each idea

• a card worth a prize when completed

• collectible

• employees can choose

Con• encourages continued participation

• inexpensive show of appreciation

cultures

patcheslapel pin

stickers

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SOLUTION CONCEPT 51Competition Between DepartmentsCompetition between departments over who has the best idea brings employees within departments closer together as well as drives up the quality of ideas. The promise of a reward and bragging rights provides incentive to participate.

CDoTwater

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Relevant Design Principles• Ensure leadership buy-in


SOLUTION CONCEPT 52Employee/Manager IncentiveWhen an employee submits a successful idea, both he and his boss receive recognition. This will ensure leadership buy-in.

Concept Features• managers are rewarded for the

participation of their employees

Con• ensures leadership buy-in

employee

manager

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• Provide a way for system evaluation of success



SOLUTION CONCEPT 53Impact Visualization by Ward

the city. This will help the public, the media, and alderman understand what

more ideas.

Concept Features• online map visualization

• shows impact by ward

• archive

Con• encourages community & alderman

buy-in

• method for evaluation

• makes process transparent

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Relevant Design Principles• Employee Motivation: Provide employees

with incentives to participate

• Tangibility: Direct ideas to implementation

SOLUTION CONCEPT 54Implementation Team LeadEmployees who submit ideas that are selected for implementation have the opportunity to participate in the implementation of the idea.

Concept Features• idea author takes a role on

implementation team

Con• skill building for employee

• incentive for employee

• system infrastructure builds itself

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departments





SOLUTION CONCEPT 55Cross-disciplinary Implementation TeamsCross-disciplinary teams created for implementation of winning ideas. Teams

richness and to encourage skill growth among employees. And/or the teams will include relevant management when needed for changes in policy, budget needs, and technology needs.

Concept Features• cross-disciplinary implementation

team

Con• right people to get job done

• plan to implement

special project

special project

policy budget technology

frontline employeedepartment A

frontline employeedepartment B

frontline employeedepartment C

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SOLUTION SYSTEMS

Various solution concepts from the previous section were pulled

embodiments of what the employee innovation system could ultimately become :

1. event cycle

2. analog system

3. web portal

ROLL OUT

The development of the full system would be carried out one solution at a time.

8 weeks 1 year 18 months

Clear enough future

Known set of possible futures

Range of probable futures

PHASE 1EVENT CYCLE

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Clear enough future



PHASE 3WEB PORTAL


Clear enough future



PHASE 2ANALOGSYSTEM

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EVENT CYCLEAn annual, month-long event designed to engage all employees in generating and submitting ideas.

OVERVIEW

one idea. Departments will gather ideas from their employees and vote on the best one. Mentoring will be available for guidance, but each department will determine their methods for brainstorming and collecting ideas work best for them.

The best idea of each department will be presented at the end of the competition. Each idea author will receive a prize. At

sector partners. The best idea will win a bigger prize for their department. The top 5 idea authors will be asked to be art of an implementation team along with a board of advisors made up of private sector partners and relevant senior management

ANALOG SYSTEMThe system o�ers the opportunity for the city to customize a program that best �ts the project scope and objective. Serving all, serving one.

OVERVIEW

an entire department, or citywide.

It must be noted that the most important element of the Analog System is that it prioritizes human interaction and the least amount of technology possible. It relies on the pragmatic notion that any department head/lead may supervise andimplement the process by selecting from the Concept Catalogue.

Mentors may be utilized to enable direct contact whenever there are cross departmental projects. Access to the systems is open to all city employees. The system coordinated and maintained collectively on an annual basis. Project processes and results are archived upon completion and best-practices recorded as they come.

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WEB PORTALThe system embodied as a web portal system is cyclical in nature with articulated goals and challenges.

OVERVIEWThe system can be grown in phases, introducing the web tool to a handful of departments initially, and expanding to reach citywide over time.

It is important to recognize that the web portal solution still requires a human element; supervised and implemented by the Department of Innovation and Technology, Innovation Mentors are utilized to enable direct contact with every department and its employees

Access to the system is open to all city employees; system results are also open to the public for viewing.

The entire system, including both the human and technological components, is coordinated and maintained by the Department of Innovation and Technology.

Employee Account Page

Idea Description Page

Idea Browsing Page

IDEA TITLE

TAGS:

Employee Innovation System

Documents

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