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How do you develop
a conducive environment for innovation to flourish?
A group of public officers who attended a workshop
conducted by the Ministry of Education (MOE) on
24 February 2003 endeavoured to tackle this challenge.
The group had enrolled
for the work-shop entitled “Discovering Different
Possibilities”, held during the Innovation Experience, an innovation
week for public officers organised by the PS21 Office and Civil Service College.
During the week, public officers also went on a field visit to Crescent Girls’ School
and Xinmin Secondary School.
The innovation workshop was stimulating and interactive. Working in small groups,
the participants learnt to apply a four-step innovation process to address
the above challenge: |
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Step
1: Understand the current situation
The
participants developed a profile of the various
stakeholders so that they could better address
the concerns, needs and desires of the stakeholders
in their innovation efforts. |
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Step
2: Envision the ideal state or future
The
participants penned their thoughts on what
they foresaw an innovative working environment
to be like. |
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Step
3: Brainstorm strategies to bridge the gaps
Using
pictures, words and objects, the participants
found useful random connections
that helped them to develop ideas to achieve
their ideal state. |
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Step
4: Evaluate the strategies
The
participants applied an evaluation grid and
scenario matrix
to test the robustness of their strategies. |
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the end of the session, the participants had
gained a practical innovation tool and were eager
to apply it to address other challenges at work. |
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Next: Innovation
adventure at Xinmin Secondary
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| Related
Articles |
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For
stories on the Innovation Experience,
read Challenge April 2003 issue.
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