o~ Cn FE) ey, ™~, — BSBINN201 Contribute to workplace innovation Teale (o(© Copyright, 2015by North Coast TAFEnow Date last saved:15 April 2015 by Robin Hansen Version:1 #ofPages=11 ‘TAFEnow Resource Development Team — Instructional and graphic design | Sue wits Content writer and course adviser Copyright of this materials reserved tothe Crown in the right ofthe State of New South Wales. Reproduction or transmittal in whole, or in part, other than in accordance with the provisions ofthe Copyright Act is prohibited without written authority ofNorth Coast TAFEnow. Disclaimer: In compiling the information contained within, and accessed through, this document ("Information") DET has used its best endeavours to ensure that the Information is correct and current at the time of publication but takes no responsibilty for any error, omission or defect therein. 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Research for innovation. Discuss and develop ideas with others.. Address the practicalities of change. Presenting your ideas..Page BSBINN201_LG_V1.docm TAFEnowidentify opportunities to do things better Introduction Innovation can be defined as- 1 Something new and introduced 2. Theact of innovating; introducing new things or methods. Innovation and change mean ‘making or becoming different’. For example implementing a sustainability policy in a workplace is an example of innovation. Innovation usually improves the way we do things. Can you think of some innovations that have made things better in your own lfe/workplace? To implement innovation in the workplace there area few things you need to think about and do, 5[Page BSBINN201_LG_V1.DOCM TAFEnowv Assess what is currently happening and why it isn’t working better ~A SWOT analysis sa {900d tool for this. Research what needs to be done Look for potential problems with the new idea and seek solutions Obtain feedback and input from relevant team members from all sections of the organisation Implement the change introduce the new plan/process/system and ensure staff al receive correct training Evaluate the effectiveness of the innovation, Be aware of own role in workplace innovation Innovation and change in the workplace usually come from ideas that staff members have for improving the way things are done in their own area, department or even the whole ‘organisation. Opportunities for change and innovation can present themselves at any given time during your working life, One important consideration for innovation in the workplace ‘are organisational requirements, This includes > Understanding the organisational hierarchy and procedures ~eg knowing if there isa procedure for you to make your suggestion and who to make it to Knowing ways in which to suggest ideas within your scope—eg knowing your own boundaries -what you can realistically make suggestions about and which things are outside your area of knowledge. Itis also important to know how to make suggestions ‘and who to take them to. Knowing who needs to be involved in the process - Ifthe change you would like to make is only small then you may only have to ask your immediate supervisor. However if the change you intend to makes a large change you may have to involve people from other departments and get approval from higher management. In order to contribute actively to change, everyone needs to understand the realities of what change could involve: > Changes will disrupt how you currently work > Implementing the change can last along time > Change may not alleviate all of the current problems > Itis normal to have some doubts about change > There will be hiccups and glitches and things may go off track at times. éiPage BSE NN201_LG_V1.doen TAFEnowWorkplace improvement There are many reasons why change may need to take place within a workplace. Some of these changes may include: > Changes in the physical work environment, > Different storage or maintenance procedures > Different ways of communicating within the workplace > Introduction of new technology > Job role changes > New customers > New work practices > New services The first step in identifying opportunities for improvement is assessing current ways of doing things and how they can be done better. This may involve brainstorming with other team members, or reflecting by yourself and writing your ideas down on paper. Once you have identified opportunities for improvement you can start thinking about and researching strategies to implement new ideas/processes. Research for innovation Research is a very important part of innovation. Deciding what changes need to be made and whys essential. There are many wel-known businesses that have stayed successful due to the amount of research they do. They know what customers want and amend/change their products/services to match this demand Can you think of a well-known brand which regularly changes its products/image? Proactive management of why, when and how change should occur in an organisation can be done in many different ways however research is imperative. Every business should undertake research on a regular basis to make sure they: > Stay in touch with consumer demands > Assess productivity > Assess profitability > Make comparisons with competitors. 7[Page BSBINN201_LG_V1.DOCM TAFEnOTypes of research The two main types of research companies undertake are primary and secondary research, Primary research is firsthand information you gather yourself. This can be done by surveys or focus groups. Secondary research is information that has been gathered by someone else outside your organisation eg Australian Bureau statistics, the internet etc. ‘Once you have gathered information (researched) itis then time to review this research to see what is relevant and might assist you in gaining support for new ideas or changes you wish to make. An effective tool which we mentioned earlier that many businesses use is a SWOT analysis. This enables you to have a close lock ata situation/idea by writing down the strengths, ‘weaknesses, opportunities and threats ofan idea or situation. Basic example of a SWOT analysis. Idea - Launching a new product range Strengths Weaknesses Increase customers Customers may not like Meet customer needs Cost Opportunities Threats Increase market share Competitors Improve customer service Economic downturn BlPage BSBINN201_LG_V1.doer TAFEnowDiscuss and develop ideas with others How do you identify people who can provide input in to your ideas for improvements? Some important people may include your direct supervisor and colleagues. Small changes to your ‘own area can normally be fulfilled simply and easily. Changes to departments, organisations structures, policies or procedures, however, often require input from a range of different people. If you've discovered an area of improvement for which you require support, the first thing you need to do is get that support - get people involved in the idea. You can do this by outlining ‘what i in it for them: how your ideas will improve the organisation and their role within it. The best way of approaching people to begin to share ideas varies. It depends on who the person is and the bestway to communicate with that person, For example with a co-worker that you know well and are comfortable with you might just have an informal discussion. With ‘a manager you may have to use a more formal approach eg type up a proposal document and request ameeting, Getting feedback from others is an important part of assessing an idea. By gathering feedback you are able to see other people's point of view and make them feel involved in the innovation process. Discussing ideas with others is an excellent wayof ensuring you have a complete picture of an idea. There are many different ways of gaining feedback. For example you could have a meeting, a discussion, send outa survey - send an email with voting buttons to the relevant people. Can you think of some other ways you can gain feedback? ‘Once you have gained feedback its then important to discuss and develop the idea and look at possible variations, This is done to ensure that you have looked at things from every possible angle and to try and troubleshoot any foreseeable problems. Follow up ideas ‘Once you have fully researched your idea for innovation and have gained the support of others in the team the next step in the process would be to review the idea and get feedback from team members. Review and feedback can be done in the following ways: > Asking questions > Isthis the best option? 9[P age BSBINN201_LG_V1.DOCM TAFEnO> How can ideas be improved? > What alternatives are there? > What barriers might there be for the idea? > What do we need to do to overcome these barriers? Using brainstorming sessions and what if scenarios are another excellent way to gain feedback and further review ideas. Address the practicalities of change We have previously looked at ways to identify opportunities to do things better and how to discuss and develop ideaswith others, The next step is taking action to implement the changes. There are two things that need to be considered. 1 Consulting with others during implementation Ask yourself who do I need to consult with? Are there other people who may be able to provide assistance? Have | ensured that all ofthe required people have been consulted? 2. Implementing changes within the scope of your responsi ity Isit my responsibility to implement this change? If not who's responsibility is it? What is my responsibilty? Self reflection is an excellent tool to help you work out what you need to do. If you are ever unsure you can always ask your colleagues or direct supervisor for assistance. Once you have a fully researched, supported idea its time to consider whether there are any issues or areas of concern which may get in the way of implementing this idea, Some questions to consider may be: > Are there any approvals required? > How much will implementation coast? > Who needs to be informed? > Which is the best way to communicate the idea and processes? > Is there a specific hierarchy or formal process in place that must be observed? > How do others feel about the change? v Does the change fit with the organisations vision and goals? wolPace BSBINN201_LG_V1.doer TAFEnowPresenting your ideas How to present your ideas to the appropriate people will depend on a number of factors. Who will you be presenting to? This will affect your approach to your presentation and the style in which you deliver it. For ‘example if you are presenting your idea to a group of people you already work with you can be a lot less formal eg~a morning tea meeting, For changes to made at a higher level you may have to present to managers or even the board of directors, This type of presentation Fequires a lot more formality and possibly requires some assistance from your manager or other team mates. What type of presentation should it be? IF itis an informal morning tea meeting then you may not need any resources. However if you are presenting to management or a Board of directors you may need to use Flipcharts, PowerPoint, video and include handouts. You may even have to present your idea in writing— and include all of your research costings and resources require Choosing the best method of presentation is very important as the presentation will have an ‘enormous impact on the decision made. Sources Professional Business Skills~ Lee Perlitz Ti[Page BSBINN201_LG_V1.DOCM TAFEnO