Organisations, their business models, markets and the people they serve are constantly in flux. Disruptive innovation is everywhere, change is constant. In this modern-day work environment, originality, ingenuity and creativity are essential to stay current and not lose ground to competitors.
To be truly innovative, we must elicit and seek to understand the perspectives of those impacted by the products, services and policies we develop. Effective design is user-centred, addresses a tangible problem and is rooted in human empathy. If as organisations and individuals, we focus on addressing human needs, through problem identification, insight generation and deferral of judgement, it will dramatically increase the likelihood of viable solutions, meaningful impact and ultimately competitive advantage.
This programme is a deep dive into the power of creative problem-solving and human-centred design thinking methodology. It explores how our approach to problem-solving can have a significant impact on the proposed solution. It introduces tools and techniques that place human beings at the centre of the process, ensuring that we are solving the right problem for the right audience and not being guided by our own assumptions. With this understanding, leaders can identify what might be affecting a team's successful approach to problem-solving and innovation.
Leaders will leave the programme with a clear implementation plan to introduce and embed this human-centred approach across their organisational processes, strategy and culture.
Specifically, this programme is designed for mid-seniors and will enable them to:
This programme is designed for mid-senior leaders who have an ambition or remit to become innovation ambassadors within their organisation – including but not limited to those with at least three years of people management experience. It is particularly suited to those wishing to foster a culture of originality, ingenuity and creativity in themselves, their teams and their organisations. The programme does not assume any prior knowledge or training in the subject areas.
Contact: Shay Butler, HCI Programme Manager - [email protected]
Creative Thinking for BusinessRelease your creative potential and that of your team.
This programme recognises that innovation needs more than just the right people to drive it. It relies on detailed and repeatable processes to be successful. This programme covers theoretical concepts but also focuses on empowering participants with the practical skills needed to positively impact their work environment. The programme includes three Greenhouse sessions - providing you with the support to develop your plan for tackling your organisational challenge.
The Greenhouse is a space where seeds are planted, and new ideas grow. These are facilitator-led collaborative sessions (held in weeks 3, 6 and 8) where participants apply their learning to a specific work-related challenge. Reflective questions posed in each programme session are designed to trigger and subsequently advance the challenge you decide to address. The Greenhouse is a time and place to receive support, gather feedback and experiment in a non-judgemental environment.
The first Greenhouse (Week 3) provides the opportunity to define your challenge and consider its success criteria. This is a chance to share with peers, seek alternative perspectives, perform group fact-finding, and adjust your ideas accordingly.
The second Greenhouse (Week 6) is where your refined approach shall be shared for further discussion and comment, this time with a direct focus on implementation. The planned output shall be an advanced implementation plan, including a targeted stakeholder engagement strategy.
The third and final Greenhouse (Week 8) is a programme-closing event, where you will reflect on how your challenge evolved and advanced over the course of the programme. What changed and why? Who influenced your thinking, and at what stage? This reflection shall provide invaluable insight as you return to your organisation with a further refined plan to address the challenge.
Next planned delivery: Q2 2022Five masterclass sessions from 10 am to 1 pm;Three greenhouse sessions from 11:30 am to 1 pm.
In October 2020, the World Economic Forum affirmed that the three most critical skills businesses require to remain competitive and manage change over the next five years are innovation, active learning and complex problem-solving. These skills are the very skills that Jonathan has spent the last decade helping leaders embed in their organisations.As part of the Creative Education Foundation's core faculty, Jonathan is at the forefront of designing and delivering courses in creativity, design thinking, design sprints, and complex problem-solving. Jonathan has also designed the Social Business Canvas, a tool to help social entrepreneurs design and map their business models. Jonathan helps to transform organisations and leaders across both the public and private sectors including Nottingham Business School, BlueJeans, Morgan Sindall and Fauceria.
