Workshop Facilitation - Innovation lab.

"I found the interactive technology facilitated workshop both productive and enlightening.

A change of scene can reap benefits

Our thinking can get 'anchored' to particular environments, settings and formats. We can go along to a 'brainstorming' session, in the same magnolia painted room, with the same leader and know that nothing new will come up and it'll be largely a waste of time. These anchors can trigger the same pessemistic reactions in us. So we need to change things to break the cycle.

First set aside a space that is different to the 'norm'. Change the furniture. Change the wall colour. Change the lighting. Add play things. Change the room format. You are trying to break the anchors that tie you to thinking in a particular way - cause and effect. innovation lab

When it comes to changing the way we interact with each other, use networked computers with collaborative software that allows parallel and anonymous input of ideas. Add in automated evaluation and you're looking at an environment that will increase idea productivity.

Some people give them the grandious term Innovation Lab. I called them e-meetings because they're not simply for creativity and innovation. They work great for the whole project management lifecyle from initial specification to final post implementation review.

The only downside is that there's more upfront work required. Meetings processes need working through and links with the software must be set up via an electronic agenda. But it will make a huge difference to group dynamics, improve your productivity and set new 'anchors' of success.

"We were able to successfully process a significant number of agenda items in a relatively short time frame given the number of participants and the urgency of the topics."

Only the incessant talker is left behind, their power having been neutralised. And, the participant's learning curve? - only 5 minutes!

Still not convinced? Think back to the last workshop you ran. How long did it take to get everything typed? With these meetings you a customisable report is immediately available at the end of the meeting. Now that's real productivity!

An independent study of the DTI UK's 'futurefocus' facility found that it produced far more ideas than with traditional flip charts. (218 ideas in 40 minutes v 138 ideas in four hours). And the ideas were rated as being of high quality when it came to usefulness, appropriateness and effectiveness. When the ideas were implemented into a final product, the researchers found 67% of the suggestions used came from e-meetings, compared to 12 per cent from the workplace sessions.