impact LAB Strategic Innovation for Social Impact
We are passionate about systems innovation and we are driven to create positive social impact. These days most organisations are embracing innovation as a core part of their strategy, we are embracing innovation on a societal level. Innovation requires time to learn, think and do; a team and stakeholders who can learn with and from each other and a carefully crafted process. Many people ask us what the difference is between social innovation and systems innovation. An analogy would be that the social innovation is the fruit and systems innovation is how you shape and regenerate the landscape to produce the fruit.
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We draw from cutting edge practices in the fields of innovation, design and community development We believe deeply in humanity and our capacity to find an ecosystem of solutions for any challenge that faces us
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Our skill set and passion is to create and facilitate purpose driven processes that are tailor made for the context and challenge We know that impact takes time to create. It's important that our processes are held over a length
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of time and move beyond enthusiasm and excitement to deliver long lasting impact and strong relationships Integrative thinking is core to our approach. We think that where there is a tension point or polarised views that there is always another way. The word 'AND' is very important in our vocabulary At a systems level, innovation requires the involvement of different organisations and sectors. It's important for civil society, government and businesses to create change together We have made a strong commitment to developing expertise, knowledge and practice of many methodologies and tools so that we can apply the most appropriate one and the most appropriate moment. Our choice and design is always fit for purpose. See below for some of the bodies of work we have immersed ourselves in.
OUR CORE THEMES As well as a focus on the how's of creating, demonstrating, funding and leading social impact we have chosen three core themes to focus our energy on.
HOMES
PLACE
LAND
PLACE
Bringing together research and a strong design process to create profound change
Data
Design
Deeds
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Ecosystem
Complex
Cross sector
Issue
engagement
of Solutions
We are map makers not map followers. We use our compass to guide us forward
Intention
D E M O N L S E T A R R A IN IT N N G G &
G N & IP G P N A IR M O L P X E
New solutions
G & N ID G N L IU I P B Y T O T O R P
U N D E R D S E T V A E N L O ID N IP G N G
New maps
New insights
It's time for design. Cities, buildings, products, services, systems and strategies all face the same need to combine expertise, insight, engagement and adaption. - Design Thinking experts Jeanne Liedtka and Henry Mintzberg
INNOVATION TEAMS An Innovation Team is drawn together by a core design challenge. In order for change to happen we need to involve the right people at the right time for maximum impact.
Working group Working Group: Made up of individuals from across organisations that are dedicated and committed to addressing the design
Champions
challenge. This group must be able to commit time, energy and resources into addressing this challenge.
Champions: These are key influencers from business, government and civil society and are willing to advocate around the cause and to gain traction for the solutions proposed
Stakeholders
challenge
Stakeholders: Individuals that have interest, experience or knowledge to contribute to the design challenge, including the people we are designing for
Key Stakeholder Stakeholder organisations and departments: Organisations or
Organisations and
departments that have interest, experience or knowledge to contribute to the design challenge
Public engagement: Every design challenge addresses a social issue
departments
Public Engagement
that effects our general population. Therefore it is important to communicate and engage with a broader section of our community
RIGHT PEOPLE AT THE RIGHT TIME FOR MAXIMUM IMPACT
While problems of all shapes and sizes can benefit from creativity, it has become an article of faith that 'wicked problems', in particular, require highly creative solutions that span boundaries and organisations. And as more of the critical issues of society are being classified as wicked, the prominence of design thinking continues to grow in the public sphere. -Robert Fabricant
DESIGN CHALLENGES How might we...
Find innovative End homelessness in WA
solutions to provide
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affordable housing
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Deliver place based services in the most
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impactful way
Measure the social impact in a
? Keep track of it's vital signs?
place
Make our places
Create a sense of
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vibrant
belonging and purpose
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for all Create regenerative landscapes in the
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Wheatbelt
KEY In action In the pipe line Possible
Each design process will be unique and designed to be fit for purpose.
PROCESS
Here's an example of what a process might look like and what ongoing lab activities would be.
DAY 1:
DAY 2:
EXPLORE CHALLENGE
GAIN SHARED
& MAP THE SYSTEM
UNDSTANDING &
GENERATE INSIGHTS
DAY 3
INSPIRATION &
IDEATION
DAY 5:
PRESENT, REFLECT,
DAY 4:
PLAN FORWARD
FOCUS AND
PROTOTYPE
ONGOING LAB ACTIVITY
Facilitation of Working Group, Design Research, Research and Data Analysis, Event design and organising
ECOSYSTEM OF SOLUTIONS We recognise that to solve a complex challenge we will need an ecosystem of solutions that are delivered by a network of people and organisations. Some of these will be delivered through formal mechanisms and others informally. We need the garden of solutions to grow. Some areas we will tend, others we hope will pop up and spread like wildflowers.
Solutions may include: Campaigns New funding models Service innovation Social businesses Networked solutions Increased impact performance Events Apps Technology Products Policy and more...
Radical innovation requires both evidence and intuition: evidence to be informed, and intuition to inspire us in imagining and creating new and better possibilities. - Jane Fulton Suri