Leading Libraries Series: Leading for Innovation
Innovation cycle
Resource list
Web accessible articles
An informative introduction to the main principles of innovation – focussed mainly on companies and private sector businesses but with all the key ideas explained. 'Innovation defined' from the team at IDEO U. This website is also packed with a range of free resources on innovation and design thinking.
The Innovation Unit website has a wide range of UK (and global) examples of public service innovations if you would like to see how these ideas are applied in communities and public
service organisations.
A longer read on the importance of Social Innovation – 'Social Innovation: what it is, why it matters, how it can be accelerated' from Ben Sanders, Geoff Mulgan, Rushanara Ali, Simon Tucker at the Young Foundation, a UK based non-profit foundation focussed on community led innovation.
A great introduction to Design Thinking as a set of practices and an approach to innovation from the team at IDEO – Design Thinking Defined
An introductory piece on the rationale for service design as an approach in cultural services – 'Why service design is the next big thing in cultural innovation' by Rohan Gunatillake for the Guardian Cultural Professionals Network.
A longer thought-provoking article from about the impact of 'Design Thinking' on public services, written in 2006 at the start of the Design Thinking revolution. 'The Journey to the Interface - How public service design can connect users to reform' by Sophia Parker and Joe Heapy for Demos and Price Waterhouse Coopers.
Videos
Innovation – with the people, for the people, by the people? An informative short talk by Geoff Mulgan from UCL about how 'innovation' has moved out of the private sector
to inform public services and wider social change.
'How to manage for collective creativity' – Professor Linda Hill gives an uplifting talk on the direct links between leadership and innovation at TedX Cambridge. Good
if you want to understand how you can lead for innovation in your organisation.
A different (but linked) take on the innovation cycle from Geoff Mulgan again – 'What are the four stages of innovation?'
Inspiring stories about individual citizen innovators – proof that anyone can innovate given the passion and motivation to do so – 3 stories of local eco-entrepreneurship,
a TedX MidWest talk by Majora Carter
Recommended books
'Switch: How to change things when things are hard', Chip Heath and Dan Heath, 2010, Waterville,
ME, Thorndike Press. Using stories and inspiring examples, this book brings together decades of research in psychology, sociology, and other fields to shed new light on how everyday people can effect transformative change.
A great guide to innovation on social issues – with citizens, for citizens and by citizens. 'Social Innovation: How societies find the power to change' by Sir Geoff Mulgan, Professor of Collective Intelligence, Public Policy and Social Innovation at University College London
A good summary of key innovation approaches and insights. 'The innovation book: how to manage ideas and execution for outstanding results'.
Max Mckeown. Pearson UK, 2014.
Module materials
Slide pack: the innovation cycle
Reflective exercises
Congratulations
You have reached the end of this section and come to the end of this module. Congratulations on completing the e-learning.
This is the first of a set of four Leading for Innovation modules within the Leading Libraries Series.
To choose one of the other modules in the Leading for Innovation set click on the links below:
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