What It Takes To Be An Innovator

Questions related to Seminar / Workshop to be held at CRC Ottawa

28 July 2003

1. What is the planned learning outcome?

Participants demonstrate their understanding of the scope and complexity of the issues and principles underlying innovation from a system perspective that include:

·       Basic innovation principles

·       What it takes to be an innovator

·       The innovation process from top-down and bottom-up

·       The role of organizational culture

·       Encouraging and convincing at least some of the participants to take on the mantle of the innovator

 2. What instructional methods will be used?

The Seminar / Workshop will focus on two issues: Capturing the Innovator’s Spirit and Developing a Culture that Fosters Innovation.

Capturing the Innovator’s Spirit

·       Perspectives on innovation

·       Sources of innovation

·       Organizational governance

·       Innovation myths

·       Types of innovation related to products and services and across all disciplines

·       Genesis of organizational innovation: top-down or bottom-up

·       Innovation in a start-up

·       The innovation process

·       Innovation process design

·       What it takes to be an innovator

 

Developing a Culture that Fosters Innovation

·       Organizational cultures that stimulate

·       What we know from research

·       Changing a culture

·       Encouraging professional attitudes

·       Optimizing people involvement

·       Dimensions of organizational resources

·       Dimensions of organizational infrastructure

·       The virtual innovation prevention department

·       Making innovation happen

·       The organizational innovation audit

 Instructional methods: The Seminar / Workshop is presented as part lecture and student participation and involvement. The objective is to make this an interactive session. Presentations will include case histories but input will also be solicited from students regarding their particular concerns related to the innovation process. There is no doubt that more learning takes place when students focus on their own issues but learning the fundamentals is absolutely essential.

3. What is the type of learning support and materials that will be provided?

Participants will be given handouts and other instructional material related to innovation.

4. How will the students demonstrate their attainment of the learning outcomes? 

Students will be divided into small groups to develop a project to demonstrate their understanding of the innovation continuum that begins with an idea, is developed into a workable concept, is clearly articulated, can be sold to respective management levels, involves something new, and can be implemented. This process will begin at the start of the workshop.

5. What are the requirements for satisfactory completion?

Satisfactory completion depends on active participation. Innovators by their nature are proactive people and they prefer to find problems and resolve them rather than just being assigned some problem to be solved. The assumption is that the workshop will attract those who have interest in some facet of innovation.

  

6. How will participants evaluate the program?

What it Takes To Be An Innovator : Seminar/Workshop Evaluation feedback questionnaire.

 The Seminar/Workshop evaluation begins at the start of the session. Participants will be asked to identify their expectations from the program. 

At the end of the seminar the following questions will be asked to see if expectations have been met:

1. Did the program meets your expectations?       Yes             No

If No, please state your reasons.

 

 

2.  How would you rate this Seminar/Workshop?        Poor          Fair          Good          Very Good          Excellent

 

3. On a scale of 1 to 5 (5 being the highest/ best rating) rate the following items:

 

a.   The program met the learning outcomes                                      (1)         (2)         (3)         (4)         (5)

 

b.   The program provided valuable and practical knowledge          (1)         (2)         (3)         (4)         (5)

 

c.   The program improved my understanding of innovation          (1)         (2)         (3)         (4)         (5)

 

d.   The program gave me new perspectives on innovation                 (1)         (2)         (3)         (4)         (5)

 

e.   The program identified the innovator’s characteristics                (1)         (2)         (3)         (4)         (5)

 

f.    The program identified the organizational culture issues                 (1)         (2)         (3)         (4)         (5)

 

g.   The program met the learning outcomes                                        (1)         (2)         (3)         (4)         (5)

 

4. How would you rate the presenter?                       Poor          Fair          Good          Very Good          Excellent

 

5. On a scale of 1 to 5 (5 being the highest/ best rating) rate the following items related to the instructor:

 

a.   The instructor clearly defined the learning outcomes                       (1)         (2)         (3)         (4)         (5)

 

b.   The instructor demonstrated competence in the subject matter       (1)         (2)         (3)         (4)         (5)

 

c.      The instructor positioned the program in a broad context             (1)         (2)         (3)         (4)         (5)

 

d.   The instructor provided a challenging learning environment          (1)         (2)         (3)         (4)         (5)

 

e.   The instructor responded to questions clearly and concisely         (1)         (2)         (3)         (4)         (5)

 

f.    The instructor engaged the participants in dialogue                         (1)         (2)         (3)         (4)         (5)

 

6. General comments related to the Program or the instructor: