Innovation Days
Innovation Days are a set day during which team members are encouraged to pursue creative projects, explore new technologies, or develop innovative solutions that are not part of their regular work assignments. Identifying a set day ensures that the full team are exploring new ideas at the same time and the risk of being pulled back into the day-to-day work is reduced.
Goal
To stimulate creativity, drive innovation, and encourage personal and professional growth by providing team members with the freedom to explore new ideas and technologies.
Context
When you have been working on a team for a long time you can become constrained in your thinking regarding the approaches to design or development. By encouraging teams to experiment outside of the main product it helps them to explore new methods, technologies and approaches without disrupting the product.
Inputs
| Artifact | Description |
|---|---|
| Innovation Time Policy | A policy outlining what types of things can, and cannot, be worked on during dedicated innovation time. |
Outputs
| Artifact | Description | Benefits |
|---|---|---|
| Improved Individual Productivity | Documentation or certification of new skills acquired through funded training. | Keeps the team competitive and innovative. |
| Improved Product Outcomes | Investment in training can lead to higher quality deliverables and fewer defects. | Improved customer satisfaction and reduced rework costs. |
Anti-patterns
- Lack of Support: Failing to provide adequate resources or time for team members to truly engage in innovation.
- No Follow-up: Not taking the time to review, acknowledge, or integrate the outcomes of innovation time into the broader product strategy.