Top 100 CEO Interviews
Issue No. 37 - October/November 2007
Innovation Showcase shares winning lessons
South Australia’s Centre for Innovation at Technology Park is running a very popular site visit campaign that brings participants to the cutting edge of innovation in leading SA businesses.
Host companies guide the Centre’s touring party around their premises to explain how their innovation culture has been implemented.
The Innovation Showcase campaign encourages SA businesses to visit and learn from a broad range of industries that have successfully applied innovation to their processes, practices, products or services.
“Over half a day, up to 25 participants are guided by an experienced facilitator and a site representative who reveals insight into the journey traveled by their organisation,” says Centre for Innovation Manager, Bill Halliday.
“Using principles of active and applied learning, participants have the opportunity to address issues pertinent to their own businesses while identifying and discussing opportunities for improvement for the host site.”
This is not a polite walk-through. Before and during the visit attendees receive notes to help record observations during the tour and get value from dialogue on the day.
“The notes are relevant to the specific tour and have included topics such as People, Leadership, Safety, Change and Quality Management, Lean Manufacturing, Lean Office, Customer Focus and Visual Workplace, amongst others,” Bill says.
The Innovation Showcase tours include an interactive best practice presentation and networking session. Attendees can interact with staff from the host site and explore new ideas and solutions to common problems.
The tour program began in late 2006 and the monthly visits are impressive.
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