Taking prototypes forward

What do we mean?

The Developer Day concept is an example of a “fast prototyping” – generating and

testing out new ideas showing how these would work in a real environment.

If we are going to embed this approach into our broader innovation process, we need
to explore other forms of prototyping – slow prototyping, proof of concept and beta
testing, incubators and experimental zones.

Why are we researching this?

We need to plan how after the event we

o fast track these innovative concepts
o showcase the collective expertise
o stimulate greater engagement

How are we going to take this forward?

We need to take into account the open and accelerated approach to project
development we have introduced for Developer Day if we are going to fast track and
showcase this new way of prototyping and the innovations developed:

Critical to sustaining momentum and building legitimacy is how we

o Select the best way of taking forward the prototypes
o Develop spaces to take forward the prototypes
o License and encourage use of prototypes

In the accompanying Resources Matrix document, we identify and assess the

different approaches that could be used.

What does the analysis show us?

Evidence1 shows that providing participants with criteria that can be seeded by
facilitators helps make the prototype more “fit for purpose” when it is showcased back
to people and organisations that may want to support its development

This is the criteria suggested for the Developer Day.

o What’s the name of your prototype?

o What are the issues you’re trying to tackle?
o How are you going to develop it?
o What tools and techniques are you going to use to develop it?
o How would you take your idea forward?

1
See Annexes
What do we want to achieve?

We will ask at the end of the day how people want to take their prototypes forward
and also ask each person to commit to specific actions. We will emphasise that we
will support as much as we can to promote their prototypes and signpost them to
opportunities where they can exploit them. We will also highlight the benefits of the
groups taking these prototypes together with evidence from successful groups (such
as Enabled by Design and MyPolice) in similar events.

Two issues that come out of research show that it is essential for the organisers and
participants to
o Uncover what support these communities need to transform their bright ideas
into viable solutions
o Work through strong relationships and existing networks

Uncover what support these communities need to transform their bright ideas
into viable solutions

It can be tempting to pre-define what package of support should be offered to groups.

However, without knowing in advance what ideas or even prototypes they will
develop or who will be part of these groups, this approach can be counterproductive.
It also means participants are less likely to feel collective ownership over the process
of taking forward the prototypes.

On the other hand, not providing any options for further support would make it harder
for the prototypes to be developed further and the relationship between ourselves
and the groups would be confused.

We propose to provide a combination of support for peer networking and signposting

to structured support from other appropriate organisations.

Work through strong relationships and existing networks

Evidence suggests that to signpost and support the groups to organisations and
networks related to their challenge area who the organisers have a strong
relationship with, with a particular focus on community embedded intermediaries
some more institutionalised (such as Kent CAN) and others more self organised (i.e.
Tuttle 101). We would also encourage groups to make use of their own relationships
to take forward their prototypes.

Showcase the prototypes to…

o Self organising groups to work out if their meetups can provide a space for
continuing the conversation around how to take forward the prototypes.

o Corporate boards to showcase a new way of getting people’s ideas and

making the best use of their skills and enthusiasm to develop new
approaches to developing online services.

o Economic and technology boards – such as the Kent Economic Board

and Kent Connects - to showcase the prototypes to

o Investors – such as the Kent Investors Club – to showcase ways of taking

ideas which become investment-ready
 o Pre-commercial procurement, such as SBRI

How can other stakeholders be involved?

Innovation often depends on the right kinds of difference. That’s why we’ve invited
different groups of people. As we are inviting people who are involved in formal
groups or programmes and those who are more involved in informal groups and
activities, we need to explore the difference in the nature of support required, the
capacity constraints more informal groups face and the time required to engage them
after the event..

Involving staff

We need to make better use of the limited resources available – time, technology,
knowledge, money and of course our most important asset, staff themselves. But
before that we need to identify and develop people’s motivations, openness to ideas
and solving problems. Then we can look at how we incentivise and reward those
innovative behaviours, particularly their confidence and resilience in this difficult
climate.

By valuing staff not just for their expertise as “critical friends” to local innovators but
their capacity for being open to new ways of engaging people and solving problems
to areas they were responsible for – such as web, communications, community
liaison and technology.

Using challenge-based activities would help acknowledge and tackle the tension
between there being more competition between staff in a difficult climate and the
need to empower them to be more cooperative and willing to combine their efforts.

Hosting these activities over very short spaces of time, will also recognise that there
may be less time allocated to staff to innovate but we still need to give them better
freedom and opportunities to innovate.
To develop or
test out these Time to research Technology to Research to Funding to get Training for
tools, we and develop develop understand people to help people to use at
need not a lot these tools how we can use us develop or work or in the
(1), some (2) the tools test the tools community
or a lot of (3)

Select best Create

way of taking competitions
forward to fund and
prototypes support best 2 1 3 3 3
ideas to be
taken forward

Build on the
day by
carrying out
further
research to
3 3 3 2 2
help define
business
cases for
projects
 Simulate how
prototypes
could be taken
forward within
formal
procurement
or policy 3 1 3 1 3
processes with
real decision
makers in an
authentic and
influential way

Encourage Work with the

use of informal social
prototypes economy such
as mutual
support
services to 3 2 3 3 3
embed the
prototypes into
the community
 Provide peer
support to
early stage
technology
product
developers in
return for
meetings

Connect
developers
with investors 1 1 2 3 1
to seed fund
ideas
License the Franchise the
prototypes prototypes
where councils
offer groups
the ability to
3 3 3 3 3
join franchise
network to
provide the
prototype as a
service
 License the
prototypes
under Creative
Commons 3.0
so that groups
can adapt,
copy, 1 1 2 1 2
distribute and
transmit their
ideas as long
as they
attribute the
work
Develop Virtual lab
spaces to where super
take forward users can test
the out prototypes
prototypes of some of our
innovative
1 3 3 2 3
ideas and offer
feedback
directly to the
people who
developed
them
Online public
space to share
prototypes that
2 2 2 1 1
have been
developed in
the lab
Internal virtual
lab where
teams can
propose ideas
to be
prototype
based on
2 2 2 1 1
common
criteria (i.e.
user need,
funded by
team & takes
no more than
3 months)