WHAT WILL YOU LEARN?

The goal of the short course is to train project managers in the unique leadership and management skills required of innovation projects.

Additionally the content will build the confidence of project managers in collaboration, iteration and partnership building along with their ability to demonstrate the impact and ROI of prospective innovation projects.

For large organisations the outcome is to build a community of skilled innovators across the business to support innovation, that will contribute towards the achievement of strategic goals.

AN OFFICIAL INNOVATION CERTIFICATE

Accredited innovation training programmes launched : Our courses are made to support the development of qualified innovators throughout your organisation.

Unlike self certified qualification, the courses are uniquely aligned with ILM (Institute of Leadership and Management) qualifications and quality assured by the Institute.

This training creates a flowing natural culture of ‘always-on’ innovation supported by reliable industry specific tools and processes.

Start by registering your interest. We can discuss your requirements and areas of interest and propose a course starting date when you are confident and ready to proceed. We also welcome group bookings.

This short course is composed of five video sessions which are 60 minutes long each. These are all supported by additional resources and spaces for discussion to embed your learning and make it relevant. See below for more information!

At the end of the course you have the optional ILM examination process. This is straight forward and presented as a combination of recorded personal log and a video presentation on the topic of innovating effectively in your organisation.

SYLLABUS OVERVIEW: FIVE SESSIONS AND AN ASSESSMENT

Video Session 1 - 60 minutes

Understanding and delivering innovating in practice –

Understanding models of contemporary innovation and how project management of innovation is delivered in practice; how to develop innovation mindsets for project managers and their teams; introducing the innovation toolkit.

This session will introduce learners to best practice in project management and how this integrates with contemporary innovation, so that learners can build their confidence in managing innovative projects effectively.  It will also introduce models of contemporary innovation so that learners can understand how innovation operates in practice and understand how their own projects can advance from identifying an initial opportunity to full adoption.  It will introduce a toolkit we will be using over the course of the programme, how it is employed within the course of project development. 

Learning Outcomes

·Understanding models of contemporary innovation and how project management of innovation is delivered in practice;

·Understanding how to develop innovation mindsets for project managers and their teams;

·Understanding which tools support management of innovation projects. 

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Video Session 2 - 60 minutes

Explore the problem –

How to identify opportunities for innovation and scope the Technical, Financial, Stakeholder and Strategic drivers involved for high-impact, successful innovative projects; how to undertake guerrilla research.

This session will enable learners to understand how opportunities for new projects can be identified and scoped, through understanding the strategic drivers of the organisation, technical feasibility, financial viability and potential return on investment, and stakeholder/user/customer needs.  The session will introduce how to collaborate with colleagues and effectively manage teams to rapidly assess each of these drivers, and revisit in more details the tools from our toolkit we will employ in doing so.

Learning Outcomes

·Understand how to identify fruitful opportunities for innovative projects and secure support;

·Understand how to scope the Technical, Financial, Stakeholder and Strategic drivers necessary for high-impact, successful innovative projects;

·Understand how to use a Business Model Canvas and other tools to capture and communicate these drivers.

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Video Session 3 – 60 minutes

Collaborating and de-risking innovation –

Understanding how to work with internal and external stakeholders to share risk & reward and deliver greater ROI;  Building a strong commercial case for innovation projects; protecting and exploiting IP.

This session will address how to effectively engage and manage relationships with key stakeholders, especially those external to the organisation, to secure their support.  The session will address how to manage and communicate with stakeholders and build strong relationships across organisational boundaries, and how to share risk and costs in developing projects to build win/win business cases with stakeholders.

Learning Outcomes

·Understanding how to work and communicate with internal and external stakeholders to share risk and reward and deliver greater return on investment; 

·Understanding how to build a strong commercial case for your innovation project;

·Understanding Intellectual property, and how it can be identified, protected and exploited in collaborative projects.

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Knowledge check for each Video Session – Multiple choice and discussion board

Additional Learning Resources- Printable Toolkit and supplementary reading list relevant to video sessions

Video Session 4– 60 minutes

Maintaining Momentum –

Identifying the breaks and accelerators of innovation projects and how to navigate these; how to ensure effective project management for innovative projects and how these approaches are implemented in practice with examples from industry.

Time is frequently the enemy of new projects, particularly those with an element of innovation.  New initiatives can start well but quickly stagnate as more departments become involved and project development is ensnared in a quagmire of diffuse decision-making and slow-moving internal pipelines.  This session highlights the common breaks and accelerators of project development with examples from industry experts as to how their organisations anticipate and navigate these challenges and maintain project momentum in line with key milestones.

 Learning Outcomes

·Identifying the breaks and accelerators of innovation projects and how to navigate and exploit these;

·Understanding how to ensure effective project management for innovative projects as they develop and how these approaches are implemented in practice.

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Video Session 5 – 60 minutes

Project Roll Out and Next steps –

How to embed innovative mindsets and the innovation toolkit within your team; reflecting on innovation practice and planning your continuing development as an innovative PM; making the case for innovation in our teams and organisation.

This session prepares learners for effective management of a project as it reaches maturity and is adopted by the organisation, as well as a reflection on the content covered during the course and how learners can continue to embed their new knowledge and grow as innovative project managers.  The session will revisit tools within the toolkit that support collaboration within teams and building innovative behaviours so that learners can understand how to continue to build innovative capacity within teams beyond the conclusion of the course and how to communicate the need for these approaches to key stakeholders so that innovation becomes Business as Usual.

Learning Outcomes

·Understanding the concept of crossing the chasm – how new projects and initiatives become ‘mainstream’ and are adopted successfully within the business;

·Understanding how to make the case for innovative projects within you team and with key decision-makers organisation throughout their life-cycle.

·Reflecting on innovation practice and planning your continuing professional development as an innovative Project Manager;

·Understanding how to embed innovative mindsets and the innovation toolkit within your team;

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Optional Assessment Activities for ILM Certificate

Personal Journal – Embedding innovation within project management and developing a justified plan for use of provided toolkits with your team.

Video Presentation – Making the case for Innovation in your business