The Surprising Power of Liberating Structures: Simple Rules to Unleash A Culture of Innovation (16 page)

Impromptu Networking + Generative Relationships + 1-2-4-All
Stimulate sharing, reflection, and a few new connections with
Impromptu Networking
. With
Generative Relationships
, jointly diagnose the interaction patterns that are inhibiting the group’s performance and identify what each person and formal leaders can do to remedy the situation. Use
1-2-4-All
to generate next steps.

WINFY + What, So What, Now What? Debrief + Wise Crowds in Fishbowl

Use
WINFY
to invite participants to clarify their group’s strategic needs for working effectively with all other functions and to find out what support each group can or cannot expect to receive. Follow with each group doing a
What, So What, Now What?
Debrief to decide their Now What?
End with all the groups’ spokespeople participating in a
Wise Crowds
consultation session to spark better relationships and coordination. Do the Wise Crowds in a
Fishbowl
to get everybody on the same page.

Goal 3: Drawing Out Prototypes

Look for triggers such as these: current activities, services, or products are not performing well; creative individuals are frustrated or isolated; there are no clear paths for new ideas to attract investment; important client needs are ignored; patches to current offerings are expensive. Any of them is a signal that there is a need for changes such as: revealing and making explicit what is already working while inviting something new to emerge; drawing out successful “chunks” of what’s working and combining them in new ways; unleashing everyone in building prototypes; accelerating coordination, progress, and spread dramatically.

Sample Strings

Appreciative Interviews + TRIZ + Ecocycle

With
Appreciative Interviews
, uncover the patterns and conditions that made past successes possible. Destroy barriers to innovation with
TRIZ
. Clarify the status of all products/services in the portfolio with the
Ecocycle
and identify opportunities for immediate action.

Users Experience Fishbowl + Simple Ethnography + Improv
Illuminate the limits of what is known about handling a challenge by asking the most knowledgeable people to share their experiences in a
Fishbowl
. Use the information generated to guide the collection of observations through
Simple Ethnography
. Use this to create scenarios for
Improv Prototyping
.

Simple Ethnography + What, So What, Now What? Debrief + Design StoryBoard

Use observations gathered with
Simple Ethnography
to identify opportunities for prototyping. Review opportunities through the three steps of a
What, So What, Now What?
Debrief. Sketch out detailed plans for field testing and adaptations with
Design StoryBoard
.

DAD + 1-2-4-All + Design StoryBoard

Bring hidden solutions to chronic challenges into focus via a series of
DADs
. The dialogues will also invite peers to begin adapting successful behaviors in their own settings. Use
1-2-4-All
to review individual and group successes in order to reveal what higher-level solutions emerge. Sketch out the path for determining how to coordinate across groups or units via a
Design StoryBoard
.

Goal 4: Unleashing Local Action

Look for triggers such as these: people are not taking risks; people are waiting for permission to act; layers of red tape stifle creativity; more time is spent presenting than acting; “analysis paralysis” has taken over. Any of them is a signal that there is a need for changes such as: unleashing purposeful action in large groups without detailed plans or elaborate budgeting; boosting freedom and responsibility with a minimal set of enabling constraints; improving coordination of diverse activities.

Sample Strings

Open Space + Min Specs + 25/10 Crowd Sourcing

Unleash a wide array of local actions with
Open Space
. Then, within the well-defined boundaries of
Min Specs
, identify bolder initiatives with
25/10 Crowd Sourcing
and invite volunteers to move them forward.

Nine Whys + Improv Prototyping + Design StoryBoard

Clarify with participants the deepest purpose of their work together with
Nine Whys
. Use
Improv Prototyping
to reveal what challenges emerge when addressing this larger purpose and what solutions emerge out of diverse participation. Put the pieces together in a
Design StoryBoard
for moving forward.

Critical Uncertainties + Wise Crowds + 15% Solutions

Generate robust stress-tested strategies for an unpredictable future with
Critical Uncertainties
. Use
Wise Crowds
and
15% Solutions
to provide interdisciplinary advice to each individual about their implementation.

Goal 5: Spreading Innovation by Scaling Out and Up

Look for triggers such as these: innovations do not spread to other groups; specifications for adopting an innovation do not fit diverse operating realities; solutions at the local level do not scale up; formal efforts to standardize innovative practice are “gamed” or ignored by local units. Any of them is a signal that there is a need for changes such as: spreading ideas or innovations
out
across groups or units; scaling
up
from local application to regional, global, or policy levels; fueling movements and transformations across boundaries.