Giving measures of how innovative our proposed projects

will be

Paul MayesNovember 2010

http://betterprojects.jiscinvolve.org/wp/

paul.mayes@gmail.com

Often when a new project proposal is written, one of the stated key benefits or impacts is that the project will be ‘innovative’

But how can we include measures of this innovativeness that will strengthen the project proposal (and ensure the project is actually innovative)

In our previous discussions we agreed that we will start with three strands of innovativeness (assuming the grant-giving body or other stakeholders do not have their own strands):

1. Technological innovativeness

2. Sociological innovativeness

3. Service innovativeness

Technological innovativeness

Main criterion:

How close to the cutting edge of technology (be it software, systems, equipment, etc) will the project be in terms of outputs and experience gained

Measurement

We include a rating by an independent panel of experts that we recruit during the writing of the proposal. 100% would mean for example that the latest technology will be used whereas over 100% would indicate that new technology will be developed. The Panel approach does not seek to compromise the eventual refereeing of the proposal - it is aimed to show that the proposal took innovativeness seriously and also, of course, the project team will gain from the feedback of the panel

Sociological innovativeness

Main criterion:

Innovativeness of the project’s 5 sub-strands of theoretical approach, inclusivity, accessibility, relationship with users and relationship with stakeholders

Measurement

We include 5 ratings by an independent panel of experts that we recruit. 100% would mean for example that the approach will follow very best practice. More than 100% would indicate that very best practice will be enhanced

Service innovativeness

Main criterion:

How much will the proposed project lead to new services or enhancements of service quality

Measurement

In our previous discussions we agreed that an expert panel rating system was harder here but we agreed it would still be useful if the service improvement could be rated/validated as a major improvement and as a useful exemplar to other practitioners

We have already started to to build up a fledgling network of critical friends and paid critical acquaintances (see http://www.slideshare.net/paulmayes/using-criticalfriend-smallproject). Developing a system for ‘recruiting’ busy experts is the next step

As said in a previous slide, it is worth noting the likely benefit to the knowledge of the project team and to their reflection