This document will evolve as the format changes. It will describe how to run a Innovation Lab.
This event type is often known as a hackathon. A hackathon is not for hackers only. It is just as much an event for product owners, test ppl, management and sales. The name does the event a disservice by setting an assumption of hackers only Therefore this document will replace the name hackathon with Innovation Lab.
This document will from now on call "Innovation Lab" -> lab
A lab is an event where people find solutions to problems defined within a scope or theme.
The theme sets the boundraries for what the lab should focus on, and can be both broad or narrow. The theme is there to help fuel creativity and productivity. A free for all theme only deters these abilities.
The theme is very important, but can also be very abstract.
Enrichment of financial data - Create a product or service which uses current gen systems and data and enriches it to provide value for our exisiting customers
Symbiosis - Team up with new people to create a new product or service that could challenge the market or help our customers to do so.
Note that these examples do not define what the team does creates in the lab. This is abstract. It can be a product video, a web site, an api or a product sheet (and so on). All teams must present the result of their work at the end. How it is presented is up to the team. See section Presentation for details
The venue is important and it is encouraged to choose a venue outside the common workspace, but sometimes it makes sense to have it at home.
The lab's goal is to provide a creative space where people can thrive and focus on solving problems they are interested in. But there is always room for competition.
Each lab can appoint a jury which will score the entries and announce a winning team.
The reward will vary from lab to lab, but I encourage the companies to pursue Proof of concept if that is within range i.e give the team some time to test their product.
Setup tables and chairs to accomodate the group size you want. A team may range from 2-5 people, but you might choose to allow for bigger teams.
Add a means for notes e.g post-its etc. Provide pens.
Setup project rooms. Fit them with white boards, pen and paper as well as enough power outlets. Ensure that there are enough rooms ( rooms = participants / ~5)
The lab always starts with a welcoming of the participants. Make sure to have beverages available. If the lab starts first thing, have something to eat available.
Use this time to explain the rules of engagement (refer to this document). Be welcoming and ensure newcomers that this is not a coding challenge/event. This is an opportunity for everyone to contribute and learn something new.
Explain how the event is structured and answer questions from particpants.
Announce the key note and let people mingle.
NOTE: If held in office, advice participants not to return to work stations. This is not the time for fixing bugs or writing emails.
Ask participants to sit down on prepared tables or seating in front of speaker.
Have an inspirational presentation to get the creative juices to flow.
Optionally this can be a short introduction to the theme
This is a good opportunity to invite external experts to speak about something related to the theme.
Allow speaker maximumum of 30 minutes to talk (unless life changing).
Participants are asked to remain seated (if at aforementioned tables with pens) or sit down at the tables.
Most likely the tables will not be diverse yet as people will group with people they know, but this is not the team we will end up with.
Allow for 10-20 minutes of discussion and writing down ideas. There are no requirements as to quantity or quality. These should be one-liner notes that explains the idea. Every table/participant can write as many or as few as they want. Most likely there will be overlaps and duplicate ideas, and these will be amassed in the next part.
Event hosts are encouraged to walk around and assist (answer questions etc) where needed.
In this part, the participants present their ideas to the entire lab. This can be done either with every participant presenting their individual ideas or the table assinging a presenter to go through each. The latter will be faster.
Allow each table 5 minutes to present all ideas. Rememeber that these are one-liners and not product presentations.
Put each idea on the wall and aggregate similar ideas.
Allow 1 meter margins for each idea.
Each participant is now encourage to choose a project. Each idea presents a possible project.
Try to buoy each participant away from their everyday team members and allow for new teams to form.
Ask everyone to stand in front of the note of the project they want to be a part of. If more than 5 people stand behind the same note, split up into more teams.
The teams are now set. Preferably no participant will change teams over the course of the lab, but may be allowed in some circumstances.
This part should take about 15 minutes.
Teams will now move into project rooms. Allow for them to assemble and work about 1 hour before serving lunch or evening equivalent.
This is the part of the lab which will take the most time. Essentially the teams will work until ~1 hour before presentation time.
- Spend the first hour talking about the project.
- What do you want to achieve?
- Align the team with a common vision.
- Create a scope that is feasible
- Allow enough time to produce what you want
- Fake the rest
- Distribute responsibility
- Set measurable targets
- "Make two min video"
- "Setup api endpoint"
- "Define market strategy"
- "Create presentation"
- etc
- Set deadlines for each target
- These may and will overflow. Don't fret
- Set measurable targets
- Have fun
- This is a lab aka "research". This may result in something monetizable, but that is not a requirement. The most important thing is to use your skills on new things and create new connections with other people.
- It is also an exercise in delivery on a short deadline.
Fake the rest
Allow 10 minute / team presentation. Most likely this will overflow.
Presentation time will be (teams * 10 min) + ((teams - 1) * ~2 min ) (2 minutes per team for setup of the next)
Five teams will take up 1 hour of presentation
Each tea NOTE: allow for enough time for presentation. At least 2 hours before the end. Do NOT set it to be 1 hour before days end. This will lead to people not getting to present because they need to pick up children or other engagements.
Allow the jury 10 minutes of disputation. Present winner and cheer.
Thank everyone for their participation and conclude this lab
