Last week, we released our first Christmas quiz with the playful premise of assigning a polar animal to your innovator style.
The fascinating thing about pop quizzes is that they can be an invaluable tool in research and insight. Just like the Narwhale, my assigned animal, I have always been drawn to doing things differently. Time is often a scarce resource for our members, and we are committed to finding the best ways to generate practical and actionable insights. Personally, I have a strong interest in understanding how innovation can be successfully adopted. Earlier in my career, I worked in a national Local Government Improvement Agency, which amongst many things, delivered a government programme called “Beacon Councils.” This Labour Government initiative awarded Beacon Status to councils for thematic areas where other councils could learn and improve.
The programme was supported by DfT funded research with Warwick Business School, focusing on knowledge transfer and best practice adoption. The goal was to identify and understand high performing services and councils. In its later years, the research looked into Innovation and improvement in council services.
You might wonder why I’m mentioning this former role or how a “pop quiz” (which might seem trivial at first glance) relates to Highways Authorities, their suppliers, or our members. Well, for me, it’s simple. As we work on our upcoming Innovation Report, which is set for release to members early next year, I see this as an opportunity to help councils and suppliers make the most of innovation. This approach creates a win-win situation for communities, businesses in the sector, and the wider economy. So, whether we use humour or other creative methods, it becomes a serious matter when it helps councils adopt new practices and suppliers embed Innovation.
We’ve already started sharing our insights from the Innovation survey we conducted a few months ago. Feedback from regional groups and members updates has been great. All this work, led by LCRIG’s Sector Insight Team, will help form the foundation of our efforts in 2025 and beyond. There’s still so much to do – but just like Innovation itself, we don’t stand still!
Paula Claytonsmith, CEO