Change2020 RIS3 workbook for learning-driven regional development
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The RIS3 Workbook for Learning-Driven Regional Development outlines practical strategies for project organizations, regions, and consortia to meet the EU's smart specialization requirements for 2014-2020. It emphasizes the importance of collaborative leadership, the formation of activity portfolios around shared themes, and leveraging international and domestic funding synergistically. The workbook includes case examples and guidance on orchestrating regional development through experimentation and co-creation in dynamic environments.
Change2020 RIS3 workbook for learning-driven regional development
- 1. RIS3 WORKBOOK (A) FOR LEARNING- DRIVEN REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT For project organizations, regions and project consortiums involved in regional development projects Toni Pienonen and Mikko Markkanen, Business Arena Oy
- 2. ! www.innofokus.fi Change2020 development program was part of the operations carried out by INNOFOKUS project which was funded by European Social Fund, Ministry of Education. INNOFOKUS project was managed by Aalto University School of Business Small Business Center (SBC). Summary RIS3 WORKBOOK FOR LEARNING-DRIVEN REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT provides a practical view on how project organizations, regions and project consortiums involved in regional development projects can meet the smart specialisation requirements of EU programme period 2014-2020. Contents of this workbook were documented by Toni Pienonen and Mikko Markkanen as part of INNOFOKUS project and its Change2020 program. Throughout the year 2014, the program organized several opportunities to create clarity on these issues. Following tens of participatory workshops and bench-learning events for hundreds of participants, this workbook summarizes the results. This workbook has a companion piece RIS3 WORKBOOK FOR PROJECTS which is intended for individual projects. You can find at it at www.innofokus.fi * Please note that in this context, ”projects” mean specifically regional development projects or applied and demand-driven research projects, unless otherwise stated.
- 3. Contents The approaches described in this workbook can be used to orchestrate the regional development activity of a project organization, a region or a project consortium. Workbook has four blocks. 1) Smart specialisation is not a fixed top-down strategy paper, but an ongoing process of experimentation and discovery. 2) Regional developers need to pool together a variety of resources around the same vision. To make this happen, anyone working with regional development can utilize ”activity portfolio thinking” in one way or another. Portfolios are an instrument for project organizations, regions and project consortiums involved in regional development projects to manage interlinked activity. 3) Orchestration ensures that actors behind activities interact, learn and move in the purposeful direction. 4) Idea and case examples help to illustrate how to increase interaction and learning in practice according to RIS3 requirements. Catalyzation and facilitation Activity portfolios Orchestration Idea and case examples
- 4. The purpose of smart specialisation (RIS3) is to act as a catalysis for a bottom-up process. It is not static paper or structure, but an evolving process, where participants learn by doing. This attitude requires a new set of processes and instruments from everyone involved. Instead of control, facilitation and shared ownership are the key. 1)
- 5. CASE EXAMPLE: Kymenlaakso Change2020 journey - university as regional smart specialization facilitator During the Change2020 program, KyAMK became the regional primus motor in the process of setting smart specialisation on track in Kymenlaakso. They learned first hand that smart specialization is an evolutionary learning process of discovery and increasing co-creation. 1/2014 KyAMK enters in Change2020 program Aalto partnership possibilities in Russia- cooperation 10/2014 Learning from Lapland and local universities’ role as smart specialisation primus motor 1/2015 → Partnership possibilities with Change2020 regions Jumping off to moving train - regional council and Cursor onboard in ”Team Kymenlaakso" Common Kyme delegation to Brussels 12/2014 Team Kyme opening new networks internationally Finding out about own regional strengths with help of outside viewpoints
- 6. EXAMPLE: First Follower - Leadership Lessons from Dancing Guy http://youtu.be/fW8amMCVAJQ Video on what catalyzation and change making is really about in simple straightforward manner - starting and nurturing a movement. • be easy to follow • be clear about what you want • go public, work in the open • make it easy to follow and join in • nurture the first follower • the first follower is what makes a dancing madman into a popular movement
- 7. Activity portfolios are a set of projects and development activities guided by a shared vision in a specific theme. By utilizing portfolio-thinking, regional developers can leverage and reach resources that would otherwise be unattainable. 2)
- 8. Activity portfolio always needs a specific theme Building the portfolio starts with identifying a specific theme that brings together different activities and actors. For example, the common thematic can be formed around: • a societal challenge, issue or a wicked problem • a regional smart specialisation spearhead • an emerging technology • a multidisciplinary industry / field If the theme is too narrowly defined, you may end up limiting the scope too much. Make it too big, and there isn’t enough glue to connect activities in a sensible way. Activity portfolio always a needs a strong vision Just like individual projects (and even more so) portfolios need a shared vision. A well-defined common theme helps to set it out. Activity portfolios are essentially self-organizing networks that cannot be controlled - they can only be nudged in the right direction. Vision is a glue that binds together individual activity and gives a sense of purpose for people involved. Activity portfolios can take place on three different levels Secondly, portfolios to define on what level the activity portfolio takes place. Roughly speaking, portfolios can exist on three levels that overlap each other: • A project organization (one organization): for example, a university may have its set of project and activity portfolios for certain themes • Region (one region, many organizations): projects and activity used to advance a specific goal, for example related to bioenergy, often implemented by various individual project organizations • Programme or a project consortium (many regions, many organizations): a network of different project organizations working together with interlinked activities
- 9. Portfolios should use funding instruments in synergy In Finland, domestic funding for regional development projects is being significantly reduced. At the same time European Union expects that ESI funds and domestic funding instruments should be used increasingly more in synergy with H2020 funding and other international project instruments. For Finnish HEIs and project organizations to be able to better reach out for international project possibilities, a sort of investment thinking towards project orchestration is required. Leveraging international funding with domestic funding is the key. Domestic € International €€ International + domestic €€€
- 10. One way to depict the structure of activity portfolios is to position individual projects and activities in the big picture according to typology of these three different types: 1. Capacity building: Helping businesses and HEI to build groundwork. 2. Creating new: Research and development with (international) partners. 3. Research to market: Applying latest research and knowledge in practice. Note that this is not a stop- gate model. Portfolio, projects and information flows can work in different directions. 1. Capacity building 2. Creating new 3. Research to market SHARED VISION information and resource flows Activities Activities Activities
- 11. As certainty increases, iterate and scale up by pooling more resources. Build pathways for university-society- cooperation and international leverage. Involve businesses in development. World-class research: R&I, demonstration pilots and development of KETs (key enabling technologies) CAPACITY BUILDING Platforms, living labs, communities, ESI and EAFRD funds, Tekes and other development activity for: capacity building, skills, proof of concepts and business advisory services. CREATING NEW Horizon 2020 and other international funding instruments for networked R&D. RESEARCH TO MARKET Platforms, living labs, ESI and EAFRD funds, Horizon SME instrument, Tekes and other development activity for applied technology and knowledge transfer to businesses and market. Small-scale experiments test the ideas and solutions in practice. Objective is to demonstrate the impact, benefits and learn as much as possible. Experiments also attract resources (networks, inertia, partners) behind the idea. Transferring and implementing latest research knowledge into innovations with businesses as early adopters. Sourcing existing knowledge and combining it into new concepts. EXAMPLE OF A PORTFOLIO UTILIZING SYNERGY OF DIFFERENT FUNDING INSTRUMENTS Circle = project or activity, radius of the circle corresponds to the size of the project or activity SHARED VISION
- 12. Portfolio requires an orchestrator who supports and facilitates the key players - with information, resources and learning 3)
- 13. In the end, it’s not about who owns the projects and activity, but who orchestrates the portfolio - someone who connects the dots, understands the big picture and drives others towards vision.
- 14. Orchestration ≠ traditional leadership Since activity portfolios (and smart specialisation in regions) are essentially networks based on collaborative leadership, where leadership is shared and comes in different forms (as opposed to hierarchy and official leadership), orchestrator needs to use a different kind of leadership mindset. Networks are living systems of self- organization. They cannot be controlled, only nudged in the right direction. Collaborative leadership maxims that orchestrators should follow • There is no leader in a network. Networks are orchestrated with strong vision, sense of purpose and meaningful roles. • Paint the big picture and show a common direction. Connect the dots. Make it clear how individual elements are connected to each other. • Communication in its many forms (face-to-face meetings, events, etc.) is vital. • Orchestrator should help others to learn from each other and recognize opportunities. Make learning, success stories and good failures visible - not to punish, but to learn effectively. • Bring expertise from the network for common use and help to combine resources. • Instead of planning, focus on doing things. 90% of time spent in a network should be about doing, 10% planning. Trust builds from results. • Help people in the network to become more active; seek champions and first followers, and nurture them
- 15. Examples of orchestrator’s tasks. Learning and co- creation enable portfolios to function successfully Organize events and workshops Broker and connect people, activities and resources Remove impediments Document the process and lessons learned Use digital open platforms to make it easier to share Turn experiences into stories Developed and modified from Scrum methodology and Kari Mikkelä’s description of Urban Mill service process: urbanmill.org QUESTION: Who in your organization or region should be the orchestrators? !
- 16. Failed experiment Successful experiment Portfolio orchestrator needs to analyze which solutions in different projects and activities work and do not. He follows the mindset of ”Failure is a result. Fail fast, learn fast. You cannot find the right answers, but workable solutions.”
- 17. Learning takes place all the time - within projects and across the portfolio. A portfolio needs both physical and virtual arenas for sharing tacit and explicit knowledge.
- 18. Furthermore, portfolio orchestrator and individual project managers need to maintain flexibility and a vigilant watch for black swans, the unexpected surprises that can result in profitable spin-offs and spin-inns.
- 19. Idea and case examples on how to increase learning and co-creation in portfolios 4)
- 20. CASE EXAMPLE: Lapland’s staff exchange, a good practice Since most valuable project knowledge (tacit knowledge and social capital) is so strongly embedded in individual people - and is therefore difficult to transfer - one of the best ways to increase learning in project portfolios is staff exchange. Regional project organizations can cooperate and learn from each other by allowing their experts to simultaneously work in two different organizations and / or projects. It was discovered in Change 2020 activities that Lapland in particular had excellent experiences from widespread use of staff exchange between HEIs and regional development organizations. 30% Regional development agency 70% University ”Knowledge transfer on legs.”
- 21. Utilize cities, regions and social environments as living labs and testbeds “The laboratories for innovation are no longer traditional university facilities, but regional innovation ecosystems operating as testbeds for rapid prototyping of many types on user-driven innovations: new products, services, processes, structures and systems, which need to be of transformative and scalable nature.” - CoR Opinion on Horizon 2020 © Toni Pienonen
- 22. Platform-based approach and ecosystems are the new black in regional development Some typical characteristics of platforms: • facilitating bottom-up activities, letting things happen (instead of control or management) • testbeds for knowledge co-creation, citizens, business and society, universities and public sector together (quadruple helix) • experimentation, prototyping and piloting possibilities • solving thematic issues via multidisciplinary approach • intermediaries that connect HEIs, business, users and society • agile resource-sharing, continuous organizing and reorganizing around required tasks via individuals, who can take care of them, not by organizations Urban Mill is a thematic focal point and open innovation platform service for global urban innovators in Espoo, Finland. It is a co- working space, an innovation community, as well as a change orchestration tool for urban development. It aims to re-define the way in which people accomplish joint innovation work, and aims to make societal impact in a global urban context. Urban Mill is part of Espoo Innovation Garden, a focal point of innovation buzz on Aalto University campus. www.urbanmill.org CASE EXAMPLE:
- 23. Platforms are essential, as paradigm of Open Innovation 2.0 takes a prominent role. The key is to involve users and society, business, universities and public sector in cross-fertilisation, experimentation and rapid prototyping in real world setting. It is vital to understand the importance of individuals and their impact. Tasks should be organized according to individuals and shared ownership, not organizations. (source: Bror Salmelin, DG Connect)
- 24. Don’t lock your mindset in arbitrary strategy boxes - design the activities based on real-life needs, those of the customers and society If you represent an European region or organization trying to find international partnerships, it might be easier to build common ground and vision with partners and business by creating solutions to real-life societal challenges. Don’t be fixated by your own arbitrary strategy boxes of supposed smart strengths. Instead, reflect your RIS3 priorities or themes in comparison to grand societal problems and needs, e.g. ”urbanization”. Understand how answering to these societal needs translates into untapped international business opportunities, particularly in growing markets of Asia, Americas and Africa. Europe should not be too inward-focused. Co-create new solutions with society, business, public sector and universities. Utilize the various testbeds and platforms provided by European partners, living labs, R&D facilities. Experiment and validate your solutions internationally. Europe is after all a diverse place with different markets and regions. Make use of this diversity to create references that work anywhere around the globe. Scale-up rapidly and commercialize society business universities public sector Thematic approach: For example, topic of urbanization crosses many different smart specialisation spearheads - for example in case of Uusimaa ”urban cleantech”, ”welfare city” and ”smart citizen” Societal need: Internationally, urbanization touches particularly growing economies Quadruple helix: co-creation to build solutions Experimentation: European testbeds for experimentation and validation to create European solutions
- 25. CASE EXAMPLE: Two-part project call for creating more cooperation and synergies between different funding instruments in a region 1. Thematic idea tender: regional financing authority requests solutions and ideas for regionally important themes 3. Feedback to ideas: financing authorities give feedback for all tender participants 4. Combining and sparring ideas: using virtual and physical environments, the financing authority brings the participants together, helps them to identify common possibilities and portfolios 5. Public project call: As a result, the project bidders are better equipped to answer the official project call - there is more cooperation and actual project call phase is faster 2. Proposing solutions: project organizations, businesses and stakeholders propose ideas and solutions North Karelia Centre for Economic Development, Transport and the Environment and Regional Council of North Karelia organized a similar idea process in the spring of 2014 with much success. Before phase 4), ideas were added to an open virtual board for discussion and overview: https://trello.com/b/lwCZ02vV/pohjois-karjalan-hankeidealeiri-2014 !
- 26. KYMENLAAKSO CHANGE2020 JOURNEY LAPLAND CHANGE2020 JOURNEY POLAMK CHANGE2020 JOURNEY AALTO CHANGE2020 JOURNEY Ideas and connections for Open Innovation 2.0 Partnership possibilities with Change2020 regions + sharing international connections Partnership possibilities with Change2020 regions Showcasing Otaniemi campus area and platforms Lapland as an internationally recognized example to other regions in smart specialisation Outsiders’ perspective and input for identifying Lapland’s strengths Partnership possibilities with Change2020 regions + sharing international connections Ideas and benchmark from other universities Tools and input for improving PolAMK’s Horizon 2020 capability KyAMK as facilitator and accelerator of Kymenlaakso smart specialisation Aalto partnership possibilities in Russia-cooperation Learning from Lapland and universities’ role as smart specialisation initiator Advancing Lapland’s smart specialisation with Change2020 feedback Opening international networks to other Change2020 participants, demonstrating Aalto’s role in Uusimaa smart specialisation Activating internal development - excitement and activation Partnership possibilities with Change2020 regions Identifying new activity possibilities in Nordic and Arctic reach Jumping off to moving train - regional council and Cursor onboard in Team Kymenlaakso Common Kyme delegation to Brussels Team Kyme opening new networks internationally Opening up Aalto University resources and connections to Change2020 partners Reflecting and learning from others CASE EXAMPLE: Change2020 - how different regions benchlearned from others and formed new partnerships in one year with common thematic workshops
- 27. Gamification metrics - make project work fun In his TED talk, Tom Chatfield described seven ways on video games engage the brain. Gamification can be applied in project work to make it funnier and more efficient*. 1. Using an experience system: everything should count in some way towards steady individual progression 2. Multiple long and short-term aims: create an array of larger and smaller objectives that help people take ownership of their progress, and keep them feeling they are progressing and succeeding 3. Reward for effort: credit people for everything they try and do, make everything count towards a clear measure of progress 4. Rapid, clear, frequent feedback: central to all forms of learning and engagement; show a clear link between things, allow people to experience this experimentally 5. Uncertainty and engagement that rewards 6. Moments of enhanced attention 7. Other people: rewards come from doing something in comparison and in collaboration with others * List originally proposed by Tapio Järvenpää and Ilkka Kankare in their book ”Veikö Moolook vallan? Vapauta projektisi tuhlaajakultista” © Nintendo
- 28. The workbook comes with an additional canvas template for practice purposes. You can use the activity portfolio canvas to summarize your activity portfolio Find it at www.innofokus.fi ! ! PORTFOLIO ACTIVITY a) CAPACITY BUILDING: Helping businesses and HEI to build groundwork for further cooperation. What projects and activities take place here? How are they linked together and to portfolio? b) CREATING NEW: R&D and world-class frontier research with (international) partners. What projects and activities take place here? How are they linked together and to portfolio? c) RESEARCH TO MARKET: Applying research and knowledge in creating innovation. What projects and activities take place here? How are they linked together and to portfolio? SHARED VISION What is the shared vision that binds all the activity together in the portfolio? PORTFOLIO ACTIVITIES PORTFOLIO ORCHESTRATOR Who is responsible for orchestrating the activities? KEY PEOPLE IN THE PORTFOLIO KEY ORGANIZATIONS IN THE PORTFOLIO SHARED RESOURCES AND SUPPORT OFFERED FOR PORTFOLIO ACTIVITIES FOUNDATION COMMON THEME For example, the common thematic can be a societal challenge or wicked problem, regional smart specialization strength, emerging technology or specific industry / field. TYPE OF PORTFOLIO On what level the portfolio takes place? !( ) a project organization ( ) region ( ) project consortium EXISTING STRENGTHS AND CAPABILITIES What previous work and efforts the portfolio is based upon? CHANGE2020 ACTIVITY PORTFOLIO CANVAS © Business Arena Oy, Aalto University School of Business Small Business Center NAME%OF%THE%PORTFOLIO
- 29. Activity portfolio canvas contains an additional template for deeper understanding of support offered by the portfolio orchestrator. SHARED RESOURCES AND SUPPORT OFFERED FOR PORTFOLIO ACTIVITIES © Business Arena Oy, Aalto University School of Business Small Business Center ! ! ! How does the portfolio support the key players with information, resources and learning? - events and workshops - documenting the process and lessons learned - connecting the right people, activities and resources What are the milestones and critical moments? ! ! ! ! ! ! ! January July ! ! PORTFOLIO ACTIVITY a) CAPACITY BUILDING: Helping businesses andHEI to build groundwork for further cooperation.What projects and activities take place here? Howare they linked together and to portfolio? b) CREATING NEW: R&D and world-class frontierresearch with (international) partners.What projects and activities take place here? Howare they linked together and to portfolio? c) RESEARCH TO MARKET: Applying research andknowledge in creating innovation.What projects and activities take place here? Howare they linked together and to portfolio? SHARED VISION What is the shared vision that binds all the activitytogether in the portfolio? PORTFOLIO ACTIVITIES PORTFOLIO ORCHESTRATORWho is responsible for orchestrating the activities? KEY PEOPLE IN THE PORTFOLIO KEY ORGANIZATIONS IN THE PORTFOLIO SHARED RESOURCES AND SUPPORT OFFERED FOR PORTFOLIO ACTIVITIES FOUNDATION COMMON THEME For example, the common thematic can be asocietal challenge or wicked problem, regionalsmart specialization strength, emerging technologyor specific industry / field. TYPE OF PORTFOLIO On what level the portfolio takes place?!( ) a project organization ( ) region ( ) project consortium EXISTING STRENGTHS AND CAPABILITIESWhat previous work and efforts the portfolio isbased upon? CHANGE2020 ACTIVITY PORTFOLIO CANVAS © Business Arena Oy, Aalto University School of Business Small Business Center NAME%OF%THE%PORTFOLIO
- 30. Authors’ concluding words In their commentary, Change2020 development program participants relished the opportunities they’d been given to try out new methods, create space for informal networking and sharing viewpoints. We’d like to thank everyone of them for the fun time we had. Innovation activity is moving out of laboratories into the open, from enclosed living labs to real-life testbed environments and bottom-up platforms. Until now, Finnish regional development projects have been planned, financed and - to some extent- executed in enclosed systems. Risk-taking has been minimized. Can we afford that anymore? Open Innovation 2.0 thematic board (see right) contains many similar themes that also Change2020 tackled. They serve to remind us on what European Union expects from policy makers and innovation actors in solving key European challenges by embracing change. Our answer could be: ”Maximize the coincidence. Prototype rapidly and experiment. Harness the bottom-up activity and nurture the first followers - don’t restrict too much. Pull up your sleeves and act as much as you can. Keep learning.” Open Innovation 2.0 thematic board. (http://ec.europa.eu/digital- agenda/en/open-innovation-20)
- 31. This material was analyzed, written and put together by Toni Pienonen and Mikko Markkanen from Business Arena Oy in April 2014 - January 2015. We’re a Finnish company specializing in university-business- cooperation, high-impact projects and learning networks. For more information, see: www.businessarena.fi Toni Pienonen toni.pienonen@businessarena.fi 0400 737 238 Mikko Markkanen mikko.markkanen@businessarena.fi +358 40 758 8712
- 32. Change2020 development program was part of the operations carried out by INNOFOKUS project which was funded by European Social Fund, Ministry of Education. INNOFOKUS project was managed by Aalto University School of Business Small Business Center (SBC). www.innofokus.fi