I know first hand the success possible when groups embrace the creative collaboration of design thinking (a.k.a. human-centered design), after all, I've practiced it personally for more than 15 years and have witnessed it work again and again in organizations large and small. So naturally, I was delighted to read about the U.S. Government's new approach to tackling hairy problems. Seems the Office of Personnel Management has leapfrogged other agencies to join the innovation society and...wait for it...lead change by embracing the unlimited possibilities of design thinking.
Kudos to OPM!
It takes guts, humility, and a driving desire to find a better way in order to embrace the creative, highly iterative and seemingly chaotic 'science of problem solving,' but for those among us willing to take the chance and commit to the process, we are never disappointed.
So read on, and let the OPM's leap inspire you. Then, when you, too, are ready to put the raw power of human-centered design to work, just remember: I'm just a click away.
The sub-basement of the Office of Personnel Management's headquarters resembles more a of tech start-up than a federal office building. The innovation lab, as OPM calls it, provides a brightly-lit, open room for employees to meet and tackle the "stickiest" of the agency's problems.
Beyond the new coat of paint and crisp white furniture, OPM is embracing innovation as a new methodology — the science of problem-solving. The approach is called human-centered design, and it focuses on keeping the end user in mind throughout the problem-solving process. Originally applied to product development, the human-centered design can also apply to services — like the ones federal agencies provide.
The hope is the new space and new approach to problem-solving will actually lead to a new culture — one of innovation in government.
Kudos to OPM!
It takes guts, humility, and a driving desire to find a better way in order to embrace the creative, highly iterative and seemingly chaotic 'science of problem solving,' but for those among us willing to take the chance and commit to the process, we are never disappointed.
So read on, and let the OPM's leap inspire you. Then, when you, too, are ready to put the raw power of human-centered design to work, just remember: I'm just a click away.
OPM's innovation lab spurs new way of problem-solving
The sub-basement of the Office of Personnel Management's headquarters resembles more a of tech start-up than a federal office building. The innovation lab, as OPM calls it, provides a brightly-lit, open room for employees to meet and tackle the "stickiest" of the agency's problems.
Beyond the new coat of paint and crisp white furniture, OPM is embracing innovation as a new methodology — the science of problem-solving. The approach is called human-centered design, and it focuses on keeping the end user in mind throughout the problem-solving process. Originally applied to product development, the human-centered design can also apply to services — like the ones federal agencies provide.
The hope is the new space and new approach to problem-solving will actually lead to a new culture — one of innovation in government.
"That's not an oxymoron," said Matt Collier, senior advisor to the OPM director and the head of creating the innovation lab. (Read more...)
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