Service design How-to Series #9 Moving from experiment to prototype
Moving from an experiment to a prototype so leaders retain ownership and flexilbility
The experimiment is exacatly that - an experiment that allows us to try out new concepts and designs. What comes at the end of the experiment is the evaluation, and then the decision that needs to be made as to the next stage. Do we go back and do another experiment, modify the one we have just done, or can we now move on to develop the Prototype? The decision is a strategic decision - by those with overall responsibility of this part of the business. Our role is to feedback the learning from the Experiment, in a way that makes sense to the leaders, and in a way that allows the questions they have to be answered.
EXPERIMENT PURPOSE
Apply the SD principles end to end, to trial & demonstrate a different and effective way of operating and behaving. Safe to fail. To learn how to learn TYPICAL EXPERIMENT OUTCOMES Evidence of consequences of applying different levels of change Clarify boundaries of the work Identify the new optimal workflow, structure, roles Measured scope for improvement and outcomes Some simpler new measures emerging Description of the difference between old vs new system Key levers for change understood and tested Impact of applying the new principles evidenced New team behaviour demonstrated Old vs new customer journeys created Actual waste removed and the impact evidenced Understand the impact of system barriers that we removed, worked around, or left in place Understand difficulty of removing system barriers Understand the organisational implication of the new designs (policy, procedures, decision-making, support functions - HR, IT, etc Sponsor and team leaders experienced the new system |
PROTOTYPEPURPOSE
Create the new and efficient system with volume TYPICAL PROTOTYPE OUTCOMES To learn how to operate in the work with volume Measures in place, operational and used by staff The new design clearly defined The performance of the new system over time. New principles in place and being used Team behaviours learning sequence ready to roll-in Relevant system conditions redesigned. Sponsor and leaders gone through roll-in Redesigned support services in place |
An example of an part of experiment feedback in Health
The Prototype
The move to Protoype is interesting, because this is not a simple movement from one to the other. The considerations for me are to do with the scope of the change that then define the depth of the Prototype. And the deeper the Prototype the more that the leaders and managers have to be engaged, and the support necessary.
The sketch below, that I have created for a client, gives an indication as to the extend to some of the aspects of a service that may need to be considered.
The sketch below, that I have created for a client, gives an indication as to the extend to some of the aspects of a service that may need to be considered.
Demands for a service categorised into groups
Feedback to the decision-makers
Perhaps the most important point to note here is that the feedback is to the decision makers is not a presentation, it is feedback to the group who have already been engaged with the team and the design. So this is a summary or the work the leaders are familiar with. The importance of this fact is due to the nature of learning that means that true understanding and the ability to challenge engrained ways of seeing and thinking can ususallly only be acomplished by experiencing, not be rational presentation.
So, in this case the team uses their flip charts that they have created, and they feedback to the leaders. I help out, and summarise the key findings.
The decision is one that I help them to make, as I have the knowledge of consequenses, of the implications of the reality of making far reaching changes, and the actual resources reuired. They dont, they want everything to change at the same time! I am the one with the ability to temper their decision with the ability to define an emergent approach - one that allows the leaders to achieve their goal or of the change they want, but stepped in iterations that make sense and that are manageable.
So, in this case the team uses their flip charts that they have created, and they feedback to the leaders. I help out, and summarise the key findings.
The decision is one that I help them to make, as I have the knowledge of consequenses, of the implications of the reality of making far reaching changes, and the actual resources reuired. They dont, they want everything to change at the same time! I am the one with the ability to temper their decision with the ability to define an emergent approach - one that allows the leaders to achieve their goal or of the change they want, but stepped in iterations that make sense and that are manageable.
