OPS Brainworks

I’ve been thinking about suggestion box campaigns in the public service that are subject to hierarchal barriers and subcultures that "Eat ideas for breakfast"(?).

I thought it needed a new approach so I developed (with UofT) a program called OPS Brainworks. Here is the 75 second pitch https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EBeetwp9fNU. The complete walkthrough is here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=seZGM2-hrF0.

The idea is to have a place where a challenge for the OPS is posted and a project team forms where participants can choose how to identify themselves or remain anonymous, but still identify their strengths.

The very first iteration is here. https://project-4-utm-solutions.onrender.com/#About Its far from complete and it will only be available for a limited time. Registering may not work yet so you can just proceed I think, and explore the design.

I thought I would share this with you for first impressions and feedback to improve the look and language. This is a collaboration with UofT to build a site we can all connect with to solve issues we face in the public service.

Its not all connected yet as a functional program, but I thought I would share it with you so far. Its an experiment in removing barriers and giving people a chance to show their strengths without the confines of siloes and sub-cultures.

There are those flying under the radar that have a lot to give. I see this is very inclusionary in this regard because it makes the architecture of the bureaucracy less irrelevant.

It’s a unifying and neuroinclusive tool designed to unlock expertise and passion across all levels of the OPS.

The idea is to create a space for ideas to cross fertilize. Projects can be posted as challenges so people can focus on a specific challenge. There is a space for ideation and creating teams organically. In the end a pitch is developed and a word cloud is generated to show off skills and identities of all kinds. The names of the team are revealed at the end with no disclosure connecting skills and identities.

The idea is to neuroinclusive and demonstrate the strengths of a diverse team. Its my belief that if recruitment could be more holistic, teams would be more productive and innovative.

Final thought:

Please let me know if there are programs like this used in the public service elsewhere. My understanding is that Belgium has done something like this only different. I haven't found it yet.

Cheers!