Innovation labs

Start-ups are more innovative than other organizations. An important reason for their success is that they work with prototyping. They market services that are not yet finished. The traditional organisation is also experimenting with innovation labs, but how does this work?

Most innovation labs arise because someone is convinced that a lot of knowledge in society remains underused. This is possible because the knowledge outside the organization is considered to be greater than within it. Another reason is if an enterprising employee wants to prevent the wheel from being reinvented over and over again.

Increasing knowledge as a reason

It’s not surprising that the first labs were created in information technology. After all, the best-known innovative companies are in this sector. Within healthcare, making open data available is often the starting point for a lab. The best known are the projects in which apps are made using (open) data. Social or organisational issues can also give rise to an innovation lab. In principle, anyone can participate. Yet it is mainly companies that are participating; citizens often do not have the necessary capacities or do not really feel invited. Bringing citizens along therefore asks for a personal invitation. Clients appreciate it if they can think and act along with us and certainly if the contribution is converted into working practice (2). That makes her proud and contributes to ‘ownership’. Employees vary, there are some who love it and others see it as a threat to everyday routines (1).

Labs are experimental places, sometimes a lot of valuable ideas come out of them, sometimes less. Success isn’t always guaranteed, but it can’t really fail, as long as one learns. As a result, it almost always reinforces the network when network partners are invited.