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Come and join us on the 17th December at Sessions Lecture Theatre (Maidstone) and see how people have used innovative tools that could save you money and time. If you wish to tweet at this event, the hashtag is #innovatetosave.

Introduction

09.00-09.45 Registration & Refreshments - Networking

09.45-10.00 Introduction to the day

Alex King MBE, Deputy Leader, Kent County Council.

In a time of economic difficulties, it is important for all of us to weigh up the risks and rewards of innovating and its potential to transform. Alex will be discussing the need to invest in innovation and how it fits into the bigger picture for both Kent as well as KCC’s future.

Finding the needle in the haystack

10.00-10.20 X Factor or Why Not Factor? Turning ideas into innovations

with Dr. Alan Kennedy, Innovation Manager at NHS Innovations South East

Everyday, thousands of people have lots of great ideas. NHS Innovations South East (NISE) provides a service to NHS staff in the region to help them convert their ideas into reality (you could say like Dragon’s Den). Alan Kennedy will be sharing the secrets of NHS success and how this approach can be adopted more widely.

10.20-10.45 Aggravation or Collaboration? Developing innovations between agencies

with Damien Kennedy, PM for the Key Innovation Programme, the National Pan Government Knowledge and Procurement System.

You may have an idea or a problem you need to solve in your area of work. Have you considered if other councils and public sector agencies are doing something similar? But supposing if someone else had already done all the hard work and solved it or had tried and failed? How could you find this vital information? Damien Kennedy will discuss how ‘The Key’ will pilot ways for the public sector to share and develop ideas, from showcasing to procuring the solution you're looking for.

10.45-11.30 50:50 or Call a Friend? A problem shared is a problem solved

with Tim Milner, Knowledge Manager at IDeA Knowledge Team

Collectively councils have the information and skills to support ongoing improvements across the local government sector. Knowledge management helps staff tap into this resource and gives them the tools to improve the way they capture, share and use the knowledge. It also reveals what works and helps people build on experience to ensure better practices and policies are established. Tim Milner will be discussing specific techniques and the process of adopting these within daily working life.

11.30-11.45 Break

11.45-12.15 Empowered communities fighting decay? The unlikely role of the web in regenerating local areas.

with Will Perrin, Founder of Talk About Local and former technology policy advisor to the Prime Minister.

‘Talk About Local’ is a project to give people a powerful online voice. The team behind the project want to help individuals communicate and campaign more effectively to influence events in the places in which they live, work or play. William Perrin, the founder of Talk About Local will be giving a presentation on how it is working to get these voices heard.

12.15-12.45 Social Media for improved internal communications

with Hollie Snelson, Internal Communications Manager at Kent Communications & Media Centre

Spotted an interesting team you would like to learn more about but don’t want to leave the comfort of your office? Got a question and don't know who to contact or want to shout out about what you are working on? Have no fear as Hollie is here to discuss how you could be using Yammer like 400 other KCC workers to break down the directorate barriers and share knowledge. She will also highlight some other tools which could further improve internal communication in the future.

12.45-13.00 Break & Mince Pies!

The best things in life are free

13.00-13.15 Here comes everybody? Using technological innovation in a recession

with Noel Hatch, Projects & Research Lead

Transformation in society doesn’t happen when it adopts new tools. It happens when it adopts new behaviours. Thanks to digital technologies more people are creating content, sharing resources, and collaborating online in ways that weren’t possible before. Maybe it's time to look at different ways we can use digital technologies to mobilise untapped resources, like people's creativity, energy and innovation.

13.15–13.45 Do you get the picture? Simplifying complex information.

with Andy Collett, IBM.

‘Many Eyes’ is a web site where people can create and upload their data in a variety of ways. It allows users to undertake online conversations about their information. Andy Collett will demonstrate how to navigate around the free online programme, and the many different settings that can be applied within it.

13.45–14.15 The power of social networks: Social Network Analysis and Collaborative Software.

with Dr. Norman Lewis, Open-Knowledge UK.

Social Network Analysis (SNA) identifies the threads of influence and trust that flow through and between social networks and communities and the individuals that hold pivotal positions within these networks – from spreading information to influencing decisions that their peers make. Dr. Norman Lewis will discuss how this approach has been used in other organisations.

14.15-15.00 The "Why Don't You" Web? Using online tools to help each other in the real world

with Dougald Hine, Co-Founder and Director of School of Everything and Signpostr

Until recently the internet was largely about replacing real world activities with virtual ones: why go out to the shops, the bank or the library when you can do it from your desktop? Increasingly, however, people are using online tools to organise face-to-face interactions. Drawing on his experience as co-founder of School of Everything and Signpostr, Dougald Hine will talk about how we can use the web to help people help each other in the real world.

15.00-15.30 Wind down – Time for informal Q&A with presenters, networking, a mince pie and the raffle draw.

Disclaimer

At the time of going to press this programme was deemed correct, however, alterations may occur due to unforeseen circumstances. Please also note that the views expressed by the speakers and featured in their presentations are not necessarily those held by Kent County Council.

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